Utah’s Brand Launch is Another Strong Chapter for the Organization

Just over a year ago, Ryan and Ashley Smith brought an NHL franchise to Utah, adding a second Big 4 sport to Smith Entertainment Group. There have been plenty of significant milestones over this stretch; however, there was a new chapter to celebrate on May 7 - the organization’s official brand identity, Utah Mammoth.

It’s fitting to celebrate such a momentous occasion right after the team’s one-year anniversary. A lot of work has been packed into the last 56 weeks. Moving the team to Utah, starting construction on a brand-new practice facility, and developing a brand identity, is only part of the balancing act. On top of that, the team sold out each of its 41 games at Delta Center during the inaugural season. Utah embraced the team, and Delta Center quickly became one of the loudest arenas in the NHL. The team played well and took a step towards bringing a Stanley Cup to Utah.

It was a strong first year for SEG and its NHL team despite many moving parts. But as NHL Commission Gary Bettman said in a press conference Wednesday, “this organization’s ability to multitask is off the charts.”

Developing the team’s brand has been an exciting project for the organization and the community alike. ‘Community obsessed’ is a key principle of SEG and Utah has turned to its supporters and community time and time again throughout the last 13 months. In fact, the organization held four rounds of fan voting for the brand identity. The community made its voice heard and selected Utah Mammoth as its future. This passion and buy-in from Utah’s supporters is something both Ryan and Ashley Smith knew and expected.

“Utah shows up,” Ryan Smith proclaimed. “Utah has shown up at every single part of this process. We couldn’t be more excited. We’re humbled, from Ashley and I, this is our mission to continue to help build. These marks are representation and will be iconic out in the world for those who have never experienced us.”

“From the second we announced the franchise to the players landing at the airport, and bombarding the airport, and filling this arena when we welcomed the team, then game after game, win or loss, the energy was so exhilarating and a lot of fun to be a part of,” Ashley Smith explained. “It’s the icing on the cake that those same fans chose the mammoth. We are excited. Utah should be proud. We get to build a culture around this strong identity, I’m just excited.”

The excitement is contagious, and the NHL is just as ecstatic. Commissioner Bettman has been to Utah three times since the team’s inception, and he complimented the team’s first year.

“You are executing beyond our wildest imagination and for that, not only did we trust you, you did more than we ever could have expected, and we are grateful for that,” Bettman shared about Ryan and Ashley Smith during Wednesday’s press conference. “We trusted you to trust the people of this community, as we did (trust you) with everything that had to be executed to come up with (a brand) that was fabulous.

“This has been the ultimate team effort for the ultimate team sport,” Bettman also said. “And while you may be thrilled to have us (the NHL), we’re thrilled to be part of Utah, and we are grateful … everything you’ve tried to do and everything you’ve done has been a mammoth undertaking.”

As the brand identity went public Wednesday, Utah was center stage. The sports world had an overwhelmingly positive response, and the community was energized by their team’s future. Supporters rushed to Delta Center to watch the new branding take effect and purchase the first Mammoth merchandise. A line wrapped around the block and the energy around Salt Lake City was palpable. Once again, Utah showed the passion surrounding the organization.

“Tusks up is really a rallying cry,” Ryan Smith shared. “It’s already been used 10,000 different times and it’s going to be how we’re known. This whole thing has come together but this entire identity has been chosen by our community. I don’t think people thought that we actually would go for it, but we did. We landed in a spot that we’re pretty excited about and we know that the community wanted because they chose it. That’s what this whole experience is about.”

The community is represented in the new brand multiple different ways. The logo features Utah’s mountains, a significant part of the state’s identity. In the top left of those mountains, there is a Utah state outline with a ‘M’, another easter egg for the community. The shape of the tusk is of a U, which is a nod to Utah and to the multiple mammoth tusks found throughout the state that naturally formed this letter. Lastly the name, Mammoth. Keeping this brand in the singular form was intentional and a way to symbolize the unity of this organization and the community.

A lot can happen in a year, and for Utah Mammoth and its supporters, the new brand identity is the latest celebration with plenty more to look forward to.