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Men on horseback sprouting wings with plated armour. Are these illustrations from a children’s fable or are they new superheroes from the latest comic book?
They are in fact the heroes of the 2010 World Cup. American agency Weiden & Kennedy commissioned Cape Town illustration agency Am I Collective to create 33 World Cup murals for their client ESPN.
The illustrators were instructed to create the murals in the style of 1980s Ghanaian movie posters. The result is a colourful and humorous collection of posters that reflect and celebrate each of the 32 participating nations’ culture and soccer history. The 33rd mural represents Africa, recognising the first time that the World Cup is held on the continent.
It took Am I Collective three months and dedicated work from nine people to create the murals. The images will appear in publications and on subway platforms and billboards in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The format of the campaign is print, outdoor, digital and an artbook.
