The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off next week in Australia and New Zealand. It seems like the men’s tournament just ended yesterday, but we’re pretty excited for more international excitement.
And, in addition to the action on the pitch, we’re looking forward to seeing how promotional products and print installations play a role in the festivities down under.
Short of hopping on a flight to Australia, we’ll be keeping an eye on the broadcasts and social media posts to bring some of the best promos and marketing campaigns from the tournament, but so far we can at least take a look at the way the tournament organizers have used branded merchandise for official merchandise.
So, let’s take a look at some of our favorites from the official Women’s World Cup webestore.
Replica Trophies
Look, the fact is that most of us are not going to win the FIFA World Cup. So few people do. Even Messi himself took virtually his entire international career to win one.
The next-best option is the replica trophy, which comes as either a 150mm (about 6″) option, a keychain, or a 70mm (about 3″) trophy replica that comes in its own display case.
The Mascot
We love an official mascot over here. The AU/NZ World Cup will feature a little penguin named Tazuni (which comes from a portmanteau of “Tasman Sea” and “Unity”).
Megan Rapinoe thanked @FIFAWWC mascot Tazuni for the "inspo" for her hair colour. "Honestly the last time I dyed it before this, I dyed it purple and it kind of faded out blue and I was like 'oh, it's kind of nice" (Photos: Brad Smith) pic.twitter.com/IlHhdhyspM
— Asif Burhan (@AsifBurhan) July 12, 2023
Tazuni shows up on items like pins, T-shirts, bags, and magnets in various poses.
Honestly, it’s a little more fun than the sort of ghostly La’eeb from the men’s World Cup in Qatar, and is definitely an upgrade from the terrifying 1990 Italy mascot, Ciao.
This is Ciao, this Tetris-looking thing was the mascot for the 1990 FIFA World Cup hosted by Italy. pic.twitter.com/18RYGlh4jD
— SportsLogos.Net (@sportslogosnet) December 18, 2022
Pattern-Heavy
The branding around the tournament uses flashes of color and patterns. The official emblem is meant to reflect the 32 teams participating.
Other items like bags, apparel, and sports equipment use designs inspired by indigenous cultures of Australia and New Zealand.
One of the coolest design examples is taking the crowded, colorful pattern, but putting a small stripe of it onto a monochrome piece. For example, a T-shirt and vest are both black, but use a single stripe of the pattern to add a splash of color without coming off as too loud. It incorporates the eye-catching branding, but keeps it understated for wider appeal.
Individual Identities
There are also two drawstring bags with designs specific to each host country. The Australia bag features the country’s gold-and-green color scheme used for its uniforms, and the New Zealand one uses the iconic black-and-white motif.
Australian and New Zealand culture also pop up through apparel choices, too. Things like a boonie hat and shorts feel very on-brand for a tournament taking place there (even if it is technically winter there).
Once things get started, we’ll be sure to continue our coverage and provide case studies of the best and most interesting promo campaigns and installations from the Women’s World Cup!
