The Grass Roots Football Show has appointed London-based design agency Whippet to build and develop a new brand identity and creative.

The show, now in its third year and organised and managed by VCM Events and Brand Events in a joint venture partnership, has very quickly established itself as a must-attend football event and has expanded to three days for 2008, with the two-day public event being preceded by a pro-day. And the shows organisers now felt they needed to recreate the show’s identity to reflect this rapid success.

Whippet were awarded the business after a four-way pitch handled by VCM Events’ head of marketing, Sara Rowland. Their brief was to reflect the vitality, dynamism and passion of the premier football show in Britain.

Rowland said:  “We were extremely impressed by their professionalism, knowledge and understanding of the concept of the Show. The Show is undergoing huge growth and a major surge in interest, which has prompted the move to the NEC where we have a much bigger venue.

“Grass roots football generates great passion and debate throughout the whole nation, more so than ever before, and we look forward to Whippet reflecting and harnessing that dynamism and energy.”

Event director, Steve Chittenden, said: “There has been a tremendous response from the football trade to the Show, and we are extremely excited about moving to the NEC where the show will be three times bigger than in previous years.   We are currently compiling our event content and there will be an unprecedented level of high-profile celebrities and speakers, leading national and international coaches and a whole range of new interactive exhibits.”

The show takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from Friday May 30 to Sunday June 1, and this year will have a wealth of leading international, national and regional football managers, coaches and players attending in the show’s highest profile line-up.