Tomorrow marks the first ever day that Luton Town FC have participated in the Premier League since being relegated from the top division during the 1991-92 campaign, just the season before the Premier League was started!

Whilst Luton Town supporters, also known as Hatters, enjoy a restful night’s sleep anticipating the long-awaited big day, let’s look at what challenger brands can learn from the team that every football fan has their eyes on this year.

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1. Have unshakeable self-belief  

Luton Town football club have just been promoted to the Premier League, which is a remarkable achievement considering they were playing non-league football less than 10 years ago. From being an original member of the top division back in the early 90's to almost going out of existence and relegated to non-league football, Luton managed to return to the top tier of English football recently - not with big-money backers but with clear goals and an unshakeable belief. Challenger brands can learn that an unshakeable self-belief and determination can be important components when disrupting a market.

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2. Embrace your uniqueness!  

Luton FC play football at Kenilworth Road Stadium which has become a social media phenomenon as some of the entrances are found between terraced houses. Fans then walk upstairs and proceed to go over people’s gardens – images of this have been shared far and wide on social media and made Luton Town a trending topic. Challenger brands should embrace their quirks as this is what separates them from the pack and makes them memorable.

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3. Connect on a grass roots level with your audience

Challenger Brands need to deliver authentic and relatable content if they want to cut through the noise created by the bigger competitors. Luton FC have made no secret of their humble beginnings and what their players thought of their facilities when they were in the lower leagues; one player described the training pitch as 'a dog’s field with two portable cabins for changing rooms!’ This is something sportsmen from every level can relate to and reminisce about.

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