The football summer transfer window officially opens today, and after a disappointing finish last season Chelsea FC are looking to kick off the Mauricio Pochettino reign with a bang. The Stamford Bridge club has a lot to prove after a disappointing 2022/23 season, so what can challenger brands learn from the Blue Army?

‍

1. Throwing money at the problem is not the answer

Outspending your competitors is expensive and rarely works. Chelsea FC fell victim to the magpie effect and spent over £500m on shiny new players last season, but failed to make any long-term positive impact on club performance. Instead, challenger brands should focus on outsmarting the competition, take Surreal cereal for example ,who ‘faked’ their celebrity endorsements by featuring normal people with famous names and created huge PR buzz.

‍

2. Stick to your purpose

If things start going awry, it’s time to take a step back and remember your original purpose. It’s easy to panic and start making impulsive decisions (just look at Chelsea changing their manager four times in one season!), but this short-term thinking can result in a lack of continuity in strategy, messaging and branding, which can undermine your company’s whole image. Challenger brands need to stay true to their vision and ensure the brand’s purpose doesn’t get lost along the way.

‍

3. Look at your current resources

Sometimes what you need may be standing right in front of you! Chelsea FC are a brilliant example of outsourcing skills that are already within their own squad. They have one of the most successful academies in Europe, yet still choose to look elsewhere for players. Challenger brands should look at who they can hero within the business, from product experts to brand spokespeople, to add an extra layer of authenticity to their content and position the brand as an authority in the category.

‍