Working in consultation with indigenous communities, we developed The Irukandji, a new name and identity that galvanised the Australian Surfing Team in the lead up to the Olympics – rallying the support of the country with its strong connection to Indigenous Australia.

Leveraging the hype of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in synchronisation with our Irukandjis rebrand, essentially became the PR channel for us. The designs featured on all of Surfing Australia’s team assets – even becoming an Irukandji celebration dance by the team at the Olympics – sparking conversation about unique rebrand in news and social media around the world.

The Australian Surfing Team were true underdogs starting out in the Tokyo Olympics 2021 with Brazil, USA and Japan dominating the sport of surfing in international competition over the previous years. For this reason, Surfing Australia wanted to create a new name and visual identity to help galvanise the Australian surfing team, giving them an extra edge in their first-ever Olympic Games.

The reasoning behind our Irukandjis rebrand for the Australian Surfing Team was to leverage the natural connection to the ocean shared by surfers and Indigenous Australians.

After centuries of oppression, the ambition was to create an act of reconciliation by Surfing Australia for Indigenous Australians, to not only spur on our Olympic surfers for competition, but to also put recognition and respect for Australia’s First Nations people on the world stage.

Working in close consultation with Indigenous communities, we developed The Irukandjis - a new name, visual design identity and PR campaign, galvanising the Australian Surfers as a team and rallying the support of entire country with a strong connection to Indigenous Australia.

If we had simply created a name and identity that had a generic meaning such as ‘The Australian Sharks’, we wouldn’t have created as much meaning for the team to get behind. Instead, the entire team had much more on the line to win for. They were not only competing for Australia, they were competing for Australia’s First Nation’s People (Indigenous Australians). After centuries of oppression and following a year of ‘Black Lives Matter’, putting respect and recognition for Australia’s Indigenous people on the world stage, was top of mind for everyone on the Olympic Surfing Team.

Australia is a country surrounded by water, so surfing is a national pastime. Being in the open ocean, most surfers have a natural connection to the environment and sea life they surf amongst. A connection which has been shared by the indigenous people of Australia since life began for them 60,000 years ago. They call this Sea Country.

The strategy behind The Irukandjis design and identity rebrand for the Australian Surfing Team was to leverage this shared connection – to galvanise our Olympic surfers and give them a drive to not only compete for Australia but to compete for Australia’s First Nations People as well.

After centuries of oppression, the ambition was to create a true act of reconciliation by Surfing Australia for indigenous Australians, to not only galvanise our Olympic surfers for competition, but to also put recognition and respect for Australia’s First Nations people on the world stage.

Having zero media budget, we essentially used the new rebrand and hype for the Olympics, as our media channel. The campaign and new design identity launched in July 2021, weeks out from the beginning of the Tokyo Olympic games. A press conference with every major Australian news publication took place to announce the new The Irukandjis name and identity, with news and social media organically carrying on the conversation from there.

The designs featured on Surfing Australia’s team uniforms, surfboards, jet skis, busses and more – even becoming an Irukandji celebration dance by the team at the Olympics after winning heats – sparking conversation about the Australian Team’s unique rebrand in the news and social media around the world.

Viewed by over 12.5 million people, The Irukandjis went on to become a winning mantra for the team as, against all odds, Owen Wright claimed Australia’s first-ever Olympic medal in surfing. A historic moment winning for Australia, and Australia’s First Nations People, as one.

+12.6 Million

Audience reach

(Streem Media Monitoring)

1 Olympic Medal

Australia’s first in surfing

60,000 year old

Story told globally

Australia is a country surrounded by water, so surfing is a national pastime. Being in the open ocean, most surfers have a natural connection to the environment and sea life they surf amongst. A connection which has been shared by the indigenous people of Australia since life first began for them over 60,000 years ago. They call this Sea Country.