The brand spirit “Unleash Together” (an encapsulation of the LEC community’s lively, meme-filled, playful energy) remained our north star over the years, always reflecting the attitude of the people who are part of it.
Working closely with such a community-first brand over a number of years pushed us to create new experiences, events, trophies, broadcast and motion graphics, sound design and films — each time a new expression of the LEC spirit, while staying true to the core.
DesignStudio
Vitor Cervi
Sam Smith
Jon Orr
Charlie Keeper
Hayden Shields
Paddy Blake
Dani Wolf
Matt Cox
Julian Poidevin
Dean Brown
Father
Year
2021-23
LEC FINALS: MONTPELLIER
RIOT GAMES KR (LCK)
RIOT GAMES CH (LPL)
In 2023, LEC expanded beyond Europe, introducing teams across EMEA into the league. This came with an evolution of the yearly tournament format, where they introduced new seasonal splits leading up to the yearly championship finals event. Each of these splits would result in a winning team, determining who would compete at the end of season finals.
We were tasked with creating a trophy design for the new splits, one that would fit alongside the Championship trophy we had previously designed. It needed to feel special, yet not diminish the prestige of the Championship trophy.
Just like the Championship trophy, we set out to create something that felt unconventional and truly LEC. The result: A series of 3 five-pointed shields, mirroring the geometry of the Championship trophy. Each shield is finished in a different metal, reflecting the seasonal splits through both finish and etched detailing. Importantly, it presents well on screen, often viewed from the front as the split finals are live streamed to thousands of fans across EMEA.
Following the initial rebrand, we continued to work with LEC on the concept, identity and experience for each year’s season finals event. Using each host city’s characteristics and history to create exciting narratives, each finals event became more than just a sports event.
Athens 2019 imagined the LEC as an underground rebellion, taking over the city with protest graphics and immersing fans in a technological finale at the arena. In Malmö 2022
Most recently in 2023, we created an extra-dimensional finals paradise, reimagining Montpellier
At the start of each season, LEC would create a new opening sequence to introduce fans to the teams playing in the league that season. The sequence we created in 2022 was particularly epic — a completely 3D generated technological landscape (’Planet LEC’) that imagined the LEC crown as the arena itself. Working with sound designers Father, we developed a completely custom track and logo sting, setting the tone for the season to come.
3 years on from the launch of the LEC brand, we were asked to create an anniversary film, to celebrate the entire community of teams, shoutcasters, fans — through the highs, lows, rivalries, lockdowns, and of course, the memes.
As an extra nod to the fans that make this incredible league what it is, we designed a special ‘comic sans’ version of the crown to sign off the film. Not surprisingly, it went viral after the film’s launch.