Airwallex, Arsenal Place Thierry Henry in Spike Lee Spot

Global payments platform Airwallex launches a new campaign with Arsenal FC and a short film directed by Spike Lee.

Created with Uncommon Creative Studio, it uses football culture to introduce its "Build the Future" platform, connecting B2B finance to everyday fan behavior.

Set in a North London pub, "Who Are Ya?" shows Arsenal supporters debating financial topics instead of match play-by-plays.

"Football isn’t just 90 minutes on the pitch — it’s the talk about money, business, and tactics that happen at the pub every week," Airwallex Global CD Matt Jennings said in a press release.

"We hope our film brings those conversations to life in an entertaining way, and ensures no Arsenal fan will ever have to ask, ‘Air-who?'"

The campaign launched on Sky channels on April 26, and will roll out in phases tied to the end of the season, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the next Premier League kickoff.

Pub Debate Turns to Finance

The film opens in a crowded matchday pub. Fans argue loudly, but the topic isn't the game.

Inside this space, Lee stages a different kind of debate, moving the conversation to transfer fees, payment flows, and financial systems behind the sport.

The Academy Award-winning director appears alongside a cast that's a mix of football credibility and entertainment appeal:

• Arsenal legends Thierry Henry, Martin Keown, and Rachel Yankey
• Actors Jasmine Jobson, Aaron Pierre, and Nick Moran
• Current Gunners Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, and Viktor Gyökeres

Humor carries the narrative, and fans argue with intensity, using financial jargon with the same conviction usually reserved for match analysis.

Lee’s signature style, including his "double dolly" shot, adds a cinematic layer without disrupting the setting.

The creative decision is rooted in behavior, as football audiences already engage with the economics of the game.

Brand storytelling allows Airwallex to introduce its offering without relying on product-heavy messaging.

The brand becomes part of an existing dialogue that seems to commonly happen in pubs.

"Bringing Airwallex into that conversation felt natural, because the film plays on how fans now talk about the business side of football just as much as what happens on the pitch," Lee shared.

This strategy strengthens brand awareness by embedding the message into a space where attention already exists.

The Business Side of the Sport

The campaign builds on the AI-native fintech company’s partnership with Arsenal FC and its "Build the Future" platform, using football to highlight the business side of the sport.

Transfer negotiations involve currency shifts, sponsorship deals span global markets, and club operations depend on cross-border payments.

These elements mirror the same challenges businesses face, positioning this overlap as an entry point with recognizable faces.

Airwallex connects financial infrastructure to scenarios that football fans already understand.

• Brands can build on existing audience behavior to introduce complex ideas without extra explanation.
• Partnerships rooted in cultural context make technical categories easier to follow.
• Staggered media keeps the campaign visible across multiple points in the football calendar.

This keeps the brand message in play as fan attention rises and falls throughout the season.

Our Take: Can Football Make B2B Finance More Accessible?

We think it can because it embeds its message within a context that audiences are familiar with.

Airwallex acknowledges that most supporters may not recognize the brand yet, so it uses popular names and entertainment value to spread awareness.

It avoids the common pitfall of B2B marketing, which is over-explaining.

The risk, however, lies in balance. While the film makes finance more approachable, it still needs to translate awareness into tangible business outcomes.

Still, this is a strong example of how B2B brands can use cultural fluency to reposition themselves as enablers of global ambition.

It shows how brands continue to use sport as a platform for business storytelling, with partnerships moving into narrative-driven campaigns.

Similarly, Pepsi’s Football Nation put the fans in charge in its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Explore these top branding agencies in our directory that specialize in nuanced brand storytelling for B2B companies.