Cultural Identity Meets Sports Marketing in SSC Napoli’s ‘Café’ Kit Release.

Roger Hampel

Image: SSC Napoli

SSC Napoli has unveiled its 2025/26 Third Kit, named Café, in collaboration with technical partner EA7. The design draws directly from Naples’ deep-rooted coffee culture, integrating a core element of the city’s identity into the club’s on-field and lifestyle branding strategy.

Cultural Branding Through Design SSC Napoli ‘Café’

The shirt’s colour palette takes inspiration from espresso tones, while design details reference traditional and modern elements of Neapolitan coffee-making, including the iconic cuccumella pot. The launch reflects a broader trend of football clubs using cultural heritage as a differentiator in kit design, aiming to engage both local supporters and international audiences. SSC Napoli ‘Café’

A tricolour shield at the centre of the chest celebrates Napoli’s Serie A title win in 2024/25, reinforcing a connection between recent sporting success and long-standing cultural identity.

Image: SSC Napoli

Technical and Aesthetic Features

• Polo-style collar with vintage sky-blue trim

• Matching sleeve cuffs for aerodynamics and comfort

• “SSC Napoli” lettering on the back of the neck to highlight club identity

  
  

These design choices combine performance requirements with heritage styling, aligning with EA7’s dual focus on sport and lifestyle apparel.

Local Activation with Caffè Toraldo

To mark the kit’s launch, Napoli partnered with Caffè Toraldo, the club’s official coffee partner, to revive the caffè sospeso tradition. Between 16:00 and 17:00 on 11 August, fans showing the official launch graphic in selected Naples cafés received a complimentary espresso.

This local activation blends matchday culture with a city-wide lifestyle experience, extending the impact of the kit launch beyond retail into experiential marketing.