Nike’s challenge was to get teenage girls in England to engage in, and be inspired by, football during the 2023 World Cup. Prior to the tournament, research showed that 63% of these girls couldn’t name a single Lioness, and they were rapidly dropping out of sport.

“We looked to create a movement – and as part of that an iconic logo – for the nation to rally behind,” says Wieden+Kennedy. “Something that embodied the spirit of the Lionesses and their unrelenting, unreasonable ambition. We looked to capture the Lioness spirit – showing teenage girls what it means to be a Lioness and letting them see that spirit in themselves. We called the movement ‘Like a Lioness’ and designed our logo to reflect their values.

“Knowing we had to go beyond football, we looked to culture for typographic inspiration. We created a bespoke piece of typography that references classic black letters and calligraphy, but infused with a modern youth culture edge. The distinct mark allowed it to be used simply on merch and comms, rendered in glass to reflect the tone of the film, or a 3D red and black version that gives it an attitude not normally seen in women’s football.

“Our ‘Like a Lioness’ logo became a rallying cry and a symbol of support during the World Cup. Before we knew it, it had spread to places we’d never imagined: on limited edition Nike merch, on FA comms and kit for the Lionesses, repped by football legends, artists, influencers, TikTok dancers and, most importantly, by girls across the nation.”

Credits:
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy London
Design Director: Justin Hallstrom
Lead Designer: Ananya Mohan
Designer: Josh Knight
Motion Graphics: Mark Gilligan
Creative Director: Joe Bruce
Creative: Jil Leister
Senior Creative: Gavin Cumine
Creatives: Chaeyeong Seo, Miriam Pick
Strategy Director: Sidney Henne
Strategist: Hannah Vatandoust
Producer: Mich Brad„eld
Production Assistant: Lwimbo Malanda
Account Director: Sam Hunton
Account Manager: Olli Rosicourt
Account Executive: Alex Denny