Background
AEK FC launched its official e-shop in July 2021 and, within a short period of time, established a strong presence in e-commerce.
In April 2022, the club faced a moment of high symbolic value: the presentation of the new Home Jersey for the 2022–2023 season, a season that would mark AEK’s historic return to its new home stadium, OPAP Arena.
Rather than following a traditional product launch, AEK chose to treat the jersey as a symbol of transition into a new era — not simply as merchandise.
The decision was bold:
launch the jersey through pre-orders only, without revealing its design, weeks before the official unveiling.
Awards
The Challenge
The challenge was twofold:
- Trust & Emotion
Fans were asked to pre-order a jersey they had never seen — something almost unheard of in football merchandising. - Timing & Pressure
The pre-launch window would last just a few weeks, meaning awareness, desire, and conversion had to happen fast.
At the same time, expectations were clearly defined.
Objectives
- Sell 500 jerseys on the first day of the pre-launch
- Reach 1,500 total jersey sales during the entire pre-launch period
This wasn’t just about sales.
It was about testing the emotional bond between the club and its supporters.
Strategy & Execution
Teaser-First, Emotion-Led Approach
The core creative asset was a teaser video, starring Sergio Araujo, filmed inside the new stadium.
The jersey itself was never revealed.
The video focused on:
- Emotion
- Anticipation
- Symbolism
- Limited availability
The message was clear: this jersey represents something bigger than design.
Our Approach
Paid Media Strategy (Facebook & Instagram Ads)
The paid strategy was built entirely around Meta platforms, using a phased, performance-driven structure.
Phase 1: Awareness at Scale
- Teaser video campaigns targeting broad audiences
- Heavy use of Meta’s machine learning to identify high-intent fans
- Emphasis on:
- Limited Edition
- Pre-order availability
- Entry into a new era
Placements included Feed, Stories, and In-Stream Video to maximize reach and emotional impact.
Phase 2: Conversion through Signal-Based Audiences
Audiences were built using:
- Video viewers
- Facebook & Instagram engagers
These users were retargeted with conversion-focused campaigns, driving them directly to pre-order the jersey.
Phase 3: Dynamic Ads & Demand Capture
In parallel, Dynamic Ads were activated:
- Broad audiences
- Remarketing audiences (viewed products / added to cart but didn’t purchase)
The full product catalogue was used to capitalize on increased traffic and maximize overall revenue during the pre-launch window.
Results
The campaign didn’t just meet expectations — it far exceeded them.
Day 1 of Pre-Launch
- 1,530 products sold in total
- 1,276 were Home Limited Edition jerseys
- 361 attributed purchases from Meta Ads on the very first day
- ROAS peaked at 335
Full Pre-Launch Period
- 3,261 total products sold
- 1,871 Home Limited Edition jerseys
- 823 attributed jersey sales from Meta Ads
- Overall ROAS: 18.47
Both initial objectives were surpassed comfortably, validating the strategy and the emotional power of the campaign.
key takeaway
This launch proved that football merchandise doesn’t always need to be shown to be sold.
By combining emotion-led storytelling, controlled scarcity, and performance-driven media execution, AEK FC turned a simple product launch into a moment of collective anticipation and trust.
The result was not just exceptional commercial performance — but a powerful demonstration of what happens when brand, fans, and timing align.
