World Rugby has officially launched with the unveiling of its logo and brand, bringing to a close the 2014 World Rugby Conference and Exhibition in London on Tuesday.
At the heart of the brand is a distinctive positioning, expressed visually through a modernised and progressive logo that embodies World Rugby’s mission statement to grow the game globally, retaining a link to the organisation’s heritage through its blue and green colour scheme.
With Rugby continuing to inspire and engage new audiences and players around the world, the launch is the culmination of a rebranding process undertaken with the assistance of FutureBrand.
The new expression of the brand, reflected in the new name and visual identity, aims to deliver the federation’s mission to build a stronger connection with fans, players and commercial partners. Ultimately engaging new audiences worldwide.
The new visual identity is being rolled out across the federation’s portfolio of digital properties, including the new worldrugby.org and @worldrugby platforms. It will make its event debut on match official jerseys this weekend.
World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Global Rugby participation has boomed by more than two million to 6.6 million players over the past four years, driven by the commercial success of Rugby World Cup, World Rugby’s development strategies and record investment, strong and vibrant Unions and Rugby’s re-inclusion in the Olympic Games.”
“Today’s launch embodies our mission statement to grow the global Rugby family beyond our traditional family and fan base and reflects the federation’s evolution from Rugby regulator to Rugby inspirer.”
Launching the brand, World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: “In an incredibly competitive global entertainment and sporting marketplace, Rugby must continue to appeal to those who know and love the sport and its heritage, while attracting, engaging and inspiring those who have no connection with the sport across multiple cultures and languages around the world.”
“Supported by a new name, a distinctive, optimistic and progressive new brand, and clear character-building values World Rugby collectively has the ingredients and tools to do just that. We want everyone to feel connected with the sport and Rugby’s ongoing success story.”
“Our new brand certainly stands out and enables us to promote our consumer-facing properties in a way that they will be more appealing and impactful to the sport’s growing global fan base,”
The rebrand will have no impact on Rugby World Cup 2015 branding or positioning, which will remain as it is with its iconic logo throughout the current event cycle.
The announcement brought to a close a hugely successful World Rugby Conference and Exhibition in London, which brought together more than 700 delegates from 60 nations over two days of thought-provoking workshops and panel sessions covering some of the biggest topics in Rugby from player welfare and integrity to the future of Rugby World Cup and delivering an outstanding Rugby Sevens event at Rio 2016.
Now they must just ACT like World Rugby… and not like a 2-bit “Boeties vir Bandjies” lieplapper organization!!
Let’s hope there is an improvement, which comes with this new broom… and it sweeps cleaner than before!
1 @ grootblousmile:
Do you really think anything will change?
As long as the same people are in charge, nothing will be any different IMHO.
2015 world rugby rugby world cup 😆
2 @ Scrumdown:
That’s exactly why I said what I did…
Mens kan ‘n perd verf met stepe, maar dit maak hom nie sommer so ‘n Zebra nie… hehehe
There has to be the collective will to change… and there is no indication of that in a rebranding.
What did Will Carling famously, or infamaously, call the IRB? IMO nothing has changed?
Look at the inconsistency in refereeing between NH and SH. And even the different law interpretations each referee has, and the apparent lack of censure for the refs.
@ Lion4ever:
A bunch of grumpy old farts.
😆
@ gunther:
In 1995 he referred to the
RFU as “the 57 old farts”!
@ Scrumdown:
@ grootblousmile:
hahaha guys when I saw the headline thought opinion would, especially from you Scrumdown, something along the lines of the Afrikaans saying: Al dra ‘n aap ‘n goue ring…
and they decided
TO SIMPLIFY THE RULES
and the calendar
just joking
as has beens as their logo…
do we really need a strike ?
8 @ Bullscot:
Even a polished turd remains a TURD!
Did you see my comments re Scotland’s potential player base for RWC, (Josh Strauss & WP Nel?) and when they qualify for Scotland?
Good day all.
Rye
@ Scrumdown:
#10 you do have a way with words you would make a good diplomat Scrumdown
can’t recall your comments on that but it can be a contentious issue that I am probably neutralish on. I know us fans like this associate quaint values to our game but ultimately to the players it is a profession. If we don’t want people to play for other countries after the required time then do we also frown on people working in civil service in other countries after all that is representing a country if not in a way that gets the same attention as sport. But then part of me doesn’t want to see players representing various countries in rugby but it is not a view point I could logically defend. In the case of the two specific guys you mentioned all I would like to say is that their was ample opportunity for them to be picked for the Boks, why would one want to deny them the chance to play for another country in time that can appreciate their abilities.
@ rebop75:
#9 Hi rebop75 you guys are really good at that – striking that is
World Rugby sounds like “World Series” in America. Some-one has time to waste. We’ve seen the re-maiming of streets in Pretoria, re-maiming towns now re-maiming IRB. Should’ve spent more time fixing real issues facing rugby than promising to fix them by implementing, yes big step, new name.
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