Chevrolet unites LFC and MUFC in footie campaign... #FAIL

Words: Ronan Shields

In a sign that the world has GONE MAD and that ‘the people’s game’ is now the possession of corporate interests, Chevrolet has released a YouTube video showing Manchester United & Liverpool players as one.

The US car manufacturer – which has commercial relationships with both clubs – has just released a video showing four players from each team as one entity reading a monologue to camera, see below.

Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Robin van Persie and Paul Scholes appear in the ad for MUFC, while Liverpool's representatives are Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen, Glen Johnson and Jonjo Shelvey.

The video has been dubbed ‘The Manifesto – Chevrolet FC’ and the accompanying social media campaign runs with the tag line ‘What Are You #DrivenBy?’

“Manchester United and Liverpool FC are unified by a mutual respect and driven by success…,” reads the blurb on the official ChevroletFC YouTube page. 

However, social media channels are already are awash with mixed responses with many fans claiming that the ad is simply a demonstration that the US brand does not get English football and that naïve minds are responsible for the campaign.

All three of the parties and associated players are of course paying lip service to the campaign. However, at TDF here we find it difficult to imagine MUFC stalwarts such as Ferdinand, Giggs and Scholes entered into the collaboration with their fiercest of foes wholeheartedly.

A LFC fan's interpretation of MUFC's home kit

After all, the Twitter spat between the two teams' sets of supporters over their most recent kit launches still remains the most popular post ever to have appeared on this blog! Remember the below?

MUFC fan's reaction to the Suarez race row incident

Anyway, the video has surfaced as the two teams prepare to square off at MUFC’s Old Trafford next Sunday (January 13) where I’m sure we’ll see a full house of supporters who’ll give us a reminder that there’s no love lost between the two.  

Chevrolet, what were you thinking?! 

If you have read this far then please feel free to leave your opinion on the matter, even if you disagree with TDF's #FAIL judgement or not... 

Van Der Sar makes Marketing Move.

Ajax’s newest signing sees the return of Dutch goalkeeping legend Edwin van Der Sar as the club side’s marketing director (no seriously).

A report in UK business title Marketing Week, reports that the ex-Holland no.1 will head up the Amsterdam side’s marketing activity meaning he will now concern himself with organising Ajax’s Facebook wall as opposed to one defending a free kick.

Van der Sar’s publicly commented on his new appointment with his below post on his official Twitter profile merely remarking on his joy returning to Ajax.





This was after a glittering playing career that also saw him between the sticks at Juventus and Manchester United that saw him collect two Champion’s League Winners medals among others.

In light of the laboured Facebook/defensive wall pun made above – sorry we just wanted to get a digital angle on it – we’ve included the below video of some highlights of Van der Sar’s playing career, where indeed his prowess for organising walls is in evidence. 

Inter Milan’s Sneijder joins Twitter’s footballer blacklist

Inter Milan has banned Wesley Sneijder from using Twitter making him the latest in a long line of footballers to fall foul of authorities over their use of the social networking site.

The revelation was made last week via a post on the Holland-born midfielder’s wife’s official Twitter page where she said: “My husband @ sneijder101010 can not write more about Twitter, the choices of society…”

The actual post, in Italian, can be seen below, and the above translation is one using Google translate but it appears the sidelined Dutchman has been asked to remain silent on his feelings at the club.  

 

Although neither Twitter nor Inter have officially responded to the reports, since his wife’s original post on the social network earlier this month, the only post on Sneijder’s official profile has been the below post cheering on his native Holland against longtime foes Germany.
 

 

So it would appear that Sneijder, who has never caused much controversy on the social network, especially when compared to his English Premiership counterparts such as Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney to mention a few, now finds himself served with a gagging order from his employers. 
 
In fact the conduct of professional players in the English leagues prompted the FA to issue guidelines on what they can and cannot post on such public forums, with on-field sanctions threatened should they fall out of perceived public decency. One report on the matter attributed this quote to an English FA spokesman:

“If players do not adhere to the rules they could face a range of sanctions including monetary fines, warnings and suspensions. This goes for all our rules.”






Total Digital Football will be looking Mr Sneijder's situation with some interest in January. Especially after being linked so heavily with Manchester United in the summer. The midfielder has only appeared three times this season for Inter in Serie A with the Nerazzurri currently in second place, just four points behind rivals Juventus.
 

Nike & England- A match in Marketing Heaven?

This week has seen the announcement of the FA signing up with Nike as official kit supplier of England. The deal, which runs to 2018, will also cover the 150th anniversary of the association. Initially excitement was high for the launch, with many fans taking to Twitter to make up their own interpretations of the kit .

The kit realise, which will certainly raise a huge profit for the FA and further raise the English brand across the world, particularly in North America, where Nike is certainly considered the biggest consumer sports brand. Last February the Oragon based brand delivered sales of over $560 million, which was a 7.1% raise on figures from the previous year.

It’s safe to say the arrangement is also set to benefit the FA, as Nike has also signed up as a supporter of England’s brand new St Georges National football centre. Providing equipment for the countries youth teams. Charlie Denson, Nike brand said on the deal: “We look forward to supporting England teams at every level with innovative product technology and playing our part to help develop the future of English football through our support of St George’s Park.”

Despite on the goodwill of Nike and all concerns there also seems to be a real risk of damage to “Brand England” with this impending kit change. Despite being an active part of the Nike brand since 2008, Umbro has always seen to be the “traditional” element of the team. The Manchester based brand has always supported the national team (aside from 8 years when Admiral took control from 1974-82) even creating the mythical 66 winning shirts.

The simple diamond shape celebrates the reasons that England is seen as throughout the football world, that of passion, pride and even strength. After all The Three Lions are still seen, somewhat bizarrely as guardians of the beautiful game, with the roots firmly placed in England.

Realistically Nike has been moving away from the Umbro brand for a number of years. Manchester City are set to be kitted out in Nike by 2013, having announced the switch in the summer (link to site). Deciding to consolidate and focus on the Nike brand, in recent years they have signed up the likes of Everton, France & Werder Bremen whilst also maintaining long term alliances with Barcelona, Arsenal, Brazil & Holland.

One case in point could be indeed the French football team, who were associated with Adidas for over 40 years. The German based brand had supplied the teams kits over the  time in which the nation won a major trophies in 1984, 1988 & 2000. Although not a homegrown brand such Le Coq Sportif, Adidas had a long-term association with the country, so when the reported €42million a year deal was signed many fans of Les Blues where apprehensive of the deal. The jury is still out on the deal, with the French side set to kick of their bid to reach Brazil 2014 tonight away against Finland.

Branding wise I think we should expect strong themes of pride, passion, and energy along with nods to England past. You only have to look at previous material on Nike star Wayne Rooney, and the imagery of revolution for the French kit release to see these devices being used.

The deal will also have implications for a host of the squad’s current stars, which are sponsored by Nike. Expect Arsenal stars Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Jack Wiltshire should bar catastrophic dip in form be a part of the marketing drive for the product.

England are set to kick off against Moldova tonight, uniquely in a position in which they will start and end a qualifications campaign with two different kit suppliers. The deal is set to benefit the English set up from grass roots, right to the elite squads. Perhaps Nike could be the brand that could end nearly 50 years of hurt for the three lions.

O2 & Nike link up in Priority Moments to appeal to Football Fans.

Whether you like dining out or bowling, O2’s Priority Moments gives O2 customers access to offers on all kinds of high street and musical goods and services. Now Nike have joined forces with O2 to create a ‘digital sports club’ - Priority Sports.

When the app is launched in late August, this new O2 Priority intends to bring O2 customers not only the usual deals on products, but also on ‘experiences,’ many of them driven by Nike.

One of the experiences beneficiaries of Priority Sports will be able to enjoy is free access to the Nike+ Running app. This allows users to track, measure, compare and share their runs.

If the above is classed as a ‘digital’ experience, then Nike will also provide purely physical experiences as well: O2 customers will have access to Nike events, weekly Nike+ Running Clubs and Training Clubs, a virtual training program, and a thousand tickets will be available for the Nike+ Fuelfest at Battersea Power Station - ‘a unique experience combining sport, innovation, music and culture.’

Exclusive deals will also be available relating to Nike products and athletes it sponsors, such as Wayne Rooney and Mark Cavendish.

With Smartphones becoming increasingly important in people’s lives, new research released today from YouGov seems to show that this is inspiring people to be more active: Over half (53.15%) of the two-thousand participants (UK adults) said they used apps as part of their fitness regimes and 79% said that apps increased their motivation.

Paula Radcliffe, with whom the new app will give users an opportunity to train with, says, ‘Technology plays a huge part in enabling my training and helps me drive forward. It can inspire and motivate, and the phone is increasingly at the centre of my life as I train and stay in touch.’

The YouGov survey also shows that sport is a daily obsession for many, with 11.5% checking their phone more than five times a day, and over half (56.39%) checking once a day. Most tellingly, one in five (22.10%) say that sport is their biggest passion.

O2 have 23million customers in the UK, and with Nike sponsoring both Arsenal and Manchester United, fans of these clubs who are O2 customers will hope for football related benefits. O2 have also sponsored Arsenal since 2002, and the club is said to be involved with the scheme.

Although details regarding football specific deals are yet to be revealed, there is a strong likelihood that the UK’s passion for football will be fed.

Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2 in the UK, said, ‘We want to bring our customers closer to their passions , and deliver amazing digital experiences via their mobiles.’

Wayne Rooney social portal launches as England return looms

Source: Official Wayne Rooney

Words: Ronan Shields

Just as Wayne Rooney prepares to re-enter the England-fold against Ukraine this evening, he has launched an official website to aggregate his social media feeds.

The site, imaginatively named Official Wayne Rooney, combines the star’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube feeds so users can trace the posts on each forum in a chronological order.  

For instance, yesterday the England and Manchester United star used the website to comment on his widely expected return to the England starting line-up as his national side prepare to line-up against Ukraine in the side's final group game of the UEFA championship, see below.

The site also contains a timeline featuring highlights of the player’s career such as his first team debuts, even those dating back to his youth whenever he was a mascot for his boyhood club Everton aged ten.

The site was created by digital agency Lightmaker, which was also behind a number of Manchester United sites, and in a Q&A attributed to Rooney, the striker said it was meant to bring him closer to fans, see below.

"I want it to be the place where my fans and partners can see what’s really happening in my world. There will be some big things happening on the site to mark the 10^th anniversary of my Premier League debut on 17 August and lots more to come after that…"

– Wayne Rooney 

In the interview, Rooney goes on to say the website, which has been optimised to be used on desktop and mobile devices, will be a place where fans can see what’s really going on in his world.


However, in a world where footballers have become brands in themselves, the more cynical elements within the Total Digital Football’s team can’t help but wonder if this is another exercise in PR control.

Source: Wayne Rooney's Twitter feed

After all having a central hub for all Rooney’s user-generated content gives the player’s PR team a perfect opportunity to vet said content before it becomes publicly available. Although, we can never be certain. 

Let’s face it in the days when the press have limited access to top-flight footballers a single tweet from a high profile player, such as Rooney, Rio Ferdinand or the ever-provocative Joey Barton, can be enough to generate acres of media coverage.

Total Digital Football has documented this phenomena before with Joey Barton's end-of-season Twitter rant still ranking as one of the most popular posts ever to have been published on this blog. 

Given the fact that Rooney is prone to the occasional outburst of temper, this seems like a sensible move from the player’s own brand management team, remember the below verbal attack on a certain section of England supporters post England's 2010 FIFA World Cup 2010 game against Algeria?

Wayne Rooney's verbal attack on fans

Source: YouTube

Manchester United crowned Champions, well off the pitch at least.

Words; Ronan Shields

Source: Manchester United, Nike

Manchester United may have just ended a rare pot-less season but can console itself by claiming the accolade of being the world’s most valuable football brand.

This year’s BrandFinance’s Football 50 list valued the Old Trafford team at $853m making it the most valuable football brand on the planet over the course of this last season.

BrandFinance cited a “solid performances on the pitch and great numbers on the income statement” as reasons for placing it at the summit of the list despite its comparatively poor on pitch pursuits, by its own high standards that is.

“Income from TV rights, gate receipts and merchandise all remain strong, providing broad revenue base that spreads risk better than most clubs.

“Man United has huge and long-standing international appeal and is perhaps the most recognised football club brand worldwide, with vast accumulated brand equity,” read a statement promoting the rankings.

However, it goes on to highlight that Fergie and the Glazers cannot rest on their laurels, as Champion’s League runners-up Bayern Munich were valued close behind at $800m. 

The company described how Bayern Munich’s shrewd commercial management and Champion’s League campaign could see the German side, which ranked second in the list, surpass England’s most successful side.

“As Sir Alex Ferguson reaches the end of his career and with the Glazers still paying off debts the club may struggle to maintain the squad they need to stay at the top,” warned BrandFinance.

The Red Devils’ inter-city rivals Manchester City were valued at $302m for the surveyed period, indicating that Sheikh Mansour’s $1.5bn petro-dollar investment is beginning to pay dividends both on and off the pitch.

The English Premiership Champions ranked eight on the list, almost double its value from the previous year.

The newly crowned European Champions Chelsea ranked fifth on the list at $398m just behind London rivals Arsenal with a valuation of $338m.  

In a sign that brand value of a nation’s leading football clubs can be viewed as a bellwether for the global economy, the Southern European giants of Italy and Spain did not fare so well.

According to the reports La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid’s respective brand value dropped considerably during the period, despite El Classico being one of the box office top draws of world football.

Reflecting La Liga table, Real Madrid finished ahead of Barcelona with a value of $600m, in third place, immediately ahead of their Catalan rivals with a $580m valuation.

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said, “This year’s study shows that even football isn’t immune to the Euro Crisis, with Spanish and Italian teams being hit hardest.”

AC Milan was the top-performing Serie A side in ninth place with a valuation of $292m making the San Siro side the only top-ten ranking brand from outside England, Germany and Spain. A fill list of the sides ranked 21-50 is below.

Manchester United may have just ended a rare pot-less season but can console itself by claiming the accolade of being the world’s most valuable football brand.

This year’s BrandFinance’s Football 50 list valued the Old Trafford team at $853m making it the most valuable football brand on the planet over the course of this last season.

BrandFinance cited a “solid performances on the pitch and great numbers on the income statement” as reasons for placing it at the summit of the list despite its comparatively poor on pitch pursuits, by its own high standards that is.

“Income from TV rights, gate receipts and merchandise all remain strong, providing broad revenue base that spreads risk better than most clubs.

“Man United has huge and long-standing international appeal and is perhaps the most recognised football club brand worldwide, with vast accumulated brand equity,” read a statement promoting the rankings.

However, it goes on to highlight that Fergie and the Glazers cannot rest on their laurels, as Champion’s League runners-up Bayern Munich were valued close behind at $800m. 

The company described how Bayern Munich’s shrewd commercial management and Champion’s League campaign could see the German side, which ranked second in the list, surpass England’s most successful side.

“As Sir Alex Ferguson reaches the end of his career and with the Glazers still paying off debts the club may struggle to maintain the squad they need to stay at the top,” warned BrandFinance.

The Red Devils’ inter-city rivals Manchester City were valued at $302m for the surveyed period, indicating that Sheikh Mansour’s $1.5bn petro-dollar investment is beginning to pay dividends both on and off the pitch.

The English Premiership Champions ranked eight on the list, almost double its value from the previous year.

The newly crowned European Champions Chelsea ranked fifth on the list at $398m just behind London rivals Arsenal with a valuation of $338m.  

In a sign that brand value of a nation’s leading football clubs can be viewed as a bellwether for the global economy, the Southern European giants of Italy and Spain did not fare so well.

According to the reports La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid’s respective brand value dropped considerably during the period, despite El Classico being one of the box office top draws of world football.

Reflecting La Liga table, Real Madrid finished ahead of Barcelona with a value of $600m, in third place, immediately ahead of their Catalan rivals with a $580m valuation.

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said, “This year’s study shows that even football isn’t immune to the Euro Crisis, with Spanish and Italian teams being hit hardest.”

AC Milan was the top-performing Serie A side in ninth place with a valuation of $292m making the San Siro side the only top-ten ranking brand from outside England, Germany and Spain. A fill list of the sides ranked 21-50 is below.

Joey Barton issues Twitter apology for role in drama-filled showdown.

Joey Barton used Twitter to explain his role in one of the most tumultuous 90 minutes in Premiership history that saw Manchester City take title from Manchester United, writes Ronan Shields.

Barton used his Twitter account, which boasts almost 1.5m followers, to issue an apology (see below) for his sending-off and subsequent violent conduct earlier today during QPR’s crunch match with champions Manchester City.

Source: Joey Barton

The dramatic game, which saw Barton’s QPR side come from behind to lead the league winners at one point but not before the player, who has served time in prison on charges of violent conduct, was sent off and then subsequently confronted other opponents.

In his series of Tweets, he presented the reasons for his actions, directly below, although he also used the medium to take aim at Carlos Tevez accusing him of starting the mellee, see second image below. 

Although, Barton also used Twitter, the medium he has used best to rebuild his reputation, to congratulate his old club on winning its first top-flight crown in over 40 years, which it achieved by scoring two injury time goals to emerge 3-2 victors and claim the title.

Eager to ride the wave of positive publicity, Manchester City’s PR machine also wasted no time in spreading the marketing message by issuing images from the Etihad celebrations on Twitter.

Of course, some of the marketing was a little more overt than the rest with the club wasting no time in using it to remind fans to pre-order their memorabilia, no doubt the stadium's official gift shop will remain open a bit longer tonight and doing a brisk business for much of the next week. 

It will be interesting to see how quickly it takes for the club’s merchandise unit to issue a recording of this afternoon’s game on DVD.  

Understandably, Manchester United’s players have been reticent about using Twitter thus far given the narrow nature of their loss but the club’s goalkeeper David De Gea did use Twitter to say the team would come back stronger next season.

However, Bolton-defender Fabrice Muamba, who suffered a Cardiac Arrest while playing on the pitch earlier in the season, did find time to make light of his earlier troubles on Twitter, see below, despite his side joining Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premiership drop zone.  

Kit launches spark Twitter-joust in ongoing LFC & MUFC saga

Words: Ronan Shields

^{Source: Liverpool Football Club}

Before a ball was kicked in anger on the last day of the domestic season, Liverpool’s kit-launch marked the UK entrance of Warrior Sports while Manchester United’s seemed to rub salt in the wounds. 

Friday saw the unveiling of next season’s replica kits of England’s two-most successful clubs with Nike unveiling its latest offering for the Manchester side and Warrior Sports with its debut Liverpool designs.

The Boston-based sports manufacturer has reverted to the Anfield side’s red with yellow-trimmed colour scheme and has dispensed with its Shankly Gate crest in favour of its original Liver Bird one, see video below. 

Source: YouTube

The move has won favour with traditionalists reminiscing for the days when King Kenny and the Koppites truly did reign supreme over Europe.

^{Source: Liverpool Football Club}

But Liverpool, a team and City traumatised by the Hillsborough tragedy of 1989, has also experienced criticism from some unhappy with the symbols commemorating the 96 that died that day being moved to the back of the jersey.    

Emotions aside, the partnership between Liverpool and Warrior Sports could presage the emergence of a major new sports brand in the football industry given that Liverpool is the fourth-biggest selling replica shirt in the world.

This is behind Spain's Real Madrid, Catalan giants FC Barcelona and of course Manchester United. 

Plus, if the hype purported by Warrior Sports on its website anything to go by, then we’re surely set for a swarm of high-impact marketing activity from next season onwards, see below.

^{Source: Warrior Sports}

How many more clubs it has in its sights is anyone’s guess but with this Liverpool deal you’d have to say it really is laying down a marker. 

Almost simultaneously, Manchester United and Nike revealed the kit Wayne Rooney, etc, will be lining up in at Old Trafford from next season, see left and below. 

Also interesting, was the fact that Manchester and Nike are highlighting the club's roots at the centre of its marketing activity 

The new kit, features “gingham check” which was supposedly synonymous with Manchester’s cotton mills which helped fuel the industrial revolution, as well as the rivalry with their Merseyside neighbours dating back two centuries. 

Have a closer look at the ‘gingham check' both below and left courtesy of Nike. A design Liverpool fans are likening to ‘table clothes’. 

Of course, the simultaneous nature of the launches has sparked with it a war of words between the respective teams’ fans and following their respective hash-tags on Twitter, the Koppites seems to be happier with their offering that those of the Stretford Enders. 

Famed for their wit and fondness of banter, Liverpool fabs also appear to have the upper hand on Twitter when it comes to  the gentle-ribbing of the other side although the Mancunians were able to retort although in sometimes more controversial terms, see further below to read more.

The joke made below (dated May 12 before the last day of the season) is arguably one of the more poignant given United relinquishing their Premiership crown to Manchester City, in the most dramatic last day of the season for many years. 

And of course those blessed with more IT skills really started to make things personal:

^{Source: Twitter}

^{Source: Twitter}

However, not taking things lying down, some Manchester United fans took aim at their rivals in a more controversially manner by speculating that Liverpool’s away kit might look like below, as mentioned above.

This of course references the horrible race-relations incident between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, one of the darker episodes of the last season, and an unwelcome phenomena that worryingly appears to be creeping back into the game, especially via online social networks.

Hopefully the game's governing bodies will take appropriate measures to assign such ugly incidents to the past by the time we kick-off for next season.  

However, on a much more positive note, the mixed reaction to the gingham kit and power of social networking has prompted similarly-creative Manchester United fans to share their ‘fantasy kits’. 

One even speculates what a Manchester United kit manufactured by Adidas might look like, all images were sourced via Twitter.