Conference Agenda

Sport psychology associations play central roles in bridging the gaps between research, applied work, and education. This presentation is the story of how the Swedish Sport Psychology Association (SIPF) reinvented itself in the face of bankruptcy. The process of creating a new brand platform and visual identity started with a distribution of an online survey that was completed by 64 individuals who either were, had been, or potentially could be members of SIPF. The responders identified themselves as working in a wide range of roles such as: sport psychology practitioners, researchers, and students. Furthermore, qualitative interviews were conducted with participants identified as being representatives from the association’s key target groups. Questions in the survey and the interviews were centered around what the organization was doing well and not so well. The data collected were used to develop and model a new brand platform. Several iterations of the brand model resulted through further feedback from important figures in the Swedish sport psychology field. Research suggests that organizations that do not continually invest in development and growth seem to deteriorate. Looking at SIPF’s current membership numbers and financial viability, the self-rebranding process seems to have contributed to placing the SIPF organization in a better position today. Keeping a positive developmental process going in an organization where board members are constantly changing can be challenging. Also, it is important for sport psychology association stakeholders, going through major change processes, to consider how to deal with conflicts that can arise when traditions meet innovation.