Arsenal were launching their Away Kit whilst on tour in the USA, and tasked us to celebrate overseas supporters without alienating UK fans. We created a fictional faraway neighbourhood called Little Islington — a mix of North America and North London. The result: record sales.
The project began with in-depth conversations with supporters across the US. We soon realised the importance of the pubs and bars where supporters gathered on match days — invaluable local spots that would open as early at 6am to screen the games, building a critical connection to North London.
As well as creating Little Islington we went deeper into our community's stories, creating a series of films about fans and the places they gather to support Arsenal from afar.
Our hero throughout was activist and community organiser Aston Mack, who had been photographed in 2020 demonstrating for racial equality wearing an Arsenal Away kit. Not only did he become our guide to Little Islington, but the focus of one of our community stories as he spoke about his connection to the club and its values.