HanseMerkur and HSV use jersey activation for a good cause - a special print to promote cancer awareness and prevention
During a Bundesliga home match against Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV delivered more than just football: wearing jerseys highlighted with the logo of the cancer support organisation yeswecan!cer, the club and its main partner HanseMerkur made a powerful social statement against cancer, consciously using the stage of professional football for social engagement.
In this Success Story:
The Challenge
The core challenge was to integrate a socially relevant issue into professional football in a way that generates maximum attention without overshadowing the sporting nature of the match. Cancer prevention and education are among the most important public health topics of our time, yet they are often pushed aside or insufficiently addressed in everyday life.
The objective was to leverage the reach of a top-tier Bundesliga match to bring this significant topic into sharper focus. At the same time, the activation aimed to highlight the shared commitment of HSV and HanseMerkur, reaching people where sport has its greatest impact: right at the heart of the action - in the stadium.
SPORTFIVE's solution
In close collaboration with HanseMerkur and HSV, SPORTFIVE developed an activation that placed the symbolic power of the jersey at the very center. For the match on the 8th of November 2025 against Borussia Dortmund, the club’s main partner area on the jersey was replaced with a special flock print featuring the cancer support organization yeswecan!cer.
This decision went far beyond a visual statement: it sent a clear message of solidarity, prevention, and social responsibility. The jersey initiative was complemented by in-stadium awareness measures, including flags in the organization’s design as well as digital inserts and branding elements across the stadium screens.
Through this holistic staging, an emotional, contemporary and cross-audience message emerged - one that resonated strongly both inside the stadium and across the media landscape. With this activation, SPORTFIVE combined professional brand-impact expertise with meaningful social engagement, setting a benchmark for impactful purpose-driven communication in sports.
The Results
The activation generated a strong response: the message of yeswecan!cer received additional visibility through its placement on the jerseys and the accompanying in-stadium staging. The initiative was prominently showcased both inside the Volksparkstadion and across various communication channels, reaching fans, partners, and the broader public.
A particular highlight was the post-match auction of the worn jerseys in support of yeswecan!cer. This initiative reinforced the purpose-driven nature of the activation and generated valuable donations for the organization. At the same time, it helped raise awareness for the importance of cancer prevention and early detection, demonstrating how effectively professional sport can be leveraged to bring an important social issue onto the pitch.
All pictures: Witters Sportfotgrafie
