Atletico De Kolkata or rather ISL has been one huge step in Indian Football. While deciding the way forward for ADK, we went and met some of the prominent football fans of Kolkata Maidan. To us, a club is what the fans make it. Case in hand, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Bengaluru FC, EastBengal or MohunBagan. Presenting our take on what the proposed route should have been regarding Atletico De Kolkata's road ahead. ISL and beyond.

1. Presents
A Tale of Two Cities

2. From the diary of a
Mohunbagan fan
I-League ‘12-13

3. “December, 2012.
A rival player stands and claps as Mohun Bagan captain gets red carded.
Sometime later, an injured player lies bleeding on the ground, the red blood

4. “April 2013:
A tough day at the office for MB. All their points docked, they were fighting
relegation and the blazing sun at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium.”

5. “Fans were supporting the team through the skin of their teeth.
One of the banners at the ground read:
ATTENTION AIFF! Come out of your AC rooms and see the reality.”

6. “At half-time, an elderly spectator falls ill. He
recuperates and expresses the above mentioned.”

7. “Being a Mohun Bagan fan is not all about being logical. It's also
about revelling in more than a century's legends and folklore. It's
also about supporting the club at any cost, especially during times
of crisis.”

8. “As the 2012-13 I-League turned into one of the most challenging
campaigns in the club's history, supporters stepped up to the
plate.
They travelled, singing and chanting all the time, cheering every win
and lamenting every defeat.”

9. “Eventually, one afternoon, Mohun Bagan escaped relegation by beating Air
India. When the last minute goal from Denson Devdas's sensational
header clinched the victory, the Kalyani stadium exploded in a roar of
vindication. Fireworks were set off, sweets were distributed.”

10. That elderly gentleman was present that day too!

11. This story inspired us so much that we decided to go down
to the gallery and meet more such fans!

12. Diya Dutta, F, 26
Sandipan Biswas, M, 67
Kailash Nandy, M, 46
Prithwish Sarkar, M, 25
Mahadyuti Adhikary, M, 33
We have known them for long.
They are as old as the game itself.

13. “Football’s a bit odd; but fun!”
“Those were the days!”
“I know the history. That makes me come to the ground.”
“Office? On a derby day? Come on!”
“Aaj illish..East Bengal jiteche!”
We sat with them one fine morning,

14. “Am so excited!”
“I still don’t know how it will be”
“Am curious.”
“Wooooooo”
“IPL meets football. Am game!”
and told them about ISL!

15. “Thumbs up for Bangla football.”
“Anything for Bengal”
“Anything for Bangla football”
“Bangla football? Am all up for it.”
“Hope it lives up to the expectation.”
And this is what they had to tell regarding its prospect!

16. We asked them why are they such super fans?

17. “It’s in our DNA!”

18. We wondered how!

19. And then we noticed him!
That policeman joining the celebration while on duty!

20. some equal fanatic fans nestled in Madrid!
8000 odd miles away,

21. A déjà-vu feeling crept in,

22. and we noticed him!
That ground-staff behind the net celebrating while on duty!

23. Passion.
Energy.
Spirit.
Unity.
Love.
Fanaticism.
We, the Fans. These are what we are made of.

24. Madrid
Kolkata
Football
Bottomline – When it comes to Kolkata and Madrid, football
is just the tip of the iceberg! The root grows deeper…

25. Two cities connected through art
Two cities connected through architecture
Two cities connected through its people
And definitely, two cities connected through sports

26. Madrid hosts two of the biggest names of World Football today –
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Kolkata hosts two of the fiercest rivals in Indian Football –
MohunBagan and EastBengal.
The connection is deeper though..

27. It is a roar of joy, of pride, of relief. Of validation.

28. Fans. They make a club THE club.
Bottomline

29. 1. Supporters are the nucleus of the club.
2. It is of extreme importance to convey a sense of ownership to each and
every fan.
3. Fans are equally important to a club compared to the squad; perhaps
more!
The 3 commandments that we derived from the entire
DNA mapping experience

30. 1. Supporters are the nucleus of the club.
2. It is of extreme importance to convey a sense of ownership to each and
every fan.
3. Fans are equally important to a club compared to the squad; perhaps
more!
The 3 commandments that we derived from the entire
DNA mapping experience

31. Fans are an extremely essential cog in the wheels of the
club. It is very important that fans should connect with
the brand and its philosophy.
The vice-versa holds true too; a club should resonate its
supporters too.
Proposed Brand Archaeology

32. Brand Ambition
Kolkata has always been gung-ho about football. With the advent of IPL,
the POV towards glamour-meets-sports agenda has changed
drastically.

33. Brand Challenge
How will we convert the non-followers of Indian Football? The people
falling in the red zone?
Also, how will we curb the negative image around ISL?
Kolkata
Football
Non-
followers

34. Brand Print
“I don’t follow stars, I follow the game!”
“This round leathery thing in my hand! This is my globe”
“Football is what defines me, fulfills me.”

35. Desired Brand Philosophy
Ami vs Tumi .. Shobuj Maroon vs. Holud Shobuj .. Ghoti vs Bangal .. These
finger-pointing stuffs will go irrelevant with Athletico Kolkata’s journey.
This is one marquee club from Kolkata and people should remove their
mental and physical barriers and support it wholeheartedly.

36. Desired Brand Positioning
United We Play!

37. Imagery Mapping
Aggression
Struggle
Neo-Bengalism

38. Strength
Kolkata being Football’s Mecca!

39. Weakness
Exposure to international football

40. Opportunity
The young talent base of India has got a huge opportunity to learn from
the masters of the game.
The revival strategy, if works fine, can provide a much-needed impetus to
the sleeping giant that India is in terms of football.

41. Threat
The international players are the ones whose age and current status is a
concern.
The air of skepticism hanging around India’s FIFA ranking which is
currently below even war-torn Syria and Afghanisthan.

42. Play-time!

43. Pre-emptive strategy
Kolkata has always been a Football Mecca to the country. This time,
Kolkata has strong alliances in place which has already given the
team a position of strength.
We can always go for the kill now!

44. We foresee
Fans who are into world football, fans who deny Indian football, fans who
bunk their jobs on a derby match day, shall start matching shoulders and
root for Athletico Kolkata!