Guest Article: What Makes Haix’s Multi-Platform Strategy in Sports Unique
Published on
by SPOBIS GmbH
From firefighter boots to a sought-after brand in professional sports: how a traditional B2B brand reinvents itself through data-driven sports sponsorship and creates societal impact is explained by SPOBIS in a guest article on Beyond The Match.
The traditional company Haix, founded in 1948 in Mainburg, Bavaria, is now one of the leading European manufacturers of functional footwear and workwear for emergency services such as fire departments, police, rescue services, and the military. With over 2,400 employees, sustainable European production, and annual sales of around 250 million euros, Haix has evolved from a specialized B2B outfitter into an international brand that increasingly targets the classic consumer market. A central instrument of this strategic transformation is sports sponsorship.
From duty boots to main sponsor – the entry into professional sports
Haix entered professional sports sponsorship in 2023 by signing a main and jersey partnership with SV Darmstadt. It was also a premiere in the German Bundesliga, as for the first time a workwear brand appeared on the chest of a professional club. The cooperation was extended early in 2024 until June 30, 2026, and expanded to include naming rights for the training facility. The company’s main goal was to strengthen its brand DNA. “Just for the record, we’ve only been here for two years. We are an absolutely young brand in sports. But we were the first in our industry to say, okay, we’re committing so strongly to the club that we’re going on the jersey chest,” emphasizes Manuel Köppl, Head of International Brand at Haix.
We are an absolutely young brand in sports. But we were the first in our industry to say, okay, we’re committing so strongly to the club that we’re going on the jersey chest.
Manuel Köppl, Head of International Brand at Haix
According to SPOBIS estimates, the value of the sponsorship with SV Darmstadt amounts to around two million euros per season.
The partnership in Darmstadt serves as a showcase for the strategic interlinking of sport, product, and purpose. Haix regularly uses its jersey space for social campaigns – such as the “Red Means Talk” initiative for prostate cancer prevention or calls for the federal election, where the company logo is deliberately replaced with political messages. At the same time, special products like the co-branded “Lilien Shoe” are communicated directly to fans via the Haix online shop, creating a measurable link between sponsorship and sales.
Multi-platform strategy creates diversification and reach
Parallel to the Bundesliga, Haix continuously expanded its sports presence in sponsorship. In handball, the company extended its cooperation with THW Kiel until 2027. In addition to visibility on the sleeves of Bundesliga jerseys, the partnership includes advertising space on warm-up shirts, LED boards, floor surfaces, and in youth development.
In basketball, Haix is involved with FC Bayern Basketball as the official workwear partner, with presence on free-throw lines, in TV conferences of the BBL and EuroLeague, as well as additional on-site activations.
Furthermore, the workwear brand positions itself in women’s football as a sleeve partner of the VfL Wolfsburg women’s team – both nationally and internationally. Köppl explains this strategic decision: “We deliberately looked for a partner who carries women’s football in their DNA and authentically conveys the topic.” The engagement also results in high-reach TV campaigns, such as a recent commercial for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 under the slogan “It’s in You.” The video clip openly addresses topics like resilience and mental strength at the intersection of sport and professional life. “Sport is a mirror of everyday work: you fall, get back up, and move on,” adds Köppl to the message of the advertisement.
Efficiency and brand growth: KPIs prove the success
Haix’s multi-platform strategy shows measurable effects on business success: according to internal analyses, the brand was able to double its unaided brand awareness within two years. The Return on Sponsoring Investment (ROSI) increased by 49 percent from 2023 to 2024, and TV contacts rose by 67 percent – even though the company reduced its media budget by 57 percent during the same period.
In the long-term planning and implementation of sponsorships, Haix receives professional support. The workwear brand relies on a partnership with SPORTFIVE for acquiring sponsorship and media rights. For the final activation of the partnerships, Köppl’s team works closely with Rummenigge Sport Marketing and the creative agency Hertz6.
