Los Angeles-based State Design collaborated with FX Networks on the bold look for the second season of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Welcome to Wrexham, including key art, print, out of home, motion graphics and animation.
The docuseries chronicles the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, the world's third oldest professional football club, by Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds (Free Guy, Deadpool) and Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Season two spotlights the Red Dragons' promotion from UK football's fifth tier as well as Reynolds and McElhenney's bid to bring hope and change to the team's Welsh community.
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“So many in our company love soccer so stepping into a project that's centered around the spirit and camaraderie of the game was a perfect storm of passion and perspective,” said State Executive Creative Director Marcel Ziul in a statement. “The show really captures the breadth of impact a club can have on a population and we are excited to support its reach.”
The key art makes use of the team's iconic red, white and green palette, highlighting the football club's dragon icon as well as its famous owners Reynolds and McElhenney. It places that art against a black backdrop with gold highlights, giving the treatment a brash feel. State also added a pair of ferocious-looking sheep in a nod to Wales' agricultural history.
State's key art for FX's ‘Welcome to Wrexham'
State Creative Director Lucho Suarez – who's still savoring his home team of Argentina's World Cup win – worked closely with illustrators Helton Mattei and Jamie Givens to ensure the dragon embodied the mechanics and spirit of professional soccer players.
“We wanted to bring dimensions to the red dragon to convey the evolution of Wrexham AFC – the determination, the character, and the struggle the team, the ownerships and the community have gone through to create this powerful sports saga,” said Suarez, also in a statement.
To promote season two – which debuts Tuesday, September 12 on FX and streams on Disney Plus and Hulu the next day – FX splashed the key art across social media, transit stations, billboards and in Times Square. FX also supported experiential activations, such as a Welcome to Wrexham food truck at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium where free bites of Welsh food were served up for a match between Wrexham AFC and Manchester United.
State also has worked with FX on comedy, Dave, and the series finale of motorcycle drama Mayans M.C.
“This project is historical for me,” said Ziul. “People are going to remember this story of Wrexham AFC for a long time and, for soccer fans, this story will be woven into the fabric of the sport.”