SCFC 25/26 Away Kit Launch

Stoke City FC have just dropped their 25/26 away kit, and we launched it with a nostalgia-fuelled campaign straight out of a 90s daydream.

We’ve been SCFC’s lead creative agency for over a decade, and their yearly kit launch is always something we look forward to. The newly-launched away kit throws it back to the 1990s with a retro remix of the original 92/93 season’s kit, featuring an electric purple colourway and an old‑school Club crest. Leaning into this nostalgia, we looked further into Stoke-on-Trent back in the 90s, a time when the city was making its mark far beyond the pitch.

Stoke-on-Trent in the 90s was famous for its nightclubs and rave scene. A city lit by strobes, soundtracked by pounding basslines and shaped by legendary spots like Shelley’s Laserdome. That spirit – daring, euphoric, unforgettable – became the heartbeat of our concept: Spirit of ’92. A tribute to the sound, style and energy that influenced a generation.

To replicate that feeling, we took over The Underground – a quirky spot that felt like stepping straight back into that era. We took control of the lights and smoke machines, using strobes and neon to mimic the feeling of a night out, and captured the players in moments that felt authentic – a mix of full kit shots, casual setups and candid moments that felt like a group of mates making the most of the night. We mixed sharp, crisp shots of the kit’s details with blurred, energetic frames that felt like a snapshot from a night out. We even worked in subtle nods to the Club’s heritage, with teaser shots of SCFC’s founding year illuminated on screens.

Michael Wright, our Senior Designer, said:
“Manchester had the Hacienda. Stoke had Shelley’s. We wanted to tap into the early 90s nostalgia, capturing a moment in time where football, music and culture came together. The visual style is a nod to that era, done in a way that feels relevant for today’s fans – and unlike any kit launch we’ve done to date. It’s bolder, grittier, and rooted in the spirit of the city like never before.”

The away launch owned every channel – from striking point‑of‑sale displays at the Stadium to a full takeover of the Club’s website, social feeds and featuring on Macron’s site – making sure the shirt landed where it truly belonged: with the people who live and breathe SCFC. The Club has reported an unprecedented demand for the new kit, with fans snapping up more shirts within the first ten days than any other shirt launch on record.

The result was a launch that’s bold, nostalgic and unmistakably Stoke.