By the early 2000s, Arsenal’s historic crest had become a problem. The long-standing 1949 version was complex, faux-heraldic and difficult for the club to control commercially, which mattered more than ever in the modern game. But the need to create a copyrightable mark became a bigger opportunity: to express a club that was deeply rooted in tradition, yet always forward-looking, and on the edge of a new era with its move to a 60,000-capacity stadium.

From the strategic brand idea “Forward, Rooted, Assured,” it was clear this couldn’t be a simple clean-up. The new crest stripped away the fake heraldic clutter, retaining the essential cannon, shield and wordmark in a more confident, ownable form; a modern mark with a lineage harking back to Arsenal’s simpler and iconic 1930s crests.