?Next ESSMA INSIDE: Announced soon
?Next ESSMA Stadium Showcase: 24 April 2025
Featuring Helmond Sport (NL) and their brand-new 3,600-capacity stadium
? Register for the next Showcase
Highlights from the session:
? Overall Strategy & Objectives
- Objective: To use the club’s 100th anniversary as a springboard for a season-long fan experience campaign.
- Approach: A combination of storytelling, local community involvement, digital activations, and live events.
- Aim: To increase fan loyalty, enhance matchday experience, and boost attendance by reinforcing emotional ties to the club.
? Three Core Pillars of the Campaign
1. Communication & Branding
- Campaign slogan: “Voor Eeuwig” (Forever) – representing eternal love and dedication to the club.
- Visual identity: inspired by retro Nike aesthetics and vintage Panini style.
- Kit Launch: In collaboration with artist Tom Herck – merging historical club colours and symbols (including a samurai mask to reference Japanese ownership).
- Content creation: Included decade-themed documentaries aired on national television, retro-themed home matches with past players and fans, and the publication of a commemorative book.
- Youth engagement: A “city walk” treasure hunt linking children to STVV’s heritage through interactive storytelling and challenges in the local town centre.
2. Local Stakeholder Involvement
- With limited financial and human resources, STVV leveraged partnershipswith:
- City authorities and local shops, supporting logistics and communications.
- Volunteers and fans offering services, expertise and even directing matchday shows.
- Fans and businesses contributed organically:
- Local companies created STVV-themed products (e.g. ice cream, burgers, car parts).
- Emphasis was placed on authenticity and emotional connection.
3. Celebratory Events
- Events were deeply symbolic, aligning football with religious and cultural rituals:
- A march from the church to the stadium replicated traditions from the 1950s-60s.
- Pre-match ceremonies featured music, choral singing, flags, and visual storytelling on big screens.
- Emotional highlights included spontaneous fan engagement and themed tifos.
? International Fan Engagement
- STVV’s Japanese ownershipcreates a unique dynamic:
- Dual communication streams: one for the Belgian fanbase, another tailored to Japanese audiences.
- Marketing efforts include branding activations in Tokyo (e.g. metro ads).
- Japanese sponsors are visually prominent – despite design challenges, they represent a key revenue stream.
? Legacy & Continued Application
- The centenary project has had a lasting impact:
- The club continues to apply campaign-based thinking and storytelling linked to specific fan segments (e.g. student nights, themed matches).
- Efforts are ongoing to differentiate STVV through its identity, rather than copying larger clubs.
- Internal team members share weekly international inspirations to maintain innovation.
