Following the launch of the SupportHER Club earlier this year, 2degrees has unveiled the next chapter in its mission to level the playing field for women and girls in sport: a purpose-driven merch collection that makes support visible and powerful.
Developed with TBWA\NZ and promoted by Eleven PR, the campaign centres on a limited-edition range of hoodies and tees designed by Kiwi illustrator, Bonnie Brown, in partnership with renowned Kiwi sports psychologist Dom Vettise.
The collection features two bold, evidence-backed designs to inspire, uplift and empower young sportswomen:
- Play Brave – Printed in reverse so young female athletes see the message in the mirror: encouragement from her, to her.
- Play Like You – a call to sideline supporters to champion effort, courage and joy over performance and pressure.
The merch was developed in response to research showing girls in New Zealand drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys, with many citing lack of confidence as the key barrier. Through the SupportHER Club, 2degrees is taking tangible steps to fight this unfair statistic.
Shane Bradnick, chief creative officer at TBWA\NZ, said it’s an example of creativity doing more than advertising.
“This campaign flips the script on sideline support. It’s not about shouting louder – it’s about changing what we say, and how girls feel when they play. Wearable sports psychology that gives us a way to make belief visible.”
Zac Summers, chief marketing and strategy officer at 2degrees, said : “Girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys – with nearly half walking away altogether by adolescence. That loss isn’t just for sport, it’s a loss of confidence, connection and opportunity. That’s why we’ve invested for years across women’s sport – from the Tall Ferns to Super Rugby Aupiki – and why we’re scaling up with the SupportHER Club. This merch campaign is the next step: a bold, tangible way to change the sideline conversation and keep girls in the game.”
The new initiative builds on 2degrees’ ongoing commitment to “Fighting for Fair” for women and girls in sport. A broader programme of action has included putting women’s sport on screen via a partnership with Sky Sport to give greater visibility to women’s games and competitions. It has also invested in programs that provide more pathways for girls to get involved and stay involved in sport, building confidence and connection on and off the field and elevated the issue of girls dropping out of sport onto the national agenda, sparking public conversation.
The SupportHER Club has also been created, a nationwide movement that empowers parents, peers and fans to actively back young women in sport with the right advice. 2degrees has also become the naming rights sponsor of the 2degrees Tall Ferns and founding sponsor of Super Rugby Aupiki clubs.
The collection was launched with a high-profile event at Ponsonby Rugby Club, where athletes, influencers, media and their daughters came together to back the cause. Dame Valerie Adams and Tayla Dalton headlined a panel discussion MC’ed by Courtney Tairi.
From here, the campaign takes to the grassroots with activations across courts, fields, and malls nationwide – pop-ups offering merch, conversations and sideline inspiration (complete with affirmation mirrors, bubble tea and fortune cookies to spark talk about support). Catherine Harris, CEO at TBWA\NZ, added: “This is the kind of work we’re most proud of – combining insight, creativity, and purpose to help drive change. By uniting a telco, creative agencies, psychologists, athletes, and communities, the SupportHER Club proves that when we fight for fair in sport, we all win.”
To extend reach beyond the field, 2degrees and Eleven PR are also sending SupportHER Club mailers to influential New Zealanders with daughters – sparking conversations in households and on social feeds nationwide.
Every touchpoint reinforces the mission: keep girls in sport, grow their confidence, and back the right kind of support from every corner of the community
