1. FC Köln - GLORIA COLONIA - Away Jersey 2025/26

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

For the 777th anniversary of the Cologne Cathedral hummel and the 1. FC Köln launched a third jersey symbolizing a "sacred uniform" of deep believe and faith - values, which are shared by the fans of the club since its founding. 

To celebrate this special anniversary, we created a launch campaign that embodies this unique "faith", featuring club legends and local icons. This emotional narrative resonated powerfully across social, press and lifestyle channels. 

The results were unprecedented: the campaign achieved the most successful jersey launch in club history, shattering revenue records within 30 minutes and reaching over 18 million people on social media in 24 hours. By merging architectural heritage with sporting passion, the campaign didn't just sell apparel; it successfully codified the "unshakeable hope" shared by the people of Cologne.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

This campaign represents excellence in engagement, by going far beyond simply promoting a jersey. It creates a deep emotional connection.

1. Cultural and Emotional Resonance: By linking the jersey and cathedral, the campaign taps into a symbol that is deeply meaningful to the community. Fans aren’t just buying, they are represented by the story
   and the product in a unique and special way. 
2. Multi-layered Storytelling: The launch film uses visual and narrative parallels between the cathedral and 1. FC Köln, incorporating symbolic references to Cologne’s history, and even playing on number symbolism (777 years of the cathedral, 77 years of the club). This encourages fans to engage with the story, creating a more immersive experience.
3. Shared Identity & Pride: The campaign unites fans under a single headline, “Gloria Colonia”, which embodies their believe and spirit. This strengthens community identification and encourages engagement.
4. Immediate Impact & Participation: The campaign instantly dominated headlines and drove record-breaking jersey sales. It sparked conversations, shares, and pride across the nation, inspiring the audience to actively respond. 

In short, the campaign achieves excellence in engagement by combining emotional storytelling, cultural relevance, interactive discovery, and tangible action, turning a jersey launch into a shared, city-wide experience.

Objective

For 777 years the Cologne Cathedral “the Kölner Dom” has not only been an architectural masterpiece and internationally known landmark, but also a symbol for the city’s faith and believe. 

A belief that is deeply rooted in the fan culture of 1. FC Köln – fuelling unshakeable hope and support for the team since the club’s founding 
and creating an unmatched atmosphere at every home game.

For the 777^th birthday of the cathedral and the 77^th birthday of the club, 
hummel and 1. FC Köln wanted to celebrate this deep connection by creating 
a jersey that represents the passion & tradition that define the city and its people. To do so we wanted to launch a campaign around the jersey that catches this unique feeling and give everyone an insight in what’s best described in two words: Gloria Colonia. 

Strategy & Execution

To make this feeling tangible we created a jersey that is more than a piece of fabric. By combining iconic structures of the cathedral and using gold colour – for the first time in club history – we created a sacred uniform of identity that all can wear with pride. 

In a 160 second launch clip we brought this sacred uniform to life. Therefore, we’ve combined iconic shots of the cathedral with sacred moments and scenes from the club’s history—moments when prayers to the football gods were answered, but also moments when only unwavering faith could help.

To emphasise this, we featured people in the clip who embody this feeling—club legends who are driven by it on the field and local personalities who have carried it within them their whole lives. Through their eyes and with their emotions the 777^th birthday of the cathedral became more than just a number: a deep and meaningful story. 

On the day of the 777^th birthday this story was shared on club channels, players channels, but also on local pop cultural channels and in cooperation with press and lifestyle platforms to connect different target groups with the message and awaken the common feeling of shared identity. 

Organizations

• 1. FC Köln

  hummel Cenozoic ApS

  Nochne GmbH 

  WEWEREKIDS GmbH

  Accenture Song Brand Germany GmbH

Links

•   Website

Credits

Philipp Liesenfeld
CEO Marketing & Sales
1. FC Köln GmbH & Co. KGaA

Ralf Koch
Head of Brand and Identity
1. FC Köln GmbH & Co. KGaA

Lea Köppikus
Brand Manager
1. FC Köln GmbH & Co. KGaA

Serena Bossio
Senior Brand Designer
1. FC Köln GmbH & Co. KGaA

Niklas Erben
Executive Producer
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Pasindu Goldmann
Directing DOP
WERWEREKIDS GmbH

Lukas Grenzhäuser
Steadicam operator
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Gregory Markus Hegel
Production assistant
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Jim Hofacker
Camera assistant
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Marius Rempe
Camera assistant
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Moritz Marquardt
Camera Assistant
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Philippa Romen-Naegel
Styling
/

Alina Menke
Styling Assistant
/

Katharina Ametsin
Make-Up
/

Lena Beckers
Make-Up
/

Samuel Dommermuth
Gaffer
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Moritz Lehmhaus
Lighting technician
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Leon Schäfer
Lighting technician
WEWEREKIDS GmbH

Silas Pralle
Lighting technician
1. FC Köln GmbH & Co. KGaA

David Christ
Lighting technician
1. FC Köln GmbH & Co. KGaA

Sam Todd
Photographer
/

Karsten Ziegengeist
BTS Photographer
/

Yannick Maser
Creative Concept & Story
Accenture Song Brand Germany GmbH

Christoph Bielefeldt
Creative Concept & Story
Accenture Song Brand Germany GmbH

Holger Hansen
Creative Concept & Story
Accenture Song Brand Germany GmbH

Luke Wolfgarten Boisserée
Design & creative direction
Nochne GmbH

Christopher Conin
Design & creative direction
Nochne GmbH

Philipp Pätzold
Design & creative direction
Nochne GmbH