The project at a glance
My role: vice-president responsible for marketing and communications from 2012 to January 2020, then board member. I contributed to rebuilding Neuchâtel Xamax alongside the president, club teams and partners.
The challenge: rebuild trust after the 2012 bankruptcy, mobilise supporters and develop B2C and B2B resources.
My decisions: start with the different audiences, connect the identity with the historic X and coordinate complementary offers and channels: donations, ticketing, sponsorship, merchandise and content.
A concrete result: the virtual-brick campaign raised more than CHF 200,000, according to the original dossier’s review. This amount concerns that specific campaign. The club’s rebuilding and sporting recovery were collective achievements.
The challenges
Objectives
Audience segmentation
Who are the audience groups?
Brand awareness
Rebuild the club’s reputation
Develop B2C and B2B revenue
Generate resources within tight financial constraints
Build an acquisition strategy
Bring new and returning fans to the stadium
Audience segmentation
To adapt offers to audience expectations, we studied supporter behaviour, club archives, fan forums and academic work. We developed four working audience groups: committed fans, occasional fans, people seeking entertainment, and sponsors and VIPs.
Phone, SMS and WhatsApp. Price sensitivity; atmosphere, friends and social connection.
Phone, SMS and WhatsApp. Competing events, weather and other interests; a memorable outing and relevant club news.
Phone, SMS and WhatsApp. Weather and competing events; fun, activities and a welcoming matchday experience.
Phone and email. Business relationships, service quality, visibility and hospitality.
Rebuilding the brand and B2C and B2B revenue
We revisited the visual identity around the club’s iconic X, reconnecting with its history and supporting a fresh start. Communications needed to make the project understandable and give fans and partners concrete reasons to join it.
The virtual-brick campaign allowed supporters to contribute and receive a certificate with a named online brick. The original dossier reported more than CHF 200,000 raised by this campaign. This is distinct from all funding raised for the club.
I chose to structure actions around four working audience groups: committed supporters, occasional visitors, families seeking entertainment, and sponsors and VIPs. Each offer was connected to an expectation, communications channels and tracking indicators.
Committed supporters
Social content included goal videos, interviews and polls. A mobile app supported live following of the club and competitions. Affordable season tickets and promotional away-match trips, including coach transport, complemented the offer.
Tracking: social following and engagement, app downloads, competition entries, season tickets and away-trip participation.
People seeking entertainment
Matchday activities included a pre-match village, children’s entertainment and local food tastings. Family offers, reduced children’s tickets, a family stand and themed events supported a broader matchday experience.
Tracking: event attendance and take-up of family offers.
Occasional fans
Regional press, radio and television advertising kept matches visible. A weekly newsletter maintained contact with club news.
Tracking: newsletter readership, advertising views, social engagement, conversions and attendance.
Sponsors and VIPs
Tailored sponsorship offers addressed partners’ needs. Hospitality offers included boxes, supporters’ clubs and exclusive events.
Tracking: sponsor numbers, take-up of proposals and partner engagement after events.
Offers and experiences had to reflect different expectations. We considered the whole fan journey, from advertising to the end of the event, to improve coherence and support loyalty.
Video promoting hospitality spaces and advertising opportunities. Original video in French.
Acquisition strategy
The club developed digital channels and a physical presence across its local catchment area, connecting communications with relevant offers and experiences.
Digital acquisition
- Virtual-brick donations
- A PrestaShop online store
- A mobile app developed with regional newspaper Arcinfo
- A Mailchimp newsletter
- Regular content and paid social campaigns
Local presence
- Regional press, radio and television partnerships
- Poster campaigns and public transport advertising
- Regional advertising screens
- Partnerships with local clubs
- Children’s football camps and player visits
- Community initiatives
Different channels addressed audiences’ habits and preferences. Clear information and straightforward actions were necessary throughout the journey.
Conversion
- Relevant content: website and social content encouraging newsletter sign-ups, ticket and merchandise purchases, season tickets and donations.
- Exclusive offers: targeted benefits for club members and supporters.
- User experience: clearer information and simpler purchasing through e-commerce.
Loyalty
- Email: regular newsletters and relevant offers, including for season-ticket holders.
- Loyalty: exclusive benefits and renewal incentives.
- Social media: regular interactions to maintain the connection with the community.
Indicators
Management combined sales, retention, engagement and audience feedback. The indicators below describe areas tracked; not all are published quantified outcomes. The economic result documented here concerns the virtual-brick campaign.
Revenue
Ticket and merchandise revenue could be tracked through the online store and physical points of sale during the early seasons.
Following and engagement
Changes in social following and engagement with content. Facebook benchmarking against other clubs had been tracked since 2009.
Fans and season-ticket holders
Track supporter, season-ticket holder and sponsor development and retention, distinguishing new audiences from renewals.
Website
Website visits and content engagement, while recognising the influence of sporting results and transfers.
Conversion rate
The proportion of visitors buying tickets or merchandise, interpreted in the context of sporting performance, transfers and the measurement setup.
Newsletter performance
Email engagement, audience retention and the contribution of newsletters to purchase journeys.
Fan and partner satisfaction
Surveys gather fan and sponsor expectations and assess their experience alongside sales and engagement indicators.
Media coverage
Media coverage of campaigns, competitions, events and partnerships, alongside the annual Nielsen visibility reporting provided to clubs.
Assessing the economic contribution
To assess investment, I distinguish revenue, acquisition cost and profitability. The analysis connects ticketing and sponsorship revenue with campaign spending, partner contributions and operating costs. ROI requires a defined margin and revenue attributable to the action.
This economic perspective helps compare options and inform decisions with leadership and finance teams.
About this experience
My role
Marketing, communications and coordination
My role developed from vice-president and head of marketing between 2012 and January 2020 to board member responsible for marketing and communications strategy. I work with the president, administration, communications teams, sponsors and suppliers.
I propose directions, develop offers, coordinate contributions and monitor results. This cross-functional role is distinct from line management of every contributor.
Method
A method suited to the club’s resources
- Understand audiences: combine supporter discussions, archives and studies into working segments.
- Rebuild a coherent brand: connect identity, messages and offers with the club’s history.
- Deliver: coordinate donations, sponsorship, ticketing, merchandise and content with teams and partners.
- Measure and adjust: track sales, engagement and feedback in the context of sporting results and available resources.
The virtual-brick campaign raised more than CHF 200,000 according to the original dossier, illustrating community mobilisation around a concrete proposition.