Urban ClimbUnited by uncommon ground

A quintessential climbing brand for die-hards and newbies alike

Bouldering (as a high-performance sport) has grown exponentially in global popularity and recognition over the past several years, and more recently entered the international spotlight at the 2020 Olympics. Yet thankfully, despite its growth, the sport has retained much of its unique subculture and local-oriented ethos that attracted so many climbers to the sport in the first place.

Capturing and expressing this attitude was key to creating an identity for Urban Climb in Australia. Their aim was to grow the brand without gentrifying or diluting its close-knit community, expertise, passion, or uniqueness in the world of climbing. Our approach to this was best encapsulated via the Urban Climb manifesto, titled Our Uncommon Ground, that highlights bouldering as a subculture, rather than a sport.
1. This place was made for you
2. Outsiders, inside, together
3. Hard to understand until you’re in it
4. Open to, but not for everyone
5. Take climbing seriously, not yourself
6. Embrace the hard stuff
7. Be mindful, always
8. There’s never one way
9. Fitness isn’t a beauty contest
10. May cause bruises and happiness
11. No bad climbs
12. Always be uprising
It was through this spirit that we created their very own DIY approach to branding. We provided the brand with a logo, a set of illustrated stickers, colours, typefaces, image treatments and tone of voice principles, allowing them to iterate and create long into the future. This meant that every brand touchpoint had its own unique application – an expression of play and like bouldering itself, never one way! Nothing went to waste, even the staff uniforms and branded merch we designed recycled our unused identity concepts.

We also worked with the brand to create an iterative approach to the design of their annual professional and amateur climbing event, Boulderfest, by working with an illustrator to reinvent the theme year upon year. For 2021 we commissioned the amazing Jiro Bevis to bring to life the spirit of Boulderfest. The scene depicts good, the bad and the ugly side of bouldering! Chaotic, competitive, and a community love in, all in one.

Bouldering (as a high-performance sport) has grown exponentially in global popularity and recognition over the past several years, and more recently entered the international spotlight at the 2020 Olympics. Yet thankfully, despite its growth, the sport has retained much of its unique subculture and local-oriented ethos that attracted so many climbers to the sport in the first place.

Capturing and expressing this attitude was key to creating an identity for Urban Climb in Australia. Their aim was to grow the brand without gentrifying or diluting its close-knit community, expertise, passion, or uniqueness in the world of climbing. Our approach to this was best encapsulated via the Urban Climb manifesto, titled Our Uncommon Ground, that highlights bouldering as a subculture, rather than a sport.

This place was made for you
Outsiders, inside, together
Hard to understand until you’re in it
Open to, but not for everyone
Take climbing seriously, not yourself
Embrace the hard stuff
Be mindful, always
There’s never one way
Fitness isn’t a beauty contest
May cause bruises and happiness
No bad climbs
Always be uprising

It was through this spirit that we created their very own DIY approach to branding. We provided the brand with a logo, a set of illustrated stickers, colours, typefaces, image treatments and tone of voice principles, allowing them to iterate and create long into the future. This meant that every brand touchpoint had its own unique application – an expression of play and like bouldering itself, never one way! Nothing went to waste, even the staff uniforms and branded merch we designed recycled our unused identity concepts.

We also worked with the brand to create an iterative approach to the design of their annual professional and amateur climbing event, Boulderfest, by working with an illustrator to reinvent the theme year upon year. For 2021 we commissioned the amazing Jiro Bevis to bring to life the spirit of Boulderfest. The scene depicts good, the bad and the ugly side of bouldering! Chaotic, competitive, and a community love in, all in one.