FRESH | PADEL POSITIONED AS DYNAMIC PICKLEBALL ALTERNATIVE

MIAMI FL/NEW YORK NY The 2024 season kicks off for the rebranded Pro Padel League (PPL) as part of an overall strategy to position the sport as an alternative to pickleball and to gain a bigger share of racquet sports fan attention in the US. Padel, a mix between tennis and squash played in doubles on an enclosed court, has a global ecosystem valued at $2 billion. The Working Assembly has crafted a fresh visual identity for the PPL, being unveiled now across all touchpoints — court, merchandise, signage and video. Comments Jolene Delisle, founder and head of creative at the agency: “Our goal was to embody the energy and pulsepounding excitement into the new brand identity.” The initiative not only seeks to differentiate the PPL. but also to underscore the sport’s dynamic essence. Of the logo, Design Director Diego Barragan says: “We wanted to create a logo mark from the PPL abbreviation to encapsulate the anatomy of the racket in its curves and shape. Its angle accentuates the dynamic and fast-paced aspect of the game, while the wordmark is stacked with scale, ensuring that ‘Pro Padel League’ ends with an emphasis on ‘Padel League’ to underscore growth.” Adds Senior Designer Rachel Wilkinson: “The design system draws inspiration from the court and the unique aspect that sets padel apart from other racket sports: its three additional surfaces to play with. Our visual identity system utilizes line work devised from the court to construct a dynamic grid that allows us to experiment with layouts, harmonizing typography, and photography.” And explains Benjamin Ross, Motion Design Director: “Compared to other sports, the energy on the PPL courts felt fierce and intense in a different way. We knew from the get-go that we needed to express that dynamism and energy and that motion played a huge role in that. We wanted our graphic elements to bounce, to accelerate, and burst with energy the way players do on the court.” The Working Assembly identity is expected to play a crucial role in establishing presence in North America. theworkingassembly.com