River City Dolphins was a personal brand identity concept developed in 2022 in response to the announcement of The Dolphins as the NRL’s newest expansion team, set to enter the competition in 2023. The project was driven by an initial reaction that the official brand lacked clarity around geographic identity and long-term scalability, particularly given the absence of a clear location-based name.

As a self-initiated project, the brief was to create an alternative brand direction that provided stronger geographic context and visual clarity, while remaining respectful of the constraints surrounding licensing and the separation from the Redcliffe Dolphins identity. The goal was not to replace the official brand, but to explore how the team’s identity could have been approached differently with clearer representation and foresight.

I independently conceived, designed, and executed the concept, handling all aspects of brand ideation, logo development, and visual exploration.

The approach focused on developing a more scalable and flexible brand identity system, anchored by a strong primary icon and supported by an alternative wordmark. Inspiration was drawn from the Hartford Whalers’ iconic logo, particularly its use of hidden symbolism and spatial clarity, while incorporating subtle elements from the Redcliffe Dolphins logo to create familiarity and continuity. The concept aimed to balance modern professional sports branding with recognisable heritage cues.

The project resulted in a refined logo concept, supporting mock-ups, and social media applications, alongside a short teaser-style video to showcase the identity in motion and within a contemporary sports branding context.

While the project was conceptual in nature, it served as a practical exploration of brand identity design within real-world constraints and demonstrated how alternative naming and visual systems could enhance clarity and representation.

This project reinforced the importance of strategic thinking in sports branding, particularly around naming, symbolism, and scalability. It provided an opportunity to apply brand identity principles in a live, culturally relevant context and highlighted how thoughtful visual systems can strengthen connection, recognition, and long-term brand equity.