2022 came with clear goals for Inter. After updating the brand identity and iconic crest, together with Bureau Borsche, this year was all about overhauling Inter’s digital channels. With football becoming increasingly more digital — from Esports to global fandom and all kinds of digital ownership — Inter is ready to take on a leading position. And so, the following question arose: ‘How can we make our digital channels relevant for a broader global target audience?’ DEPT® answered and led the strategy, design and development of the new app and website.
The key takeaways
Growing the global fandom
Football wouldn’t be football without the fans. And don’t the Nerazzuri know it. To cater to a global audience that might be interested in ‘more’ than football, we settled upon a new digital experience strategy with a focus on Milanese culture, players and stories. Content is truly king here. The same goes for Inter TV, which gives fans around the world access to a whole bunch of video content. Still, anything and everything match related is of course also available in the new Match Center, which comes with engagement features such as ‘Man of the match’. Last but not least, a differentiation is also applied into the channel strategy, with web focussing mainly on (international) sports fans whereas the app is really meant for the hardcore fans of the black and blues.
Fans can now follow Inter in a more immersive way through the website and app that have been renewed thanks to the valuable collaboration with DEPT®
Luca Danovaro, Chief Revenue Officer at FC Internazionale Milano
Boosting sponsor activations
The new website and app host a myriad of commercial opportunities for both Inter and their sponsors, partners and advertisers. These range from well-known options such as bannering and promotional slots, to more exclusive options such as dedicated microsites with custom immersive experiences that really put Inter’s key sponsors and partners in the spotlight. The first microsite was launched in early July to present the new 2022 kits together with Nike. Other than that, Inter’s digital channels make use of accounts behind a login that give access to Inter TV and unlock exclusive content and other benefits.
Connecting brand to culture
For Inter, football is one side. Culture is the other. So it comes as no surprise that culture gets a prominent spot in the channels. Players are pushed forward on culture pages, sharing their stories, interests and likes beyond football. With around 1 out of 5 fans more interested in the player than in the game (according to The European Football Benchmark 2021) there’s certainly a demand to fill here. In the future, Inter will expand their culture pages with a focus on (local) celeb fans and their love for Milan — making the global local.
Looking ahead
Just like on the field, in order to succeed digitally a great strategy is a must. That’s why all channels have dedicated roadmaps. These contain several future releases with new pages around collaborations and the Milanese culture, an ‘IM Premium’ account tier with even more content and benefits, special microsites with other sponsors, exclusive Inter NFTs and much more. The new digital channels are just the beginning of Inter’s commitment to becoming a leading club in terms of digital fan engagement and experience. Forza Inter!
FORZA INTER! Explore the website
Questions?
Head of Strategy
