Rugby tour has Indigenous artist link

British broadcasting company Sky has worked with indigenous artist Konstantina to craft a distinct brand identity for its coverage of this year’s British and Irish Lions rugby union tour.

Kicking off June 20 with a warm-up match against Argentina in Dublin, the tour will mark the Lions’ first return to action since 2021.

This year’s edition will see the side take on Australia in three key test matches, as well as a selection of the country’s best club and invitational outfits. From June 28 to August 2, the Lions will travel to Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The creative has been linked to Australia’s rich cultural landscape, the centrepiece of the campaign follows a lion guided by a pelican, “respectfully” travelling along the Gadigal songline towards Sydney.

“Working with a First Nations artist has helped us create an authentic and respectful visual identity. The lion embodies the unity of the four nations, a powerful symbol of shared pride and strength,” Harry Ward, creative director at Sky Creative, said.

“For this Australian tour, we chose to portray him as a respectful traveller. By combining traditional Indigenous art techniques with cutting-edge visual effects, we’ve crafted a character that is both culturally authentic and visually striking, which is perfectly suited to the series.”

“It is wonderful to see a British broadcaster embrace the storytelling and arts practise of Indigenous Australia and be so proud to showcase it across their channels for the Lions tour,
Konstantina said.

“Working collaboratively with the team from concept to conclusion meant that we were able to get the story right and show off First Nations art to the world in a unique and compelling way.”