Nothing can beat the experience of a live competition between nations. The sights, songs, cheers and sporting skills offer unforgettable memories that can’t be replicated on screens and streams. And that’s why it was so awesome to be asked by World Rugby, New Zealand Rugby and Legends to help supporters up their fan game by creating a merchandise hub like no other.

Solution: To celebrate this live festival of the best rugby battles among nations, and to stoke the already epic atmosphere, we built and activated not just a merch hub, but a bespoke, all-encompassing fan zone. This high-tech pop-up used the revolutionary AirClad X design, a sustainable, modular structure that was tailored to create a fan experience worth stopping for. And we placed it in Te Komititanga Plaza in Auckland, close to transport and to the stadium, to ensure it was unmissable.

This innovative sports pop-up stocked the latest in official limited-edition tournament merch. It was the centre for several exclusive giveaways and activations with a host of sponsors, like Mastercard. And talented ex-players, famous media personalities, and a top local music band made ‘surprise’ appearances, delighting unsuspecting fans. The hub also played host to the official tournament trophy for plenty of photo opportunities, as well as the cutting-edge Player of the Match sonic trophy which plays back audio highlights of the game in the form of fan reactions and commentary.

Creating the connection: We created a game-changer of a supporter’s hub that was designed to give fans the best service and experience to get them in the match-day vibe whilst earning RWC 2021 champion awareness and engagement.

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