Women In Rugby

Challenge

Women’s rugby is one of the world’s fastest growing sports. But it needed help to push into the mainstream. We worked with World Rugby to create a global campaign to build on this momentum, to inspire new audiences to get involved, and ultimately, to ensure future growth and participation in the game.

Immersion

To understand what makes women’s rugby so unique, we met with players, coaches, referees and fans around the world, from grassroots to the highest levels of the sport. We discovered that, more than any other sport, it is differences within the team that made it great. In this way, women’s rugby felt like the Ultimate Team Sport.

Campaign Strategy

We developed a campaign strategy around inclusivity: a defining feature of the sport. Together with World Rugby, we set some major ambitions. Firstly, to attract new players, fans and support around the world. Second, to authentically capture women’s rugby’s unique energy and spirit. Third, to create something that didn’t look, sound or feel like any other sport.

Campaign Identity

We collaborated with LA based, Argentinian-born illustrator Xoana Herrera, to create a ‘team’ of original characters, highlighting the athleticism, power, and diversity found across the sport. When they come together, they become a brilliant representation of the team and the women's rugby community. Our illustrated ‘team’ works across a hyper-flexible graphic system, from local flyers to international stadium wraps.

“Community was always a key part of the campaign for us. It was crucial we developed a way of connecting to the existing fans, whilst grabbing the attention of newcomers.”

Daisy Grice
Design Director, DesignStudio

Campaign Launch

Wherever the campaign appears, in any language, it’s designed to be visually unmissable, a million miles from the often-clichéd way women’s sport is marketed, and with a message that’s universal.

This isn’t just a sport – it’s a team.

Following the social launch of #teampowered, the campaign ran alongside the game across a variety of touch points – from clubhouse murals to pitch-side banners and merchandise – and across the 2022 Rugby World Cup, 6 Nations and beyond.

Impact

When the campaign launched, it was met with unprecedented universal praise and the associated brand campaign video was viewed over 6.5 million times.

For anyone looking to get involved in the game, at any level – visit women.rugby