Few clubs in the world are as tapped in with their community as Manchester United. For generations, this titan of a club has been more than just a football team, it’s been a source of identity, pride, and belonging for the people of Manchester. From the roar of the Stretford End to the local talent featured in their latest campaigns, Manchester United is a living, breathing part of the city’s culture and fabric, proving that football can unite and celebrate a community like nothing else.
For the past few years, the club has been sourcing local, lifelong fans to feature in campaigns. From kit reveals to sponsor collaborations, the red devils take every opportunity to showcase their community to the world.
Liam Heely, founder of local creative agency HEADS UK, is the man responsible for finding the local talent for the club. Since the start of his journey he has worked all around the world, creating content for names such as Lady Gaga and Floyd Mayweather. But even after all this, he still found himself being drawn back to his home city.
“The mission is to have recognisable faces on the Manchester United Campaigns for people to stay connected.
“HEADS is a Creative Brand, focused on supporting creative people within their craft, from providing work and networking opportunities or general support and advice.
“I started HEADS because after 7 years of freelance photography, working all around the world, I noticed that there wasn’t a brand supporting creatives like me. So the journey began, we built a network of the incredible talent in Manchester and listened to people’s wants & needs. We connect dots for our clients and when somebody presents us with a brief or challenge, we provide creative solutions.”
When United discovered what HEADS were up to in the community, they reached out to use them as their go-to talent scouting agency. Using their already established network of creatives, the club is now able to pick key individuals in the community to be the face of their campaigns. The team at HEADS provided talent for 10 different campaigns in the 2023/24 season, with every single face used being a fan of the club.
“We like to keep it local, people with stories and creative backgrounds for the club to showcase them further than the image. It keeps the club relatable to the consumer. The content we connect with has to feel achievable and you feel a part of their community when you can recognise the individuals in these campaigns.
“Since I founded HEADS we have helped hundreds of creatives in the city, United are showcasing the talented people of this city.”
One of the individuals chosen by HEADS is Joe Blackwell, an artist who lives in the heart of the city. He makes unique, mixed medium wall art pieces made of spray paint, acrylic and posters he finds around the city.
For Joe, featuring in a campaign for his club was a chance to represent his city and felt like recognition for his own artistic journey in the community. He was shocked when he got the call but jumped at the opportunity to be featured in the project.
“I’m not an actor, I’m not a musician, so that kind of limelight is very different. But nonetheless I took the opportunity and became an actor for the day.”
When Joe arrived at Old Trafford for his 2 days of filming, he was told he would be filming a fan’s matchday experience in the grounds, as part of the club’s new partnership with Tiger Beer. As Joe strolled through the stadium, the reality of the project set in.
“The highlight of the filming for me had to be when it came to us filming our scenes in the stands. We were filming in the empty ground and had to film a scene of us reacting to a goal, it took a lot of takes but was honestly a lot fun. We were getting a lot of weird looks from the tourists who were doing the stadium tour that day.
“When the video was finally released I was really happy to see how it turned out. I was getting messages from my friends and family asking how I got myself posted on the United Instagram, I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone that I had been filming for the club before the announcement dropped, I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut about that.”
Since the campaign launched across the club’s social media pages, it has been viewed over 5 million times. On top of being paid for his time Joe and the other actors involved in the campaign were given hospitality tickets for United’s next home game.
Ben Rock, also known as Sketch, is a season ticket holder and Stretford End veteran, who has been going to games since he was a kid. Seeing the highs of the Sir Alex Era and the lows of Ten Hag ball, he stuck with the club through it all.
Around his work as a chef, he spends his time creating mural art work around the city. His pieces, often inspired by the city’s rich history, culture, and diversity, have become a familiar sight in the area, adding colour and creativity to urban spaces. Recently he created a piece for the club which can now be seen on match days on the stadium grounds. The mural depicts United’s FA Cup win at Wembley last season, over noisy neighbours Manchester City.
“It all resonated from that game. I never dreamed of having a painting… a mural, 8 foot by 9 foot outside of Old Trafford. I have really loved the process of making it. To be able to depict the image of our fans heading into the ground was a dream come true.
“The biggest thing for me is going to match days and seeing fans taking photos with the piece and tagging me. When I can be there I feel such warmth around.
“It is so amazing, I have a painting on Sir Matt Busby way, not many artists can say that and I am so grateful to the club for allowing me to do it.”
Sketch is also a member of the HEADS community and believes that the club’s approach to campaigns is changing United’s image for the better.
“For years we have been called a tourist club, rival fans claiming that none of us are actually from Manchester. So when I open my phone and see our lads like Joe repping the badge, it puts a smile on my face.
“The fans are the lifeblood of the club, and without them, there is no game.”
For more Man United content: https://jusmedia.co.uk/kitroomcollective/?p=42614