Glasgow 2014, the organising committee behind the 2014 Commonwealth Games has unveiled it’s new brand identity and the rationale behind it.

The new brand was unveiled this morning at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, at a glitzy ceremony in front of 1100 people.

The rules of the Commonwealth Games require the host country to develop a specific games identity once awarded the right to host the event. Whereas the bid logo’s free use actively encourages organisations to adopt the bid, the new identity will provide Glasgow with the opportunity to raise the £80million it has budgeted - its exclusive use will be the product that’s sold to commercial sponsors.

Glasgow 2014 launched their search for an agency to provide the new brand at the Glasgow School of Art in June last year. The call resulted in a long list of sixty-six agencies, which was soon whittled down to ten, followed by a final shortlist of six. Such a rigorous process resulted in local agency, Marque, being awarded the job.

Marque have been building the suspense for this morning’s announcement over the past few weeks. A teaser poster campaign, with clocks heralding the imminent announcement of an unnamed event, has been on display around the streets of Glasgow for the past three weeks. The event has been a closely guarded secret, although in keeping with the overall theme of Scottish inclusion, the local Glaswegian paper had been allowed access to the logo and rationale of the new brand.

Like that other forthcoming UK-hosted sporting event, the 2012 Olympics, children were central to the procedure, with over 200 of them paraded in front of the throng. But there the similarity ended. The logo was launched on video with a big reveal, amid gasps and intakes of breath.

According to Glasgow 2014, the identity centres around three values. These are human endeavour, living life to the full and fun. “This is very Scottish, very fun” said Holly Wheeler, Press Officer from Glasgow 2014. “The Olympics are about Great Britain, represented by Team GB. But the 2014 games are Scotland’s games and we felt it important to reflect Scotland.”

Wheeler explained the thoughts behind the logo "The three rings around the G for Glasgow symbolise the competitive nature of the games, Time, Data and Measurement - who jumps the highest, runs the fastest, throws the furthest, swims the fastest." This concept of time and measurement, "numeral elements integral to competitive sport" was the starting point. Glasgow 2014 will be the 20th Commonwealth Games. 17 sports are represented over 11 days, taking place in one city: Glasgow. The outer ring was therefore divided into 20 equal sizes, each segment then being used to calculate the size of the other rings; 17 sports and 11 days. At the centre is the G for Glasgow.

Committee chief executive John Scott said: "Today is a big milestone for everyone involved in the planning of Glasgow 2014 as the unveiling of the new brand symbolises the start of a new and exciting journey towards the Games.

"We now need to raise the revenue required to help stage the Games through selling the rights to the brand identity as sponsorship. I am confident its distinct style, its inherent element of fun and flexibility for both on and off line, will attract organisations wishing to be associated with the Commonwealth Games to become our sponsors."

As with the controversial 2012 Olympic logo, the Glasgow 2014 team are keen to promote the flexibility of the logo. “The animation is extremely distinctive”, said Wheeler