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Valencia CF and PUMA transform the city’s bus shelters into replicas of Mestalla
Mumbai: Thanks to one of the most innovative marketing campaigns of the summer, residents of the city of Valencia have become very aware of the launch of the new Valencia CF home and away kits for the 2023/24 LALIGA EA SPORTS season. The club collaborated with the city and with Puma, its official kit supplier, to transform a number of bus stops and to make them Mestalla-themed.
The walls and roofs of the selected bus shelters were decorated to make these bus stops look and feel like the stands of Mestalla, complete with seats like the ones in the stadium’s stands. The 2023/24 Valencia CF kits were also displayed at these bus stops, with lights even highlighting the new designs at nighttime.
The initiative came about thanks to PUMA’s close collaboration with the club. As the kit manufacturer explained: “Each season’s launch of the new Valencia CF kits is planned with several objectives in mind: to present the new kits to Valencia CF fans in an original, different and eye-catching way, connecting sentimentally and emotionally; to maximise the visibility of these kits with actions that have great repercussion and impact at a local level, trying to integrate the fans in some way into that experience so that they become part of it; and to get involved with the club, the city, its people and its traditions and customs. We believe that the sum of all these points helps to improve the perception of the new kits and increase the willingness to acquire them.”
The fans of the club were definitely made to feel involved, while men’s team player Thierry Rendall and women’s team player Marta Carro also visited one of the Valencia CF-themed bus shelters to enjoy the unique experience. Discussing the initiative, Thierry Rendall said: “I think it’s a very good idea, as the fans can feel like they’re at Mestalla, even inside the dressing room as if they were players.”
In the words of the club: “Bringing Valencia CF out of the stadium with this marketing campaign and into moments in our fans’ daily lives, such as waiting for the bus or taking a walk through the city centre and finding a representation of Mestalla, is something that reinforces our emotional connection with the fans. It’s a shot of identification.”
The club continued: “The same reaction that we saw in Thierry Rendall and Marta Carro when they saw the themed bus stops is what we’ve noticed in our fans and also in the tourists who visit Valencia at this time of year. They can enjoy an exciting and different experience while discovering all the secrets of our jerseys, which are on display at the bus stops. The action has been very well received in the media, giving great exposure to the club and PUMA, as well as among our fans.”
Valencia CF and PUMA: A partnership based on constant collaboration
This is simply the latest example of Valencia CF and PUMA working together to ensure fans of Los Che know about and are excited about the arrival of the new kit. In previous years, they’ve organised other street marketing campaigns, such as placing giant replica shirts around the city or organising photo machines with QR codes to allow fans to download an image of themselves wearing the new shirt. Last season, they even worked together on a New York streetstyle photo shoot in front of some of the most iconic landmarks of the Big Apple, making an impact in that international market.
On the partnership, the club said: “Every year, together with PUMA, we carry out actions that usually involve the DNA and life of the city to present our shirts. This season they have very strong narratives: a tribute to the Mediterranean lifestyle (Home Kit); a concept of design, creativity and the future projection of our city (Away Kit); and a nod to the streets of the city of Valencia with a representation of the neighbourhood that surrounds Mestalla (Third Kit). We feel that the street marketing campaign of Valencia CF and PUMA is more and more appreciated each year, achieving greater identification from our fans.”
It’s not just in summer at the time of the kit launch that the marketing departments of Valencia CF and PUMA work together. “The connection and work with PUMA is daily, so that the garments made for the club, the stores and all the merchandising breathe the VCF identity,” the club’s marketing and commercial director Jorge García pointed out.
The club added: “Our way of working is based on fortnightly meetings, and thanks to a consolidated dynamic between both teams. Working with technical brands on a long-term basis – we’ve been with PUMA for five seasons and are building a great relationship – allows clubs to share with them the club values and culture, which leads to fans perceiving the stores as spaces where the shopping experience is very emotional.”
By converting daily spaces such as bus stops into another source of pride for Valencia CF supporters, the club has certainly made an emotional impact with its fanbase with this year’s kit launch.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
