GALLANT has won the race to become the brand designers of the men’s senior national team wear, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) said yesterday.
The winning design will serve as the new brand identity for the Warriors' wear, including kits for the upcoming Afcon 2025 tournament in Morocco and beyond.
"After fierce creativity, bold ideas and true Zimbabwean flair, the Zifa brand design battle has crowned its champion. Congratulations to Gallant!" Zifa said.
The competition was initiated by Zifa to establish a distinct identity for the Warriors and generate potential revenue through domestically-designed merchandise.
"Your design stood out, captured the spirit of the game and reimagined the future of Zimbabwean football," Zifa said, extending gratitude to all participants for their contributions.
According to Zifa, Gallant's submission emphasised a true Zimbabwean spirit aiming to honour the pioneers of Zimbabwean football.
The brand's statement read, "Gallant echoes the bravery and nobility of those who came before us. It reverberates the fearless Zimbabwean spirit, a heart that beats with unwavering determination. Gallant represents the courage that defines us as a people. The courage that builds a nation. The courage that fuels our athletes to greatness."
The competition required entries to include a brand name, logo or icon, design inspiration, and application across home, away and alternative kits.
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Four finalists were selected, with public voting contributing to the final decision. The judging panel comprised Carl Joshua Ncube, Desmond Maringwa and Crispen Sachikonye.
The panel's chairperson Sachikonye released a comprehensive report on the selection process.
"We received a total of 250 entries for this competition. Of these, 32 submissions were deemed ineligible, having failed to meet the fundamental requirements outlined in the brief," Sachikonye stated.
"A total of 218 entries were ultimately judged. The highest average score awarded was 66%, and the lowest was 7,1%. We prioritised brand identity over kit design, recognising that the brand has the potential for greater longevity and national impact."
"It is worth noting that the use of generative AI appeared to be widespread across submissions. While some employed AI in thoughtful and innovative ways, others relied on it heavily and without sufficient refinement, resulting in generic or incoherent outcomes.
"We were drawn to the way the name ‘Gallant’ resonated with the idea of ‘Warriors’, an identity historically associated with the national team, and could be suitable for a commercial brand. The submission also stood out for its use of symbolic imagery, including the conical tower and the Zimbabwe Bird, both of which carry strong national significance," he said.
