With all the money flowing through Manchester City, it would be easy for the club to start suffering from the same negative image which hit Chelsea when Roman’s Russian army rolled down the King’s Road.
When you can buy anything (except, it seems, regular success at the very top level), a club risks destroying its real fans’ desire for the level playing field of true sport.
Real fans detest everything which comes with being a noveau riche moneybags, as Manchester United found when legions of diehards set up the remarkable grassroots phenomenon FC United. Real fans don’t want to feel taken over, ‘acquired’, annexed as part of a business empire.
This week City they showed a sure-footed approach to the launch of their new kit which demonstrates their marketing chiefs have the same firm hand on the tiller as the media relations side, where communications boss Simon Pearson has played a deft hand since he was introduced as part of the 
Abu Dhabi revolution - the secrecy around the Gareth Barry signing, for example, gave the news a huge surprise factor and real media impact.
The tabloid hounds in full cry are easily roused to feverish headlines, and it is a testament to City’s PR skills - and the owners’ clear commitment to sensible, medium-term objectives for the club - that the pack has been restrained in a season in which 10th place is an underachivement of fans’ expectations.
Yes, there have been calls for Mark Hughes to go, but the day sports editors stop running ‘boss to be sacked’ stories will be the day soccer stars trade their Bentleys in for Smart cars.
There has not been a ‘Hughes out’ tidal wave, the kind of media-public feedback loop which saw Bobby Robson ousted from Newcastle without a suitable replacement to hand…and look where they are now.
In keeping with the club’s smart approach on reputational matters, the very first audience for the new kit were a dozen fanzine editors and fan representatives.
Peer-to-peer endorsement is the best form of marketing. City and their new partners Umbro gave a presentation on Tuesday to these crucial influencers. By now they’ll be emailing and online networking their impressions of the shirt, which promises to boast the perfect City blue.
There’s more. Last night, I was an invitee to another event - 25 City infuential fans in the music, media, fashion and design were invited to the Umbro base in the Northern Quarter to see, feel and take pride in the shirt.
And a media launch today saw hot new band Kid British play some storming tunes in front of media and partners at a Manchester bar.
The nexus between City and the city’s cool scene has been well documented. The Gardeners’ Arms in Moss Side before a Maine Road game used to look like the Hacienda bar, with New Order manager Rob Gretton holding court.
Last night, Hacienda DJ and M People main man Mike Pickering was there, as was Badly Drawn Boy Damon Gough, and Noel Gallagher - I wouldn’t be surprised if he sported the kit onstage at Heaton Park this weekend, even though its official launch is July.
Not every club can benefit from that kind of product placement. But every club could learn a lesson from the way City identifies its key influencers and engages with them.
Perhaps other clubs should do to City as United did against Barcelona - simply stand back and applaud.
Tags: Manchester City, Manchester PR agency, Marketing, public relations
I wonder how much many kits will be sold at Heaton Park over the weekend? Even though they don’t go on sale until July!
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Indeed. Are you by any chance referring to a market often described as ‘unregulated’ or ‘black’, also known in North Manchester as ’snide.’?
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Indeed. Are you by any chance referring to a market often described as ‘unregulated’ or ‘black’, also known in North Manchester as ’snide.’?
Reply
Read your blog. got excited.
Visited the city website
No picture of the kit -
2nd kit and 3rd kit to follow
£40 each shirt? I’m guessing
Brand new PR same old jaded marketing confidence trick. Slightly new tailoring.
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Kit pix being held back until July. You’re welcome to your opinions. Personally, I don’t wear anything with a logo on it, but I understand why so many people do. Anyone wanting me to wear their logo will have to pay for it….
Reply
Totally agree. Its amazing how football clubs neglect their image and assume that their fans will jus always be there to consume merchandise etc.
City’s approach is bang on. I support Everton and although the ‘People’s Club’ thing was accidental, they do a good job now of living that brand.
The amount that Chelsea, City, United spend on players weekly wage they could make a massive difference at community level, securing future fans and ensuring the media/govt stay off their backs in future.
Players could also boost their personal PR strategies leading to more hero worship/more commecial income….
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I agree. I believe the potential for positive personal brand building among players is massive.
They have so much money and so little imagination, mainly because they are advised by sports agents, many of who have no idea of public perception, and care even less. City are one of the clubs, like Everton, who force their players to really get stuck into the communities they ‘represent.’ When you consider the spare time the players have, the available cash and their power as role models, it’s gob-smacking what wasted potential there is. Happy to admit that only Rio has come closest to exploiting his brand for some good as well as for pure bucks. Record label, magazine, anti-knife crime stuff. Respect, Rio. You may be mixed up, but at least there is some good in the mix, rather than nowt at all.
Reply
It’s an absolute disgrace I wasn’t invited. I’d write to my MP but I think he’s resigned.
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I wondered where you were…writing letters to your MP in green ink?
Reply
Me too Bill, I wasn’t invited either. But the days of me going to envelope-opening events are long behind me.
But on a serious point…
It does indeed make a change to see City being in control of their own PR. News of Gareth Barry signing for City did indeed come out of the, er, blue.
But the game at the top level is passing certain people by, and I’m one of them. Market forces is one thing, but if City want to pay Gareth Barry 100 large a week that’s up to them, but I surely can’t be the only fan who thinks it’s obscene. It’ll take most City fans three or four years to take home that amount of loot.
He wants a new challenge? As Jim Royle would say, well, fill the rest in yourself.
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Thanks for your comments Mike. There are plenty of obscene things in this world, but footballers’ salaries are lower on the scale than many others.
Reply
PS: In my experience of interviewing footballers, most of them perform community work and other such tasks with some reluctance.
Reply
PR is your game not mine ( thats the disclaimer sorted),and no doubt your assessment of the club’s PR savvy is right,but its going to be some trick to pull off local influencer endorsement verses world wide brand acceptance which is surely what the owners are after. I really hope they get it right, and that the essential quirkiness that is City isn’t lost in the mix, because that what’s kept us all there for the last 20 years. Do you really think we can avoid being the media’s chosen successors to Chelski i.e. our cash is ruining football? I’m not so sure. Oh and one more thing - can the City PR machine haul Dunney off to the hall of fame and get us a new centre half. He’s sadly past his sell by.
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 7th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Your point is well made but hopefully backs up my main one, which is that the clubs’ expertise to make City a worldwide brand, with the likes if Gary Cook on board, is almost a given. But if they do that and don’t take local opinion with them, that’s when you get the kind of disaffection which causes a backyard revolt a la FC United. As United have enjoyed sustained success over many years they have ridden that little local difficulty, but I don’t think City could - and it’s heartening to see that, despite their Middle East base, the owners are hugely sensitive to the relationships on the ground; the minute they lose that perspective, they risk corroding the foundations of the entire project. But they have shown no sign of that.
Reply
After watching City for well over 60 years, I haven’t had a lot to be smug about.The lows certainly surpass the highs.
I watched City’s “Boys from Brazil” last night as they won 4-0. Then I realised that we have quite a number of Internationals in our squad.
City have never been a regular top team but I am certain they are going to be that now. I even expect us to win every week, instead of waiting for the football results with forboding. We shall “come of age” this next season and stay in the top 6 for years to come. It’s our time.
Reply
If there’s one business that needs some decent PR, it’s professional football. City can invite all the fanzine editors they want to the launch of a new kit, but until it bears a sponsors logo saying UNICEF a la Barcelona(or, in the case of Aston Villa, Acorn Hospitals), it will always be regarded as just another greedy, cash-obsessed, ego-riddled football club.
PS Loved your last line.
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Well, glad you agreed with that at least.
Reply
Having seen you interviewed on TV ref the Ronaldo transfer, I am now confused Andy - are you a key opinion former for the mighty Blues or our in-debt friends at Old Trafford??!! I hate to tell you but anyone watching will now assume you are a Red!! Good PR?? Probably!!
Also intersting just how long City have been pursuing this strategy, having got the Oasis boys to pose in City kit for the programme and magazine back in 1995 when I was Commercial Manager at City. I think the strategy has made us a “cool” Club, something which does take some time to engender, but sadly my contribution to the cause did not result in any on the pitch success as we were completely skint in those days!!
See you at the cricket Club for Take That if you want to see a decent band!!
Geoff
Reply
Andrew Spinoza Reply:
June 16th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I think you did a great job in those days with, as you say, little dosh. How times have changed.
I’m not sure why there should be any confusion! I was asked to comment on the effect of the Ronaldo transfer on Brand United in my capacity as a marketing expert, and not as a footy fan. I was soundbitten down to one line, but that’s showbusiness. I handled the PR for Fergie’s testimonial, and neither he nor I let my football allegiance get in the way of what was basically a job.
I’ve been offered guest list for The Charlatans on Saturday night at Haydock Park which is a weird one - rock music and horse riding, anybody?
Reply