The Sons of Ben
The SoBs are unique in the fact that they were the first group to actually form before there was a team to support, and were instrumental in bringing professional soccer to Philly after an article appearing Four Four Two was published. The involvement with the Sons of Ben started we were just fans of the group and the team. They were one of the largest groups in MLS, so much so that Topps cards approached us to design their MLS supporters series of card for them, beginning with the SoBs. What you see here is just the tip of the iceberg in what has been done for the Sons of Ben over the last 15 years.
A Unique Identity
The logo (which was designed by one of the founding members) had, over time, been used in a variety of inconsistent ways, so a brand expression book needed to be pulled together. Not one that really set forth a whole bunch of corporate rules, but one that allowed a certain amount of flexibility of using the mark within the supporter culture. It became more about consistent applications through a wide array of media - even down to designing knitting patterns. It was also a way of inspiring supporters in finding new ways to express our brand without changing it. As a federally registered 501c3 it was important that brand applications were consistent.
Merchandise
Merchandise provides a large boost of income for the group, that helps allow them to perform their community outreach programs. They key with this type of merchandise, is to provide designs that speak directly to the fan about a favorite player, or a moment, but still providing quality designs. Scarves are particularly popular and dozens have been designed for the group over the years. They also can't use the actual team logo, so there are some boundaries that need to be observed. Fortunately, the SoB brand itself has been built to a position where that doesn't matter any more. There are also production cost implications, vendor coordination and risk mitigation, that needs to be managed so that money is never misused.
Website & App Design
For the Start of the 2014 season a new revamped and fully responsive website was launched, taking advantage of various APIs so that we could inform the fanbase of weather, traffic and other conditions whilst en-route to the game, as well as providing a whole host of other features, such as a chant library, design repository, merchandise, ticket purchasing, news feeds and mail chimp archive. The app, was designed but never programmed, and houses many of the same features as the website, with a few additional thrown in, such as a directions section, fixture list, eTickets and stadium guide. Designed specifically to be a one-stop-shop for fans and a lot easier to use on-the-go.
Then They Got Their Own Beer
In 2014, Philadelphia brewing company, Yards, approached the group about a collaboration making a unique recipe for them. A Belgian Pale ale of Rowdy proportions. We (The Sons of Ben) were asked to help design the label withing the Yards brand guidelines. But we brought a few unique flavours of our own that worked within their framework, to ensure that the SoB personality wasn't lost. Up until this point the beer has only been available in kegs and sixels at select hostelries, but there's a rumor going round that it might become a Yards staple, and released in bottles.
Then They Got Their Own Movie
North America's Major League Soccer played its inaugural season in 1996 and although Philadelphia was a top ten market with storied sports franchises, it was not awarded a team.
Ten long years later, it still didn't have a team, so a small group of die-hard Philadelphia soccer fans took matters into their own hands and did something crazy: they formed a supporters club for a team that didn't exist. Naming their group after famous Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin, they called themselves the Sons of Ben. They had one goal – bring professional soccer to Philadelphia.
Setting themselves the modest goal of expanding to 100 members by the end of one year, they tapped into a wellspring of local soccer fanatics and soon had 1,500 drum-banging, song-singing followers. Together, these Sons of Ben started a movement that brought into existence the Philadelphia Union, changing the soccer landscape in Philadelphia forever, and also helped revive a struggling community abandoned by government, business, and its neighbors.
This is the story of the Sons of Ben.
