Aston Villa and Xapo Bank, in partnership with Ear to the Ground, have launched a new campaign celebrating belief, resilience and the rewards of thinking long term. For the first time in the club’s history, supporters’ messages will sit physically behind the players all season long – literally getting fans behind the team.
Built on shared values of resilience, ambition and conviction, the partnership between Xapo Bank and Aston Villa celebrates a mutual commitment to building for the future and backing belief over short-term gains. Just as Aston Villa’s resurgence has been driven by patience and purpose, Xapo Bank’s mission is to help people grow and protect their wealth through long-term vision and innovation in Bitcoin and banking.
This campaign brings that shared philosophy to life by turning fans’ belief into something tangible – a powerful symbol of patience, trust and progress. It invites people to think beyond the moment, to believe in what they’re building, and to play their own long game – whether in football, finance or life.
At the heart of the campaign is a standout creative activation from Ear to the Ground, where Aston Villa fans’ personal words of belief have been embroidered into the official dugout headrests at Villa Park. For the first time in the club’s history, supporters’ messages will sit physically behind the players all season long – literally getting fans behind the team.
Alongside the dugout headrests, selected messages will also appear on the giant screen at Villa Park, in matchday programmes, and across Aston Villa and Xapo Bank’s digital and social channels throughout the 2025/26 season. The reveal of the fan beliefs that have been embroidered into the headrests took place during Aston Villa’s Premier League match against Arsenal on 6th December.
The reveal will run alongside the campaign’s centrepiece – a short-form hero content film featuring club captain John McGinn unveiling the latest headrest quotes to selected Aston Villa fans. Captured as a powerful, emotional reveal, the film celebrates the partnership between Xapo Bank and Aston Villa – and the fans whose words now inspire the team every matchday.
The reveal was released across Xapo Bank’s social channels, in collaboration with Aston Villa FC’s owned media, reaching global audiences across football, culture, and finance – a celebration of conviction, patience, and belief shared by fans and investors alike.
“At Xapo Bank, we believe lasting value is built on conviction, patience and trust – principles that mirror Aston Villa’s incredible recent resurgence. Working with Ear to the Ground, we’ve brought that shared philosophy to life through this campaign, turning fan passion into something real and enduring. It’s a celebration of what connects us all – belief in the long term,” said Hae-Seon Song, VP of Marketing at Xapo Bank.
Created by Ear to the Ground, the global creative agency specialising in sport, gaming and entertainment, this campaign was developed using the agency’s proprietary Fan Intelligence® model – a global network of over 12,000 culturally connected fans whose insights help brands emotionally connect, build cultural relevance, and turn fans into consumers.
“This campaign brings Xapo Bank’s long-term philosophy to life in a way only football can – through belief, loyalty and emotion,” said Richard Adelsberg, CEO of Ear to the Ground.
“Using our Fan to Consumer™ methodology, we uncovered what belief truly means to Aston Villa supporters and turned that insight into something tangible. By placing fans’ words physically behind the team, we’ve shown that the same belief that wins on the pitch can also build value off it.”
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