The Cook Islands Rugby League World Cup 2021 project involved the creation of social media artwork supporting the Cook Islands men’s and women’s national teams during the Rugby League World Cup campaign held in England, with content delivered in November 2022. The Cook Islands national rugby league team, administered by the Cook Islands Rugby League Association, has competed internationally since 1986 and has appeared at three Rugby League World Cups, making this campaign an important moment for visibility and national pride on the world stage.

The opportunity was presented as a volunteer role to create social media content for the World Cup campaign, with the primary objective of supporting awareness, engagement, and anticipation around fixtures and performances. The scope included the creation of a full range of social assets such as team lists, gameday tiles, score updates, player heritage features, statistics, and man-of-the-match graphics, all delivered without a formal budget.

I worked as the sole designer on the project, responsible for the creative direction, design, and rollout of all artwork. This included planning content, establishing a visual system, and producing assets that could be delivered consistently throughout the tournament schedule.

The approach focused on working respectfully within the existing RLWC21 master branding while adapting it to create a distinct visual identity for the Cook Islands teams. National colours were used prominently to reinforce identity and pride, with templates and systems developed to ensure consistency and efficiency across a high volume of content. Dynamic compositions were introduced in key assets, such as gameday tiles, by combining multiple player headshots to create energy and movement.

The project delivered a complete suite of social media assets, including gameday graphics, team lists, score updates, player features, and statistical content, all designed to function cohesively as a campaign. Team list and gameday tiles became central touchpoints for fans, helping anchor the visual identity of the campaign across platforms.

The campaign resulted in increased engagement across the Cook Islands Rugby League social channels, with measurable uplifts in reach, impressions, followers, and merchandise sales. The consistent rollout of content helped keep fans informed, built anticipation around fixtures, and strengthened overall awareness of the teams throughout the tournament.

This project reinforced the importance of clear direction, strong systems, and consistency when delivering campaign content at pace, particularly within the constraints of an established master brand. It also highlighted the value of thoughtful adaptation, demonstrating how a distinct identity can be created while still aligning closely with overarching tournament branding.