Fassbender, Brody and Keira Knightley are just the latest stars invited to cheer for Paz and Cutrone. And the Sinigaglia grandstand is transformed into a red carpet: behind the Hartonos’ commercial strategy
Question of strategies. And foresight. There is something that makes this new adventure of Como in Serie A even more particular: a sequence of international guests of the highest level which until now, with this continuity, had never been seen on Italian pitches. Let’s start from the end: yesterday three Hollywood superstars arrived to witness the victory of Fabregas’ boys over Roma, including an Oscar winner. In the stands – a sector that now arouses almost as much curiosity as the pitch – Como fielded a “champion” like Keira Knightley, two Oscar nominations and four Golden Globe nominations, consecrated by the role of Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean saga alongside Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, but already known to the general public for one role in particular: that of Jules, a young and promising footballer, in Dreaming of Beckham.
In short, Keira knows about it and certainly when Gabrielloni’s goal in the 93rd minute she let herself be overwhelmed by enthusiasm, as the images demonstrate. With her two other big names: Michael Fassbender, the Magneto of the for The Pianist and also favorite for 2025 for his performance in The Brutalist.
Catwalk
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But the trio of wonders who arrived yesterday to applaud Cutrone and Paz are part of a long series of VIPs who have supported Como this season at the Sinigaglia. For the match against Verona, in the luxurious hospitality of the stadium, Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor, to quote her best-known film) stood out; in the match against Parma, the fans warmed up thanks to the arrival of Hugh Grant and of the former Spiderman Andrew Garfield and for the mach against Fiorentina another wave of well-known faces such as Doctor Strange Benedict Cumberbatch and Captain Kirk of the latest Star Trek Chris Pine.
The plan
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A question of strategy, they said. There is no point in hiding the fact that none of them – no matter how passionate they are about football – are truly Como fans. So why so many stars in the stadium? The idea comes from the very rich Indonesian ownership of the Hartonos who want to make the most of the international fame of Lake Como for the benefit of the club. Yes, the lake. What makes this stadium so special that it is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in the world. George Clooney, with the purchase of his super villa, has undoubtedly contributed to giving prestige to Como in the world and there have been many stars of the show who have wanted to verify firsthand the beauty of the place. This is why it is difficult to resist the invitation of the Lombard club when it offers an all-inclusive weekend of luxury, food, territory and finally the match. In fact, Como has launched a new marketing model, as Mirwan Suwarso, responsible for the marketing, merchandising and ticketing areas but above all the eye and ears of the Indonesians on the Italian football front, explained to the Gazzetta: “We try to give more and more to our fans , something that goes beyond football and that entertains everyone, adults and children, super fans and simple enthusiasts.”
Disney style
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The management – with its entrepreneurial approach – is perfectly aware of the opportunities it has and exploits them. Thinking definitely big. Once someone asked him who his favorite player was, Suwarso replied without hesitation: “Lake Como. It will never abandon you, it’s always there. And you can build a business around it.” But he went even further: “Our project has Disney as its reference, where the team is our Mickey Mouse: theme parks, films, studios, media and merchandising. Everything connected. Como was a small project linked to the city, today it’s an industry. We started with 850 thousand euros, we think we’ll reach a value of one billion between sports, media, structures, merchandising and tourism. We’ve invested in fashion, they sell suitcases with the Como brand at Harrods.” Clear isn’t it? And so, alongside the stars of the big screen, the concerts arrived, such as that of Guè before Verona or that of Representative di Lista before Monza. The important thing is to have fun, involve, go further. With foresight. And if a goal arrives in the 93rd minute, all the better.
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