The process to select the design consultancy to create the Games identity will be kicked off at an exclusive launch event, entitled ‘Glasgow 2014: Search for an Identity’, scheduled to take place in June at the world-renowned Glasgow School of Art (GSA).

This event will be hosted by The Drum and The Marketing Industry Network and will see senior members of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee offer attendees an overview of where the Games are at present, while providing more information on how the process for selecting a design partner will work over the coming months. They will also offer some insight into what the selection criteria will be for interested consultancies.

Director of marketing and sponsorship at Glasgow 2014, John Donnelly, is spearheading the tendering process and is now working with marketing intermediary The Observatory to create the identity brief, which will be sent to the design groups that make it through to the briefing stage later this summer.

The first stage of the selection process will see a Request For Information (RFI) published to consultancies across Scotland, the UK and Europe, after which Donnelly and the selection panel aim to create a long list of agencies who will be invited to take part in a chemistry session. Once this stage is complete the panel aims to invite up to six agencies to respond creatively to the Glasgow 2014 Games identity brief during the summer.

Sitting alongside Donnelly on the Games identity selection panel are Paul Stickley, head of visual communication at Glasgow School of Art, Gordon Arthur, director of communications at Glasgow 2014 and Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete, Shirley Webb.

Speaking about what is sure to be one of the most eagerly anticipated creative briefs in the UK this year, Donnelly said: “Our ultimate ambition is to create an iconic Games logo. The challenge that we are offering the creative community is to create a Games identity that will stand the test of time, an identity that the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow and Scotland can feel proud of for years to come. That is why we are looking to engage with as many people as we can at this early stage so they understand what we are trying to do. Not everyone will get the brief, but we need to offer everyone the opportunity to get involved.

“This is a big thing for the city of Glasgow and by attending this launch designers will be able to find out where we are right now and where we want to get to. They will be able to see the whites of our eyes and what we are all about. We want people to turn up so we can engage with the creative community and we want to be as transparent as possible.”

GSA has been chosen as the venue to launch the search for the Games identity as it remains a highly respected design institute. Speaking of their involvement in the tendering and selection process Seona Reid, director of GSA, said: “The launch of this competition signals that the countdown to Glasgow 2014 is well and truly underway. We’re delighted to be involved and see it as an unmissable opportunity for the design community to make their mark on the games.”

The exclusive launch event will be held in the Mackintosh Lecture Theatre at the Glasgow Art School, which has a capacity of 80 people. If you wish to attend the launch event on Wednesday 17 June, between 5.30pm - 7pm, it is essential that you pre-register. Anyone not pre-registered will not be admitted.

To ensure that as many as possible have the opportunity to find out more about the tendering process, interested consultancies are asked to send a single representative to the event. Agencies are advised to pre-register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

To pre-register, contact Danielle Gordon at the MIN: danielle.gordon@marketingindustrynetwork.com

Content will be also be uploaded onto The Observatory’s website.