How can we create a memorable and shareable moment on match day, while conveying the spirit of the Norwegian women's football team?
Reverse Autograph: Designing Rituals for NFF Women's Football Team
Course: Sacred Services | Ritual Design, Service Design | 2 weeks design sprint | with Nora Røstø Grøtberg | in collaboration with Norwegian Football Federation (NFF)
This project aimed to design a ritualistic identity for the Norwegian National Women's Football Team in collaboration with the NFF. We used the Ritual Design approach to create meaningful rituals that resonate with the team's primary audience—youth inspired by the team's legacy. The team's historic 1995 World Cup victory continues to inspire young football enthusiasts today, and our goal was to harness this spirit and create rituals that would strengthen team identity and connection with fans.
A persistent challenge in women's football is the frequent comparison to men's teams. The women's game is often not viewed as a distinct entity with its own identity, stories, values, and ideologies, leading to 'association confusion' about the national women's football team.
Therefore, the goal of the project is to craft an impactful ritual journey for the National Women Football Team of Norway that strengthens team identity and connection with fans.
Research Summary
Our study involved desk research exploring various topics related to the Norwegian women's football team, including audience demographics, team symbols, and the culture and narrative surrounding women's football. Following this research, we conducted a workshop with the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF). This comprehensive approach allowed us to gather valuable insights into the team's identity and the broader context of women's football in Norway.
Key findings highlighted the positive spirit within women's football and the importance of elevating female sports experiences.
Analysis
Spectators who primarily watch men's football often carry expectations for women's football that mirror those for the men's game. This mindset leads to comparisons between the two, resulting in 'association confusion' when watching the sport, regardless of gender.
In reality, Women's football is distinct and significantly different from men's football.
How can we communicate the identity and values of the women’s football team to their fans?
Drawing on insights from research and workshops,
We emphasized the values of togetherness and "sterkere sammen" to build community rituals that connect fans with our Women's Football Team in an exciting and engaging manner.
Outcome: We developed a concept called "Reverse Autograph".
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In this innovative approach, we flipped the traditional way of signing autographs and created a ritual where fans sign autographs for the players to express their support and encouragement.
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Fans use a special NFF pen to sign, which they can keep as a memento.
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After the match, the team celebrates their fans by either displaying a banner for everyone in the stadium or taking team pictures with the banner. This gesture is meant to show gratitude and appreciation for their supporters.
Our concept was implemented at Ullevål Stadion, on the match day, when the Women's team played against New Zealand the 25th of june 2022. A lot of fans wrote on the banner and they thought it was a fun and engaging concept.
'Reverse autograph' is featured as a case study in the Ritual Design chapter, authored by Ted Mathews in the book 'Materials of Service Design', in Part 2, Chapter 9.