Tell me about These Football Times – What is the origin story? Where is it today? What is the future vision of These Football Times?

“It actually started as a coaching resource when I was living in New York – a means of getting free coaching material to parent coaches in particular. It naturally morphed away from that over time as people began writing their own content and, within a few years, we were a dedicated long-form football blog.

“We began publishing the magazine in 2016 and it’s grown really well since. We’re selling thousands per issue and continue to build on that, working with some of thew biggest clubs in the game.

“The future is all about continuing to evolve. We did that initially by moving from coaching to broader football writing; later from online to print. I guess videos are original productions will come in time, but we’re still focused on the magazine and our extensive podcasts for now.”

Why do you think These Football Times is successful and has such a devoted following?

“Hopefully it’s because people know they’ll get quality. Whether it’s the standard of writing – which is regularly featured on the Guardian – or the design of the magazines, I’d love to think it’s because there’s consistency in what we do.

“We also totally avoid all clickbait and regurgitation of the news. There’s none of that; the content is meaty, well-researched and equally well executed.”

Tell me a bit about branding in your industry. How important is it to have a strong brand in your industry?

“It’s vital, particularly given the saturation in sports writing and football in particular. Unless you have a strong brand identity, you’ll get lost in the myriad of options that readers have.

“Football is blessed to be full of talented designers and artists, and utilising them should be a priority for any publication or blog that’s serious about growing. Does it cost? Yes. Is the impact worth it? Absolutely. A brand is what defines the work you do, and it takes an expert to create that.”

Tell me a little about this history of These Football Times branding. What wasn’t working for you with your organizations previous brand? Why did you decide to change?

“I felt it was bland. We had a strong following but we didn’t stand out. When trying to grow the magazine and reach new levels, we needed something that instantly identified our content. Creating it ourselves just didn’t cut the mustards; we needed an expert. That’s why we looked to Chris.”

Why did you choose Christopher Payne to the These Football Times branding? How did you hear about his work?

“Chris’s work speaks for itself; one look through his portfolio – especially, in our case at least, his football stuff – was enough to be sure of his credentials. They’re fresh, innovative and completely original. There’s no template, no basing of his ideas on other clubs. It’s a personal experience, one that actually made us feel pretty special.

“That may sound a little cheesy but when you get something back that is so original and different to anything you’ve seen before with your business’s branding, it’s a proud moment. It wouldn’t have been possible without Chris.”

When working with Christopher Payne, what was the process like?

“Easy. Not much more to add. He asked plenty of detailed questions regarding the brief so he was well-versed in what we had in our head. Beyond that, he cracked on and didn’t need to keep coming back. That’s important when you have a small team and are busy.”

What did you like most about working with Christopher Payne and the work he produced?

“Personality is important when dealing with outsourced work as you often don’t know the individual personally. That’s why his relaxed, professional attitude suited us. He’s friendly, honest and creative; in this line of work, that’s such a bonus. I think that openness to new ideas and the ability to communicate well is equally imperative. It’s no exaggeration that I was impressed from start to finish with how Chris carried himself.”

What impact has the new logo design had on These Football Times?

“Aside from the interest it generated on social media, with overwhelmingly positive responses, it just looks great. We can use it in so many ways, which is important. The logo is versatile. 

“More than that, however, we have been able to splash the logo, and the branding that comes with it, across our publication, in print and online. Whereas we were once reluctant when we didn’t love the old logo, now we have no doubts: it was made to be shown off. That’s pretty cool and has given us new design options, especially for the magazine.”

What is the future of these football times? and how does the new logo play into that?

“Hopefully we continue to work with some of the game’s biggest and best clubs in producing work that brings their history to life, celebrating everything good about them. The logo will remain front and centre of our work, and we hope to continue showing it off in future video productions too. As mentioned, the versatility of it gives it boundless potential.”

Would you recommend Christopher Payne other businesses / organisations that may be looking to rebrand?

“Absolutely – of that there’s no doubt. There are lots of talented designers out there, but few are as personable, passionate or original as Chris. We all love networking with new people and you won’t regret hiring Chris. We certainly will again.”

Further reading.

Designing These Football Times identity

These Football Times website

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