The English football club, Arsenal FC have announced a partnership extension with Unilever‘s Dirt Is Good brand (known as Persil in the UK, or OMO, Surf Excel, Breeze, Rinso, Ala or Skip elsewhere in the world).
In order to inspire youngsters and have a significant effect that goes beyond football, the club has utilised its common platform to interact with millions of people worldwide via programs that encourage resilience, creativity, and empowerment since they first partnered in 2023. One of these is The Autograph, a short film that tells the tale of a young fan who, after the original autograph on his shirt washed out by accident, sets out to track down Bukayo Saka and have it re-signed.
It’s Part of the Game, a campaign targeting period stigma in sports, came next. According to research, six out of ten females are afraid of leaking through their sportswear when they are on their period. In order to push for a future in which no stain brings shame, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, Katie McCabe, and Kim Little collaborated with Women’s team members to co-create the Dirt Is Good campaign. The campaign went on to win a Bronze Lion for Print and nine Cannes Lions shortlists.
Moreover, Dirt is Good recently brought the spirit of Brazilian várzea (grassroots) football to Emirates Stadium with the inauguration of the OMO Varzenal Cup. Two Arsenal-supporting community teams met in a once-in-a-lifetime final in London following elimination stages in Brazil. Club icons Ian Wright and Gilberto Silva led the squads, and a video about their experience will debut on Kondzilla’s Brazilian YouTube channels in January 2026.
Under the new deal, Dirt Is Good will continue to support Arsenal in the Community programs in north London and collaborate with the men’s and women’s first teams to inspire youth throughout the world.
Tati Lindenberg, Chief Brand Officer of Dirt Is Good and Head of Unilever Fabric Cleaning, said, “This partnership has been such a powerful journey bringing together purpose, creativity, and the unifying spirit of sport. With Arsenal, we’ve told stories from across the Club that truly matter, from celebrating the resilience behind every stain to inspiring young people to embrace who they are, unapologetically. We’re excited for what’s ahead as we continue to champion the beauty of play and the meaningful moments it creates.”
Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer, Arsenal, said, “We’re proud to be extending our partnership with Unilever’s Dirt Is Good brand, a testament to the impact of our work together so far and the values we share. Since 2023, we have challenged stigmas, driven important conversations and inspired young people globally to play sport. We’re delighted we can build on this momentum and continue using our platforms with purpose to drive our club forward.”
Ian Wright, Dirt is Good Ambassador, said, “It’s great to see the partnership extended even further. It’s been such a privilege to be involved in DIG’s biggest campaigns with the club including Varzenal and the inspiring It’s Part of the Game. It’s Part of the Game highlighted the importance of embracing the authentic moments of the sport and I’m looking forward to seeing how this collaboration continues to grow, spark meaningful conversations, and make a positive impact both on and off the pitch.”
In recent times, the club also extended ties with L’Oréal Paris. The new agreement will keep the brand as the team’s official partners. The collaboration will continue promoting the brand’s products, especially Men Expert and Elvive.
Not just this, this month the side also brought in Starling Bank to drive financial literacy and community impact.
