As Liverpool Football Club revels in Premier League glory, we explore the strategic revolution powering its identity both on and off the pitch.
Something extraordinary recently unfolded in English football: Liverpool FC clinched the Premier League title for the second time. When you add that to their 18 top-flight titles from before the Premier League era, they now stand level with Manchester United—both clubs boasting the honour of being crowned English champions 20 times.
But that’s not the only big story to come out of Anfield this year. Recently, brand agency Bulletproof partnered with Liverpool to create something unprecedented: the first football identity powered by fans. More than just a rebrand, this was about capturing the energy, voice and unshakable belief that define both the club and the city itself.
We chatted to David Beare, executive creative director at Bulletproof, to find out more.
Bird takes flight
This was Bulletproof’s first collaboration with the storied club, explains David. “It was both a huge honour and a significant responsibility,” he recalls. “LFC is more than a football club: it’s an identity and a global symbol of resilience and belief.”
What really set this rebrand apart, though, was its deep connection to the supporters who define the club’s character. “Fans were at the heart of this project,” David emphasises. “We engaged with supporter advisory groups early in the process to better understand the spirit, value and personality of the club from the perspective of those who live and breathe it. Their insight helped shape the strategic foundations of the identity; grounding it in pride, energy and local character.”
This collaborative approach ensured the new identity wouldn’t just represent the club but would feel owned by fans worldwide.
Heritage vs innovation
For an institution with Liverpool’s storied history, respecting tradition while embracing the future presented a significant challenge. “Balancing heritage and innovation were at the heart of the project,” says David. “We started by deeply understanding LFC’s history; its defining moments, and its unique role in the city and beyond. The Liver Bird, as a symbol, became our anchor.”
For the uninitiated, The Liver Bird is both a mythical creature and the symbol of Liverpool. It appears in the city’s coat of arms, and on the Royal Liver Building, a prominent building on the waterfront.
“The Liver Bird is more than a logo: it’s the heartbeat of the city,” David stresses. “We studied its history and symbolism, focusing on its role as a sign of defiance, passion and heritage.” But rather than altering the iconic crest, Bulletproof used the Liver Bird’s DNA—its shapes, curves, and especially its wing expression—as inspiration for the entire visual system.
“The ‘wing expression’ became a core creative device, one that visually channels the energy of Anfield: sometimes calm and composed, other times dynamic and boundary-breaking,” David explains. “Just like the stadium itself, the system responds to its surroundings; powered by the sounds, emotions and atmosphere unique to Liverpool.”
The Scouse soul
In short, the rebrand goes beyond aesthetics to embody Liverpool’s distinctive spirit”. Capturing the Scouse soul meant bottling the city’s attitude, resilience and sense of togetherness,” David notes. “The strategic phase of the project landed us in a space that felt proudly Scouse, with a new promise: ‘Inspiring belief on and off the pitch’.”
Bulletproof defined a set of characteristics—graft, faith, togetherness, and ‘our way’—that could only be true of Liverpool, the city and, by extension, the football club. “Anfield itself is a huge part of this,” adds David. “The stadium is unique: it’s the home of this atmosphere, a place feared by other clubs, and a fortress where the crowd’s energy is palpable.”
“Typography is central to the evolved identity,” David continues. “We developed a new signature for the brand that, over time, will become as synonymous with the club as the Liver Bird crest. We partnered with Alistair McCready at Monolith to craft a bespoke type suite featuring both a custom serif and a sans serif at its core. Both styles are inspired by the shapes and curves of the Liver Bird.
“Every character across both serif and sans was drawn individually,” he adds. “No shortcuts, mirroring or stretching. Each width and style received bespoke treatment to maintain balance and optical integrity. LFC Sans’ reduced contrast ensures accessibility and legibility, even at smaller sizes or in long-form text. The type system was rigorously tested at various sizes to achieve the right optical balance, with the serif primarily for headlines but flexible enough for body text.”
The typography is also variable and responsive. “It can animate and shift in real-time, responding to goals, silences, or the songs sung by fans, making the brand feel alive and deeply connected to the matchday experience.” As for colour, “We distilled the multitude of reds used by the club down to one iconic Liverpool red, supported by a limited palette of red tones for clarity and consistency.”
A flexible system for a global brand
The new identity wasn’t just designed for match days but to function across Liverpool FC’s entire global presence. “A big part of the job wasn’t just to give the LFC design team more but to clear the noise and clutter, providing a simplified set of distinctive assets with the flexibility and variability to allow for cohesive work at pace,” explains David.
“The new identity is designed to be incredibly flexible, serving a diverse range of audiences and contexts. On digital platforms, the responsive type and wing expression animate in sync with fan sentiment and match moments, creating a truly immersive experience. In the stadium, the visuals adapt to Anfield’s unique energy. Whether it’s calm anticipation or explosive celebrations, the brand moves with the crowd.”
This flexibility extends to commercial partnerships: “The identity now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with partner brands like Adidas, Standard Chartered and EA Sports, allowing for seamless collaborations while maintaining a distinct LFC presence.”
Measuring success
While the rebrand is still in its early days, one of the most meaningful measures of success will be the emotional connection it builds with supporters. For Bulletproof, the aim was always to create something that resonates on a deeply human level. “What matters most is that sense of pride; when fans say, ‘This feels like us,’ that’s when we know it’s landed in the right place,” says David.
In summary, this fan-powered revolution represents more than just a visual refresh. It’s a testament to the club’s understanding that in modern football, the connection between team and supporter extends far beyond the pitch.
“Our approach was never about changing LFC but amplifying what makes it unique; bringing out the ‘more-ness’ that’s always been there,” concludes David. “Ultimately, this wasn’t about what LFC looks like but what LFC feels like.”