#347. Roman Putsch, Chief of Marketing & Digital at UEFA: Champions League Football, Hero Brand Assets, Visibility + Emotional Connection, Data

Roman Putsch is the UEFA‘s Chief of Marketing and Digital, helping shape and grow some of the most iconic brands in world football, including the UEFA Champions League and the Euros. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the game to explore why football commands attention like few other platforms can, what makes the Champions League such a powerful and consistent global brand, and how UEFA is helping partners turn passion and fandom into real commercial impact. From sponsorship and first-party data to retail media, cultural relevance and the power of iconic brand assets, we unpack what FMCG marketers can learn from football.

Together, we speak about:

Roman’s journey from automotive into what many would consider a dream job in football
What makes the UEFA Champions League one of the most powerful brands in sport
Why iconic assets, consistency and emotion matter so much in building a global brand
How football combines attention, passion, visibility and cultural relevance
How sports sponsorship is moving beyond logos and eyeballs into measurable business impact
The role of first-party data, digital activation and retail media in modern sponsorship
How UEFA approaches the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and national team football as distinct brands
What FMCG brands can learn from the way football builds engagement and fandom