Superdry’s latest campaign celebrates Australian soccer stars in a bid to highlight and support the grassroots game. The ‘Superdry Superstar’ campaign features both well-known star John Aloisi and exciting new talent, including Western United’s Abel Walatee and the youngest ever A-League goal scorer, Max Caputo.

Legendary footballer and advocate for the grassroots game, Aloisi spoke of the importance of the campaign as a way to recognise Australian talent.

“So many of Australia’s young guns leave the country to head onto their international journey before Australia has a chance to celebrate them, this is a great campaign for grassroots soccer, unearthing and supporting the players of the future,” he said.

Shot by renowned photographer, Simon Upton, the fashion retailer has also launched a call-out for the young guns of tomorrow. The brand is encouraging local teams and clubs across Victoria and New South Wales to share their star-quality moments, for a chance to win prizes and funding up to $20,000. This is part of Superdry’s commitment to invest in the grassroots game.

Marketing Mag spoke with Superdry’s general manager of international brands, Alastair Davies, about the incredible new campaign.

In the new campaign, Superdry has continued its collaboration with soccer stars. What is the significance of this sport to the brand? 

As a British brand, Superdry’s history is embedded in soccer. We have previously partnered with football legend Neymar Jr and this year are excited to shine a light on soccer in the Australian market. We’ve teamed up with one of Australia’s most experienced and recognised footballers, John Aloisi, who has played, covered and coached the game for over 25 years. While we have partnered with big names, we also want to put the spotlight on the young, emerging talent coming up through this country. With help from John, we are hoping to reach local clubs that are the breeding ground for a new wave of talent.

You worked with soccer legend John Aloisi and some of Australia’s most exciting new names. What was that experience like?

John is an Aussie soccer icon and it was an honour to have him feature in this campaign. It was great to see him get involved and support a cause he’s so passionate about. He has been pretty vocal about the support needed for clubs at a grassroots level and understands the challenges soccer faces in this country. Together, we brought some of the most exciting new names in the A-League to shoot the campaign. We are excited to put the spotlight on talent who don’t usually get celebrated before they head onto the international stage. 

What is the connection between sport and fashion for Superdry? 

Superdry has ties with the international football community having worked closely with stars such as Neymar Jr. We recently teamed up with AFL player Patrick Lipinski to launch our new puffer jacket range, which rolled out across our channels. We are big fans of Patrick, not only for his commitment to his sport but also his personal style off-field and we are excited to continue working with brand ambassadors that encapsulate our brand ethos. At the heart of it, our brand is a fashion retailer and we’re committed to offering quality pieces that can also cross over to the field. It’s great we’re able to bridge the gap between sport and fashion and build that connection.  

Superdry has shown commitment to the grassroots game by investing in local players and clubs. Why is this important to the brand?

More often than not, Australia’s best talent heads offshore before we get the chance to celebrate them. With this campaign, we are trying to recognise these great players locally before they jet off. Despite the sport becoming more popular recently, thanks to the Matildas,  it’s true that we still lack serious financial investment and resources for soccer in this country. With Superdry’s roots in soccer, this was close to our hearts and we are excited to help make an impact at that local level.

How has the campaign been received so far? 

The Superdry Superstar campaign has been received incredibly well. We’ve had some great conversations with the community that solidify the need for more support at the grassroots level. We’re excited to see submissions come through and shine a light on star player moments. We are thrilled to see the combined positive sentiment coming through in creating a pedestal for grassroots soccer.

Photography attributed to Simon Upton for Superdry.

Also, read the marketing tactic set to make the Matildas Australia’s Olympic ‘Dream Team’