Chelsea FC’s first campaign with Uncommon captures new head coaches’ vision

Chelsea FC has unveiled its 'We Burn Blue' campaign with Uncommon Creative Studio, bringing a bold visual metaphor to life.

After a frankly lacklustre 2023/24 season, Chelsea FC is looking to make its newfound stability and ambition palpable to fans. A recent kit launch with Nike for the upcoming season is part of this wide-reaching messaging campaign.

The kit features a striking “melting pot” design, symbolising the "new fire" ignited by the club’s newly appointed head coaches, Enzo Maresca and Sonia Bompastor. The campaign, titled “We Burn Blue,” was created in collaboration with Uncommon Creative Studio and introduces a new brand narrative through an arresting visual campaign.

Uncommon clearly took inspiration from the blue flame aesthetic, running with it using special effects and visual techniques to capture “the energy, passion, and determination that burns inside every Blue,” according to the agency.

The campaign stars Cole Palmer, Sam Kerr, Moises Caicedo, and some of Chelsea's most promising youth talent, and spans film, photography, design, outdoor, and social media. Both the still photography and the film were shot and directed by lifelong Chelsea fan Thomas Van Kristen, and the film's soundtrack features a bespoke edit of "Flight FM" by London-based producer and DJ Joy Orbison.

Additionally, Uncommon has crafted a new visual identity for Chelsea FC, prominently featuring the iconic Chelsea lion logo paired with ‘CFC LDN’. This new identity will be integrated across the club, stadium, and players throughout the season.

Our take

The ‘jumpers for goalposts’ days of football club aesthetics are well and truly done away with here, as Chelsea FC looks to present itself as a thoroughly modern, youthful and culturally connected club, even down to its musical bent.

The streetwear sensibility Chelsea FC are shooting for is in keeping with the club’s urban chic appeal: but this isn’t a new angle. England famously designed its indigo blue (grey to you and me) 1996 Umbro kit to ‘go well with blue denim jeans’.

Uncommon has certainly injected some prerequisite hype into Chelsea’s pre season activity, but much of its success will ultimately be judged by how the team play on the field.

Credits:
Creative Studio: Uncommon Creative Studio
Production Company: Common People Films
Director & Photographer: Thomas Van Kristen