The results even knock the socks off sports marketing professionals: students at Fachhochschule Dortmund have designed fan scarves for the second division soccer club Fortuna Düsseldorf. Diverse, innovative, creative. Which one will end up in the fan store?
The students presented 20 exciting scarf designs to a jury of club and fan representatives, as well as Fortuna marketing experts and their UAS lecturer Andreas Ruhe. The lecturer at the Faculty of Design is an avowed Fortuna fan himself and already had contacts with the club through his agency. "It was important to me that the students work as they would in the real world and have a great deal of practical relevance," he explains. During the briefing at the Düsseldorf stadium, the communication designers from Fachhochschule Dortmund learned more about the club's values, identity and tradition. There were no design specifications.
Every design a new idea
The creativity of the students is reflected in the diversity of their designs. "The jury was surprised at how different and varied the scarf designs were," says student Ylva, whose own design traces the course of the Rhine in Düsseldorf. Maria used the Rhenish dialect for her concept: "18Fümmenneuzich" is written on her scarf.
Nathalie's design was inspired by the wild flood of stickers in the Düsseldorf stadium, while the back of her scarf picks up on elements of the stadium architecture. Adelisa combines the traditional fan scarf on one side with an abstract pattern on the other, which is made up of countless repetitions of the Fortuna logo.
Sonja opted for a particularly eye-catching design with bright colors. Purple and pink instead of classic red and white. "My scarf is reminiscent of a special jersey and, with the Japanese characters, is also a scarf for the large Japanese community in Düsseldorf and at Fortuna," she explains. Miriam's design is dedicated to the women. "There's no merch for the women's team yet," she says. But the student dispenses with embellishments and pretty colors. "Girls' soccer" is emblazoned on her scarf in thick, martial letters.
Fortuna fans currently have the opportunity to vote for their favorite suggestion in the member portal. At least one scarf will then be finalized and produced for the official Fortuna fan stores.
Worthwhile work even without credit points
Although the project did not earn any credit points (ECTS), it was a valuable experience for the students. "For many of us, it was the first time we had presented our ideas for a real product," says Ylva. She also particularly appreciated the cross-semester exchange between students from different years. "It was exciting to see how our designs looked to a professional jury," adds Miriam. Criteria such as authenticity, innovation, concept and design were assessed.
For Andreas Ruhe, one thing is certain: projects like this are a win-win situation for everyone involved. "It's great to see how our students go beyond traditional approaches with their ideas and create something that reflects Fortuna's identity in a unique way." The cooperation impressively demonstrates how design and sport can come together - to the delight of fans and creatives alike.