Ready to design experiences for impact?
Reach outThis article was originally published in Sponsorship News Australia.
Polestar has begun activating its partnership with the Melbourne Football Club AFLW team with match-day experience blending brand engagement with fan entertainment. The sponsorship was announced in July and marked the Swedish electric vehicle maker’s first sports deal.
As the tenth AFLW season got underway, Polestar began showcasing its technology and brand values through immersive live experiences created by specialist agency, Designteam.
The centrepiece of the promotion is the Polestar Hub which is a custom-built fan environment located at the Demon’s AFLW home games at Casey Fields. It hosts music, social connection and product interaction to create what Polestar calls “a shift from attendance to immersion.” Fans can move between a silent disco with multiple music channels, live match audio, a vehicle showcase. The latter uses digital screens to highlight design features and sustainability stories behind the brand’s electric performance cars.
Polestar Australia head of PR & communications, Laurissa Mirabelli, said the brand wanted to take a purpose-led approach that went beyond static branding. “The two brands were aligned on this transition, and it made perfect sense for us to combine on this journey together". “Polestar is all about challenging the status quo. That’s where we look to the AFLW and identify the Melbourne Football Club as being another pioneer,” she added.
Designteam head of experience design, strategy & brand, Adam Mortimer said the program was built to connect emotionally with fans while delivering measurable outcomes. “We wanted to create a shift from attendance to immersion – belonging and the power of bringing people together". “Our teams have worked to enhance the fan experience while profiling remarkable Polestar product – furthering the success of the … brand in Australia.”
The Polestar Hub will generate data on test-drive enquiries and track brand sentiment. Mortimer reported early activations exceeding expectations in both engagement and lead generation. “During the design phase we asked ourselves ‘what do we want fans to feel when they see Polestar and how can we connect more deeply with audiences?’. That guided everything from the lighting design to the sound and flow of the space.”
The collaboration includes a digital content element, with short videos and social media highlights extending the activation experience beyond the venue. Polestar cars take a central role within the installation, presented alongside creative and sustainable design elements that mirror the AFLW’s focus on progress and equality. Polestar explains the partnership as a step in embedding the brand in Australian sport. “Women’s sport is the right fit for our brand, as we share the same transition,” the sponsor’s Mirabelli said. “This is about more than brand exposure – it’s about advancing a shared journey".
Designteam believes the project is a blueprint for modern sponsorship, using a framework based on “people, product and place” to ensure consistency between brand values and the live environment. Each detail, from signage to staff uniforms, was designed to reflect Polestar’s Scandinavian design philosophy while resonating with fans. The activation will run throughout the AFLW season at Melbourne home matches.
The brand says it will then evaluate how the model can be adapted for future sports or entertainment partnerships.
