Megan Rapinoe became a citizen of the world during her soccer career, but for more than a decade—Seattle called her one of its own.
Rapinoe played college soccer just down I-5 at the University of Portland. In 2012, before winning either of her two World Cup titles with the U.S. Women’s National Team, she joined the Seattle Sounders Women of the United Soccer League Women’s League. A year later, she joined the Seattle Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League, where she’s played for a decade.
When she spoke out against gender inequity, racial injustice, transphobia and abortion restrictions, she did so with the city of Seattle behind her. When she won two World Cups, an Olympic gold medal, the Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s Golden Ball, Golden Boot and Best Player, the city was there for her, too.
When she played her final home game for the OL Reign—currently owned by French club Olympique Lyonnais, where Rapinoe played from 2012-2014 and won a title in 2013—Rapinoe was sent off by an NWSL-record 34,140 fans and 683,000 regular-season viewers on CBS.
Seattle-based creative agency Copacino Fujikado has worked with the Reign for the last two years and has partnered with Rapinoe—and her wife and WNBA Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird—on pandemic-era ads for Symetra Financial. Heading into that last home match, the agency teamed with the Reign and its Royal Guard supporters’ group to host a sendoff at the Rough & Tumble women’s sports bar in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.
Copacino Fujikado also spent its own money on a billboard next to the West Seattle Bridge bidding farewell to Rapinoe as the OL Reign prepared for their NWSL Championship matchup—and Rapinoe’s final professional soccer match—against F.C. Gotham Nov. 11. While neither the Reign nor the agency paid for media to promote either the sendoff party or the billboard, more than 5 million fans worldwide checked into social media coverage of their efforts.
Copacino Fujikado has included the Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle Aquarium and Seattle Mariners among its clients. By paying tribute to Rapinoe, however, its local focus served a broader, global purpose.
“We try just to be part of the fabric of the community and the culture of the city,” said Chris Copacino, executive director of business development at Copacino Fujikado. “We’ve tracked along with her and appreciated her for a long time, so, to kind of tap into the zeitgeist of what’s going on in our city was something that we can put up and just kind of be part of the cultural pulse.”
The last dance
On Oct. 5, Copacino Fujikado and OL Reign set up a throne inside Rough and Tumble and filmed tributes to Rapinoe from fans of all ages—each donning pink wigs emulating Rapinoe’s trademark gameday hair color. The name of the event: “Celebrating the Hair-itage.”
The Royal Guard brought a large banner with Rapinoe’s likeness, fans from as far as Mexico City, Ireland and the U.K. made signs in support and Seattle DJ Chong the Nomad—who Copacino Fujikado worked with on campaigns for city tourism group Visit Seattle—kept the party going. All the while, fans shared stories both of Rapinoe’s career and what she meant to them as an athlete, but also what she meant to them as individuals—especially those who credited her for helping them come out to friends and family.
“I had [Michael Jordan] as a kid, and I had a big poster of MJ on the wall and [Copacino Fujikado Group creative director] Andrew[Gall] had Ken Griffey Jr., but we always looked at those sports heroes as phenoms—performers on the court on the field,” said Copacino Fujikado executive creative direction Vince Soliven. “These kids get to look up to these sports heroes not just because they’re winning championships and awards … there’s so much more.”
Copacino Fujikado’s billboard tribute to Rapinoe by the West Seattle Bridge was borne out of convenience—with help from its media team—but will eventually come down. The agency noted that OL Reign still hasn’t released many of the video tributes to Rapinoe, opting to wait until after she’s played the NWSL Championship match to release them. To Copacino Fujikado’s Gall, it provides both the agency and fans the opportunity continue the outpouring of support and keep Rapinoe fresh in Seattle’s mind.
“Experiential can be a really heavy lift, because you’re trying to get people to do your thing that they may not have expected to want to be a part of,” Gall said. “Sometimes that can be really hard to pull what you want out of your everyday people that aren’t used to being on camera and might tense up and get nervous, but everyone had a reason to thank Megan and it was every one was different—and this audience couldn’t wait to be a part of this.”
