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It was Adidas who told us that ‘It’s more than a jersey’ during one of their expensive marketing campaigns around the All Blacks. Or it might be more accurate to say that global marketing agency TBWA said that.

I would think that all Super and provincial rugby teams in New Zealand are ‘more than a jersey’ also.

So why should they be afforded any less mana?

A few points about the new jersey follow below but first – to qualify:

1. I think New Zealand super rugby franchises have an identity challenge to galvanize support from the constituent union

2. I am in favour of rugby making innovative decisions around the financial future of the game

3. I am in favour of trying concepts and strategies that will bring this about

4. I think a lot of rugby decision-makers occupy their positions by virtue of having played the game rather than any particular skill or ability in administering and/or securing the game’s future in our current climate

5. I think marketing agencies have little knowledge of what it is to play and (genuinely) support rugby

6. I think a lot of rugby decision-makers are susceptible to schmoozing and concept pitches from marketing agencies

7. I think the outcomes of a lot of marketing and promotional spend around rugby is very disappointing

Colour

It’s hard to divorce colour from New Zealand’s rugby unions.

• The amber and blacks (Taranaki)
• The green and blacks (South Canterbury)
• The red and blacks (Canterbury)
• The maroon and gold of Southland
• The blue and gold of Otago
• The green and gold (Mid Canterbury)
• The Cambridge Blue of Northland

Up until now, colour has been inseparable.

The Highlanders franchine is made up of Otago (blue and gold); Southland (maroon and gold) and North Otago (gold and maroon).

What was wrong with the status quo?

The Highlanders already had jerseys that dialed up the individual flavors of Southland, Otago and North Otago quite successfully.

The current jerseys tastefully incorporated the colours of the Highlanders unions

They had the option of playing in the predominantly home colours of Southland when playing in Invercargill and Otago when playing in Dunedin.

The West Coast Crusaders jersey was a huge success and could have been used as a model for localisation in the different versions of super rugby jerseys.

But there is an argument to say that the Super Rugby franchises need to forge their own identity.

The execution – average

A lot of feeling was expressed in the build up to the launch of the new jersey. Opinions varied but there seemed to be a lot of opposition. Not quite as much as that felt in Wellington when the airport tried to erect a ‘Wellywood’ sign but enough for concern.

Was this just traditionalism rebelling against change?

Maybe – maybe not. But the timing and proximity to the Crusaders training jersey were unfortunate.

Timing

The Highlanders were in a fierce battle for playoff spots. A narrow loss to the Lions the week before left the Southerners with must-win games to ensure the close of their season matched the magnificent opening.

With the press focusing on the jersey and players asked for their opinions, was there a chance that the team was just slightly distracted from the job at hand?

Result: the last game at Carisbrook was a loss that signified the end of the Highlanders season after their most promising start in a decade. And they did it in a lime green jersey … that looked like a training outfit.

The actual jersey – a little disappointing

With all of the hype around Sonny Bill Williams, someone was bound to get a photo of him at training.

Did Adidas just re-hash the Crusaders' training jersey?

The conspiracy angle?

Is the move away from the traditional colours of the Highlanders’ unions the first step in a potential move of the Highlanders franchise?

It’s possible that the change of colours starts to distance the Highlanders brand from the Otago-Southland region.

And if this is indicative of shift in thinking, then it could just be the first step in a movement away from their Dunedin base.

The verdict – another marketing fail!

The  concept for a new lime coloured jersey was the result of a marketing agency. They sold it to the Highlanders management – that’s what happened.

1. The premise that the Highlanders need to forge their own identity is sound

2. That the jersey and colours are a key part of the identity of a rugby brand is also sound

3. A change in the colours and jersey of the franchise might be a good thing

We can agree with the reasoning of the three statements above but it doesn’t mean we agree in any way to a lime green training jersey as the flagship of the Highlanders.

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Hooker Sean O’Connor grew and then cut off his rocker locks and Kurt Baker sported his trademark white tuft patch at the back. There were also several beards among the forwards.

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Andre Taylor

Kurt Baker

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They were our hair team of 2009.

Then, things changed.

• Kurt Baker and Andre Taylor moved to Taranaki
• Tafui cleaned up his act, going with a more consistent look

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• Prop Grant Polson had a shave

Prop, Grant Polson

• Even new import Karl Haitana had a haircut and shave, transforming as he moved south

A new look for Karl Haitana

• But some things don’t change – Rocker Sean O’Connor remains true to his roots

Sean O'Connor - keeping it real

So What Happened?

Halfback Aaron Smith explains the transition and puts it down to a change in stylistic influence – less Andre Taylor, a little more of himself.

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They have variety, style and detail that surpasses their opponents.

Simon Lemalu has the most impressive beard in New Zealand rugby

The Samoan International prop is one of the best in the country at the moment – he’s mobile, great scrummager and hard worker.

His fellow front-rowers are also getting in on the act.

Hooker, Grant Henson was sporting a 50s looking DA (Duck’s Ass) – thin on the sides, gelled spiked top, swirl tail at the rear.

Australian prop, Jono Owen has gone with freestlyle curls.

Ex-All Black captain, Tana Umga has added experience and dreadlocks to the mix.

Sevens speed sensation Sherwin Stowers sports a peacock – short at the front and around the side edges, longer on top.

Flanker Mark Selwyn finishes his neatly around the back.

Talented fullback Tim Nanai-Williams with his trademark left swish.

Wing sensation, Ashee Tuala looks like he just came from a Bollywood movie set.

There is a rat’s tail

A wispy tailed mullet.

And several beards, including New Zealand Sevens Captain, D J Forbes with his trademark under-the-chin action.

T-shirts, hoodies and jeans were the order of the day.
The last time we saw Treeby and Fili in the flesh was at the North Island Provincial Sevens at the start of the year.
They weren’t successful that day and will be hoping for better this weekend.

Taranaki are a traditional type of team and so it was fitting that they wore jerseys made by Canterbury of New Zealand – the brand synonymous with rugby – at least up until the All Blacks crossed to Adidas in 1999 and everything went free market.

KooGa took over the jerseys for the Amber and Blacks (and Hawkes Bay) from 2008 and they did a good job with the classic amber and black hoops.

With the ‘away’ strip, they retained the hoops down the sides of the design, opting for black at the front and back for a slick finish, broken up with yellow trim.

Taranaki's 2009 Away playing strip

It suited the traditional, rural orientation of the area with just enough elements of coordinated design to make it special. It was somewhat understated and elegant – a fitting tribute.

In 2010, Canterbury of New Zealand won back the jersey supply and sent the design back 20 years

What they did

• Brought in a huge, crappy white collar
• Brought back white (‘yes your butt looks big in these’) shorts with yellow stripes!
• Provided absolutely zero styling and the shape is not even the modern fitting we have become used to and quite like from the typically well-built rugby player

Canterbury appear to have given Taranaki the first draft of a more refined look they gave the Wasps club from London who play in the English Premiership.

Theirs has the more subtle finishing that KooGa had become renown for.

• More fitting shape
• More styling around the collar with a diagonal black wedge coming from the left side to the corner of the outer hoop
• More effective branding with a white logo that coordinates with the team sponsor logos
• Black crotch and stripes down the sides of the shorts

London's Wasps on the left and the new 2010 Taranaki jersey on the right

Are we looking at another year of cookie-cut designs from the aging rugby brand?

Back to a 90s look for Taranaki

The white collar looked out of place back in the 90s – a throwback from the way rugby jerseys were made – the ‘just how it was’ era. The same era that gave us plain white shorts.

Cost of inflation?

Oh, and the price tag, $160.00 – someone is taking the piss!