From http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-...he-pr-league,-by-andrew-spinoza-200906055553/
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 underachievement 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 invited to another event - 25 City influential 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.
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.
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 underachievement 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 invited to another event - 25 City influential 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.
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.