Blending cultures, building identity – Olympique de Marseille x Samba Digital

Mission

During the 2025 summer transfer window, Samba Digital partnered with Olympique de Marseille to design and deliver themed visuals celebrating the arrival of the club’s new signings. The challenge? Making each announcement more than a news piece — creating emotional, cultural, and visual connections between players, the club, and fans.

The goal: Transform transfer announcements into storytelling moments, highlight player identities, and strengthen OM’s connection with its community.

Results

The campaign delivered a unique digital experience for OM’s audience:

• Highly personalized visuals: Each player’s heritage blended with Marseille’s identity.
• Stronger fan engagement: Announcements turned into culturally resonant moments.
• Global reach: Content shared across OM’s international digital channels.
• Brand elevation: Transfers became storytelling opportunities, not just headlines.

The Creative Concept

“Unity Through Identity”

• Blending player origins and Marseille’s heritage.
• Exploring colors, textures, symbols, and typography for authenticity.
• Balancing club DNA with individual stories for instant recognition.

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Uma publicação compartilhada por OM | Olympique de Marseille (@olympiquedemarseille)

Strategic Context and Impact

This campaign elevated transfer announcements into powerful brand-building moments:

Emotional resonance: blending identity and culture created a stronger bond with fans.

Global engagement: personalized assets traveled far beyond Marseille.

Club storytelling: new signings became part of the city’s legacy from day one.

Key Takeaways

1. Personalized visuals strengthen identity: Each design connected player stories with Marseille’s heritage.
2. Fan engagement through storytelling: Transfers became cultural moments, not just announcements.
3. Emotional connection: Fans experienced each signing as part of the club’s legacy.
4. Global recognition: Content resonated across OM’s international audience.
5. Cultural relevance: Balancing personalization with brand DNA ensured authenticity.

Every signing is more than a transaction — it’s an invitation to join Olympique de Marseille’s legacy.

Approach

The challenge: How to turn transfer announcements into more than simple posts? By using storytelling and design to create emotional connections between players, the club, and fans.

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Uma publicação compartilhada por OM | Olympique de Marseille (@olympiquedemarseille)

Design & Storytelling Strategy

Our approach focused on integrating personal stories with the club’s visual identity:

Player Perspective

• Highlighting cultural backgrounds through textures, symbols, and colors.
• Personalizing the artwork to reflect each player’s journey.
• Creating an immediate emotional bridge with fans.

Club DNA

• Consistent use of OM’s blue-and-white palette.
• Incorporating Marseille’s Mediterranean energy and spirit.
• Ensuring instant brand recognition across all assets.

Long-Term Vision

Each visual was more than a graphic — it was part of a broader storytelling framework:

• Strengthening club identity: every design reinforced what OM stands for.
• Global fan connection: content designed to resonate across borders.
• Emotional engagement: fans feel part of each new beginning.
• Elevating announcements: transfers become cultural moments, not just headlines.

Collaborative Process

We brought this vision to life through close creative collaboration:

• Creative exploration: visual research inspired by both player origins and Marseille.
• Design precision: ensuring balance between personalization and brand consistency.
• Seamless execution: each delivery aligned with the club’s digital tone.
• Emotional storytelling: making every announcement meaningful.