This City is a Derby / Bu Şehir Bi’ Derbi

PUMA, as the official ball sponsor of the Turkish Süper Lig and both Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, wanted to own the narrative of the week 6 derby — one of Turkey’s most iconic football clashes. However, the growing chaos on social media, which often misrepresented the real emotions on the streets, made it challenging to craft a campaign that would please both clubs and their supporters.

We reframed the conversation by focusing on the cultural significance of the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe rivalry — the only intercontinental derby in the world, played between two continents, Europe and Asia, within the same city. Recognizing derby week as a time when life in Istanbul feels suspended and the city unites around the match, we decided to highlight the derby’s true cultural and emotional value rather than the social media-fueled tension.

Our campaign brought Istanbul’s cultural elements to the forefront, gathering moments that captured the city’s collective excitement throughout the week. We extended the experience beyond the 90 minutes of play by producing films that reflected the fans’ authentic emotions, which we shared on social platforms. Additionally, we carried our message outdoors, placing visuals on both sides of the Bosphorus, symbolically connecting the continents.

This unconventional approach set us apart from the typical derby narratives, earning appreciation from both sides of the rivalry and reinforcing PUMA’s role in celebrating the real spirit of Istanbul’s derby.