Aiming for the top, with fan-centred brand transformation
Fan Research
Strategy Design
Storytelling
CLIENT
Adelaide United Football Club
LOCATION
Australia
Chief Design Officer, User Researcher, Brand Strategist, Content Producer
TEAM
Adelaide United has a bold ambition: to be Australia's leading football club. To help get there, they are committed to transforming into a fan-centred business. As an important step in this journey, Adelaide United partnered with Kinlab to health-check their current brand, and to craft a new fan-centred brand strategy.
Insight Services
Market analysis
Data analysis
Field research
Survey research
Research workshops
Design Services
Brand strategy
Commercial strategy
Communications strategy
Storytelling Services
Photography
Videography
Brand Diagnosis – Understanding the current relationship fans have with the brand
The leadership at Adelaide United know how important their fans are to the success of the Club, on and off the field. They already had a base understanding of their supporters, but needed to dig deeper to determine how best to strengthen the bond between their brand and their fans.
Kinlab's mission was to gain a holistic picture of Adelaide United fans. This encompassed everything from their connection to South Australia and Adelaide, to their engagement with football and its impact on their lives, as well as their relationship with the Club.
Landscape discovery
To gain a comprehensive view of the challenge, first we conducted a series of discovery workshops involving staff from all levels of the Club. These workshops delved into the global, national, state, and local sporting and football landscapes. Importantly, we analysed the organisation's culture, and both the commercial and football sides of the business.
With a well-defined purpose, ambition, and objectives for fan-centred brand transformation, our team commenced a mixed-method fan research study. The study aimed to evaluate Adelaide United's existing relationship with its fans, and establish behavioural-based fan segmentation.
Field research
Our extensive field research experience – accumulated over thousands of hours in sporting settings worldwide – sets Kinlab apart. For this project, our researchers engaged in immersive fieldwork over two match weeks: one at home in Adelaide and another away on the Central Coast. Across each week, the team conducted intercept interviews, structured one-on-one discussions, and observational research with current and target fans of the Club, staff and service providers.
Survey & workshop research
Informed by the research to date, the team then designed and administered an online survey of more than 800 Adelaide United members, providing quantitative data to complement and bolster the field research.
Next we conducted a series of research workshops with a diverse range of fans, to further explore the research themes surfaced to date and uncover fresh perspectives.
Fan mindsets and persona development
Back in the studio, our team organised the wealth of data and content captured during our research for analysis and synthesis. We developed detailed fan mindsets and personas, which would not only guide the design of the brand strategy in the project’s next phase, but also deliver enduring value to the Club. The mindsets and personas will continue to inform marketing, communication, and commercial strategies, ensuring that Adelaide United remains deeply connected to its fans and continues to grow and evolve as a fan-centric football club.
Brand Strategy – Co-designing the strategic direction with staff and fans
After our comprehensive brand diagnosis, our team shifted onto strategy. At Kinlab, we believe that crafting a high-quality, actionable strategy requires a deeply collaborative approach. In this process, both the team implementing the strategy and the people it serves play integral roles in the design.
To achieve this, we facilitated a two-day workshop in a creative space in Adelaide CBD. During the session, participants embarked on a series of design sprints, fostering empathy for fans, collaboration and strategic and creative thinking. The activities surfaced the essential components of the Adelaide United brand strategy.
The collaborative approach not only aligned the Club on its brand vision and purpose, but created an environment for the whole business to understand and lay the path to success. The session also bolstered organisational culture: strengthening relationships between individuals and business teams as participants shared ideas and ventured in new directions, all while having a good deal of fun.
Following the sessions, our team took the outputs back into the studio to push them to final strategic deliverables. Through our collaborative efforts, we:
Fan Insights: identified the core fan base and areas for potential growth.
Brand Identity: clarified what Adelaide United stands for and what it aims to be known for.
Broadening Appeal: devised strategies to engage a wider audience, with a focus on women and girls and participants from diverse backgrounds.
Connecting Fans: explored methods to connect fans with the Adelaide brand, both on and off the pitch.
Competitive Edge: assessed Adelaide United's position relative to competitors and outlined ways to differentiate their brand.
Brand Strategy Framework: developed a strategic brand framework.
Brand Communication: designed the AUFC brand communications system.
Strategic Brand Priorities: defined strategic brand priorities for the Club.
Brand Performance Roadmap: outlined a roadmap for brand performance enhancement.
I’d recommend this to any sporting organisation who are serious about who they are and who they want to be – it’s fundamental.
Nathan Kosmina
CEO, Adelaide United FC
The Outcomes
By spotlighting Adelaide United fans through mindsets and personas, we provided the Club with a clear view of their supporters and the existing fan-club relationship. Armed with this insight and understanding, we charted a strategic path to strengthen the bond between the Club and its expanding fanbase into the future. Achieving this will be mission critical, as Adelaide United strives to ascend to the top position among Australian football clubs.
Milestones
Surfacing the current relationship fans have with the brand
Helping AUFC deeply understand their fans through fan mindsets and personas
Unlocking growth audiences for the brand
Bringing the whole business together to collaborate and design the brand strategy
Connecting the Club’s football playing philosophy to the strategic brand direction
Educating all departments on the importance of fan-centricity to business and football success
Setting clear brand performance metrics and goals
Delivered
Market Analysis Report
Fan Experience Strategy
Fan Experience Principles
Fan Personas
Brand Strategy Consultation
Event Delivery Planning
Event Capacity Analysis Report
Let's innovate the future of sport
Let's innovate the future of sport
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