Identity Reflects Focus on the Gaming Community
DreamHack — Where the Gaming Community Comes to Life
STOCKHOLM/COLOGNE/NEW YORK — As part of its annual “DreamHack Day” today, Wednesday, December 9, 2020, DreamHack has revealed a refreshed brand with an identity focused on the gaming community. The new look, created in partnership with WPP brand agency Superunion, also reflects the company’s evolution into a global destination for immersive, gaming lifestyle experiences where the community comes to life. DreamHack Day has always been a celebration of the company’s early beginnings in 1994 — a gathering of friends and their computers in a school cafeteria with no online access has grown into a beacon of internet culture, and a gathering place for gamers worldwide.
Featuring a reinvigorated logo, dynamic color palette, bold typeface, and energized graphics, the refreshed brand pays homage to DreamHack’s heritage while also representing the extraordinary things that happen when the gaming community comes together.
“We are super excited to share this refreshed DreamHack brand — it both celebrates our first 25 years, and looks ahead at our next 25 years,” said Marcus Lindmark, President, DreamHack and SVP, Project and Event Operations at ESL Gaming. “It is vital for us to continue being an arena where our community can come to connect, explore, win, play a part, and be themselves through the gaming lifestyle experience.”
“The hallmark of DreamHack is the fact that we welcome everyone — from the novice to the expert, and from the very small to the very old, spanning all backgrounds,” said Craig Levine, ESL Gaming Co-CEO. “As we look forward, these beloved festivals will continue to expand into new markets and mediums, growing the reach and impact on our community and partners; and this storied brand will continue offering opportunities to feature pioneers in esports and gaming technology.”
Esports, and the gaming lifestyle in general, is a dynamic space serving more than 500 million esports enthusiasts, a multi-billion dollar industry, and approximately 2.6 billion potential gamers (Newzoo source). In 2021 ESL Gaming will feature expanded flexibility and skills to continue meeting the ever-changing desires, demands and needs of its fans, community, players and partners while connecting with this broader audience.
Lindmark continued: “DreamHack Day has traditionally been a time when we unveil our festivals and events for the upcoming year. We plan to share that information very soon, but today we’d like to thank our community for a tremendous 2020, despite the challenges. We will continue to be a global destination for all — whether online, offline, or both.”
Marta Swannie, Senior Creative and Innovation Director at Superunion said: “DreamHack is a cultural institution within the gaming community, and we were thrilled to work so closely with the DreamHack team to refresh this much loved brand. We wanted to capture the unique spirit and vibrancy of DreamHack that celebrates gaming in all of its forms, and create a flexible identity which acknowledges its rich history whilst providing a platform for the future.”
8 Weeks of DreamHack
Fans can also look forward to being a part of “8 Weeks of DreamHack” on social media — an opportunity to revisit and celebrate what is loved about the DreamHack experience beginning December 14. Some highlights to look forward to include:
- Dec 14-20: Retrospective of BYOC through the years; Showcase of some of the greatest case mods at festivals
- Dec 21-27: Live Q&A with members of the DreamHack crew
- Dec 23-Jan 3: Best of Main Stage, including Fashion Show highlights, music performance highlights, and more
- Jan 4-10: Cosplay Hall of Fame; Q&A with Cosplay experts
- Jan 11-17: Coolest Venue Contest; Facts and background about DreamHack cities
- Jan 18-24: Q&A with key people at DreamHack; DreamHack Plays live with staff
- Jan 25-31: Top moments of DreamHack esports events; History of Dreamhack esports
- Feb 1-7: Focus on DreamHack’s community
ESL Gaming is the world’s largest esports and gaming lifestyle company. Since 1994, the company has been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation on a global scale across the most popular video games with numerous online and offline esports competitions, and through premier gaming lifestyle festivals. The company operates high-profile, branded international leagues and tournaments under the ESL Pro Tour, including ESL One, Intel® Extreme Masters, DreamHack Masters, ESL Pro League, and other preeminent, stadium-size tournaments. ESL Gaming also produces and hosts DreamHack Open tournaments, ESL National Championships, grassroots amateur cups, matchmaking systems, and DreamHack’s gaming lifestyle festivals — which feature everything gaming under one roof. ESL Gaming is part of MTG, the leading international digital entertainment group. More information is available at about.eslgaming.com.ABOUT DREAMHACK
DreamHack is an immersive, gaming lifestyle experience where the community comes to life. Millions of fans tune in to DreamHack broadcasts each year, and the 24 hour-a-day festival weekends feature everything gaming under one roof. Attendees experience professional esports tournaments, amateur and varsity gaming tournaments, world-famous bring-your-own-computer (BYOC) LAN party, cosplay championship, panels, art, activities, expo, screenings, live music and more. In 2020, DreamHack merged with ESL to create ESL Gaming, the world’s largest esports and gaming lifestyle company. The two organizations have been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation, across the most popular video games with numerous online and offline esports competitions and festivals.ESL Gaming is part of MTG, the leading international digital entertainment group. More information is available at dreamhack.com and about.eslgaming.com.
ABOUT SUPERUNION
Superunion is a next-generation brand agency built on a spirit of creative optimism. We believe in the power of creativity to improve the future of people and organisations. We are experts in brand strategy, design, communications, and brand management. With 750 people in 17 countries, we work with clients that include some of the world’s most iconic brands, such as NASA, ESL, DreamHack, Tencent, Ericsson, Alibaba, Vodafone, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Colgate, Aston Martin, Heineken, Ford, FIFA, Nestlé, and the BBC, alongside technology unicorns, ambitious start-ups and inspiring not-for-profits.
