Creative Design | Guide | Photography | Social Media | Videography
In recent years, football fans have been spoiled with a wave of memorable and creative kit launch campaigns. What was once a simple shirt reveal has become a key moment in the football calendar, a chance for clubs to tell their story, celebrate their identity and connect with supporters.
Of course, for the fans a kit is far more than a product. It represents a club’s history, culture and community, which is why the best launches don’t just show off a new design, they tell a story.
For this list, we’ve picked out seven campaigns that each take a different creative approach to bringing the kit story to life. Some lean into heritage and identity to creating standout visuals, some are about celebrating the place and the community that surrounds to club, and some that make the launch itself a central part of the story.
Ajax, Home Kit – Launching in plain sight
As the proud owners of one of football’s most iconic home shirts, Ajax knows there is only so much that can change from season to season. Instead of building a campaign around secrecy or surprise, the club launched the kit in plain sight.
Acknowledging the culture of leaks and speculation around every new release, Ajax embraced the fact that supporters already knew what their shirt should look like. So the campaign became less about revealing something new, and more about celebrating an enduring icon.
It’s a confident approach that only a club with such a recognisable identity could pull off.
What it does well: Uses the strength of the Ajax brand to make familiarity feel fresh, turning a potential challenge into the creative idea.
Bayer Leverkusen, Away Kit – When the concept and the kit become one
Some kit launches could feature almost any shirt. Bayer Leverkusen created a campaign that could only be about theirs.
Drawing inspiration from the club’s pharmaceutical roots, the campaign builds around the identity that gave the club its name. The film, photography and visual direction all reinforce the story behind the design.
What makes it work is how it walks the tightrope of humour and history. It adds meaning without becoming overly serious, celebrating the club’s heritage while keeping the campaign modern and engaging.
What it does well: Connects the kit design directly to the club’s identity, creating a campaign where the product and story are inseparable.
Leeds United, Away Kit – For club and county
Leeds United’s away launch is a love letter to the club, its supporters and Yorkshire.
Packed with familiar faces, local references and subtle details, every element feels considered. From the sheep with adidas Trefoil sprayed onto it, to Germany’s own Anton Stach dressed like he’d wandered out of Last of the Summer Wine (Google it, kids), and the visual interpretation of Marching On Together, the campaign rewards supporters who know the club inside out.
Rather than chasing spectacle, Leeds focuses on personality, creating something that feels unmistakably theirs.
What it does well: Celebrates the people, place and culture behind the badge with humour and authenticity.
Chelsea, Away Kit – Creating a visual spectacle
Chelsea’s home and away kit launches embrace the idea that a reveal can be more than a simple product showcase.
Both campaigns go big, delivering cinematic, bombastic visuals with bold styling and a clear focus on creating moments built for social. The creative direction is confident and instantly recognisable, turning the kits into the centrepiece of a world designed to capture attention.
While both launches share the same ambition, the away kit just edges it thanks to the standout Cole Palmer fur coat moment - a fittingly “Cold Palmer” image that perfectly captured the attitude and confidence of the campaign. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most effective creative idea is simply having the confidence to go bigger, bolder and more unexpected than anyone else.
What it does well: Creates a distinctive visual identity through bold creative direction, combining a high-end feel with the scale, ambition and memorability of a blockbuster production.
Marseille, Away Kit – Selling the city as much as the shirt
The best football campaigns don’t just tell the story a club, they showcase the place that the club represents.
While Leeds celebrates identity through humour and personality, Marseille takes a different route by leaning into the city’s natural cool and capturing its energy, beauty and character.
The campaign makes you want to experience Marseille as much as wear the shirt. By putting the city at the heart of the story, the kit becomes a symbol of belonging rather than just merchandise.
What it does well: Uses the identity of the city to give the kit a deeper emotional connection.
Stockport County, Home Kit – Making the launch a real event
Most kit launches today are built for social media. Stockport County made a splash by going in the opposite direction.
Before the official reveal, supporters got their first glimpse of the new home shirt at Stockport's annual Stock Party street festival, where players Kyle Wootton and Ryan Glover wore the kit out in the community. Rather than dropping the launch straight into supporters' feeds, the club created a genuine moment for the people who matter most.
It's a simple idea, but an increasingly rare one. Instead of treating social media as the launch, Stockport used it to amplify a real event. The approach is low-fi, authentic and makes smart use of the club's budget, proving you don't need a blockbuster production to create something memorable.
What it does well: Creates a real-world moment before a digital one, showing that authenticity and a strong idea will always outperform a bigger budget.
Fiorentina, Home Kit – A launch with a sense of occasion
From Edgeley Park to Florence might feel like quite the leap, but both clubs shared the same creative instinct - give supporters a genuine launch experience, not just content to consume.
The club unveiled its new home shirt at The St. Regis Florence, a 15th-century Renaissance palace originally designed in 1432. Built around the concept "Art can be worn too," the launch celebrates the club's roots, Florence's artistic heritage and the Viola centenary, making the setting feel like a natural extension of the creative idea rather than simply a backdrop.
Rather than relying solely on social media, Fiorentina gave supporters and guests a physical experience that elevated the reveal. The launch became more than content for a feed, it became an occasion that reflected the culture, craftsmanship and identity behind both the club and the shirt.
What it does well: Brings together the concept, the location and the product to create a launch that feels authentic, distinctive and unmistakably Fiorentina.
Honourable mentions
A few other launches that deserve recognition:
- Sampdoria Home – Heritage and emotion beautifully captured.
- Wimbledon Home – Calm, considered and refreshingly different.
- Botafogo Away – A strong blend of partnership and visual identity.
- Brighton Home – Creative, confident and true to the club.
- Newcastle United Away – Atmosphere and place used effectively.
- FC Lorient Home – A thoughtful launch with a clear sense of identity.
Final thoughts
Football kit launches have become much more than a shirt reveal. They’re an opportunity for clubs to tell stories, celebrate identity and make moments that their supporters remember.
The strongest campaigns don’t follow one formula. Ajax embraced familiarity. Bayer Leverkusen connected heritage and design. Leeds celebrated its people. Chelsea created visual impact, while Marseille, Stockport and Fiorentina showed the power of place, nostalgia and occasion.
What connects them all is a clear creative idea. The best clubs aren’t just doing yet another product roll out, they’re giving supporters a reason to care about it and feel respected.
At Seventy7, we help football clubs and brands find those ideas, combining creative strategy, storytelling and production to turn moments into memorable experiences.
All imagery has been sourced from Club, Brand Websites or Social Channels
