Autumn Nations Series Rebrand
The rugby hemispheres collide with a bolder, brighter brand.
Northern and Southern hemisphere rugby teams compete under a bold new brand, created by How Now
Autumn Nations Series Rebrand Case Study
How Now have rebranded the Autumn International rugby fixtures, reimagining the name and identity through to broadcast graphics, social toolkits, a corporate suite of assets and launch campaign.
Inheriting an established set of fixtures, the project required a deep dive into the heritage of rugby with a renewed focus on the future of the sport. Inspired by the game's next generation of fans to create a common thread through messaging and content, with a strong commercial focus for potential sponsors and partners.
A more unified experience for fans, and a cohesive commercial offering for sponsors
Our 4D's creative process uncovered a disparate collection of fixtures, loosely held together under the Autumn Internationals umbrella. The identity required a reboot. So, we set about devising a new name that offered clarity and unity. We blew away the old tropes of the past and brought rugby into the 21st Century.
How Now are fantastic! Short notice, not a problem. A weekly changing brief, sure thing. A team that would challenge and test if I really meant what I said about being brave and bold - absolutely!
Impact
The campaign achieved a whopping 11.1 million impressions and beat the industry standard CPC of £0.40 by 35%, receiving rave reviews from rugby fans and industry professionals alike. The video content we created generated 3.5 million views and 144K link clicks.
A new identity, built from the grass up
Our brand team were tasked with devising a new name and designing a complete identity system. We named our brand territory Convergence: inspired by the conflicting forces of the two hemispheres and the best teams from each. A clash of contrasts from the four corners of the globe meet in an abrupt juxtaposition to create the centrepiece of a striking brand identity.
A considered clash of colours
A revolutionary colour palette that firmly places the brand in neutral space of the competing teams, allowing the ANS brand to sit above the colours of the unions.
A muscular typography
A stacked and broad typeface plays to the traditions of rugby. Momentum is represented in the italicised typeface that forces the mind forward - just like the game. Bold, expressive type is a key component of our creation. Dynamic headlines followed by clear, concise body brings clarity to all communications.
Content
Our in-house creative team were tasked with kicking off the competition with an AV launch campaign across TV broadcast, SVOD, VOD, and social.
Autumn Nations Series 60" Launch Promo
Building out from the new brand identity we focused on the world renowned clashes that ANS brings to the fans: North V South, Young V Old, Brain V Brawn. We created a 60" launch promo and 15" fixture drivers for each game adapted for social media.
Merch
We brought the brand to life, designing an exclusive merch range to promote the launch through influencer partnerships, giveaways and social content featuring ex-Springbok star Bryan Habana.
The work has pushed us into a new space and elevated our entire output from social through to broadcast, receiving plaudits from both fans and stakeholders.