In today’s post, our luxury digital marketing agency explores how a relatively unknown football club became a powerhouse within the world of football culture and fashion. When one thinks of Venice football often isn’t the first thing. Famed for its winding canals, beautiful architecture and bridges the historic city is not on the football club map. One club, however, is seeking to change this association both on and off the pitch. Founded in 1907, Venezia FC have spent much of their history playing in Italy’s second league. Trophies have been few and far between and the only major honour that the club has won was the Coppa Italia in the 1940 - 41 season.
Struggling to establish themselves in the top tier of Italian football, the club has received foreign investment in the form of an American consortium. However, bucking the trend that has befallen many Italian clubs - think insolvency - the club have opted to navigate the perils of football finances by singing mainly players on a free and their record signing (Gianluca Busio from Kansas City in 21/22 season) is a paltry £5.4m. So how did a small, relatively unknown club whose history, whilst long, is not peppered with the successes that other clubs have had?
Football meets fashion
It’s hard not to think of Italian without thinking of fashion. Indeed, some of the most beloved and well-established fashion houses spring from the shores of this idyllic country. From Gucci to Prada, Missoni to Versace - Italy’s rich heritage as a creative destination is world-renowned. Whilst the look of match day supporters has been of importance for decades (think the Fred Perry bedecked Casuals of the 80's) it wasn't until about 10 years ago that manufactures and clubs began to use their branding and shirts as a marketing tool. Now spawning a legion of collectors, football shirts are big business and Venezia FC is very much the best of the bunch in our opinion. But while only the richest clubs are able to win silverware year after year at astronomical expense, smaller teams are now able to use style to punch far above their weight.
Tradition and heritage
Returning to the top flight in recent years, before dropping down again, the on-field success has coincided with a complete rebranding of the club, which might not be entirely a coincidence.
After partnering with Nuke for several years where they forgoed the traditional shirt spinor on the front in favour of bold designs the club switched to Italian brand Kappa who have arguably produced the most fashionable line of football merchandise on the planet. Not only have they created gorgeous shirts that look as at home on the catwalk as in the stands, the marketing team have lent into the symbols, mythology and glamour that surrounds the city itself. Indeed, the club has even gone so far as to develop a social media strategy that echoes the aesthetic of high-end fashion magazines, which makes its Instagram feed feel like a cross between MUNDIAL and Vogue. A
“That move to make a designer kit was something that started under the previous president Joe Tacopina," Bandini recently told the Guardian Football Weekly podcast. “I know when [Tacopina] was there it was a very deliberate idea of ‘we need to tap into the fact that we always have tourists in our city that these people are going to want to come to see a football game.'
Symbols and strength
With its tiny stadium that seats a mere 11,150 spectators, VFC has few routes to boost their revenue, which thereby limits what the team is able to achieve on the pitch. Distilling its desirable geographic location through a fashion lens is an ingenious way of creating a new income stream.
Diego Mosconi, a former designer for Supreme and the head of creative studio Fly Nowhere, believes that modern fans take a much broader view when picking their allegiances. “I suppose some football purists may look at football simply as good players plus win games equals win fans, but this doesn’t really do justice to the level of complexity of today’s international football fans, who analyse every level of the game, from the owners to the finances to the sponsors and kits,” says Moscosoni. “You could also easily find the exact opposite to be true as far as winning fans or fame; take Atletico Madrid as one example, they have over-performed to the maximum, on the pitch they couldn’t be asked to achieve more with what they have. Off the pitch though, they are still less known in the US and major global markets than West Ham United."
Venezia F.C proves that a change in marketing strategy and branding can lead to both an increase of revenues whilst distilling an entirely new identity. Through its inspiring use of fashion, exceptional use of its geographical location and history of the city the small club shows no signs of sinking into the canals. Discover how our luxury marketing can assist your business and get in touch via hello@theluxurymarketingagency.com or call +44(0)7835 233607.
