Manchester City needle Liverpool with Craig Bellamy viral

Manchester City has released the third in a series of moody player videos in advance of their clash against Liverpool on Sunday, starring their North West rival’s former player Craig Bellamy.

In a reversal of his established image, Bellamy is depicted in introspective mode, contemplating the game, wearing a…cardigan, before switching to a more familiar image – in football kit, with  a wisp of what could be smoke from the mouth of the fire breathing welsh dragon*

City has done well galvanising support with provocative micro-campaigns since they became belligerently wealthy in the summer, the ‘Welcome to Manchester’ posters of Carlos Tevez kicking off a new era of ‘needle marketing’.

Choosing Bellamy to front their Liverpool game campaign is more of the same, both motivating fans and also making a virtue out of Bellamy’s often ‘over-passionate’ nature on the field of play.

The ads have been created by Manchester agency Music, to promote City’s clashes against the Premier League’s ‘Big Four’ – Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Dave Simpson, Music’s creative director commented “Our ad conveys Bellamy’s tireless dedication and demanding hunger to play football, and to win. When he plays he gives his all and we wanted to illustrate the passionate change that happens as he crosses the white line.”

Chris Kay, head of marketing at Manchester City, said “Like Music’s preceeding Adebayor and Wright-Phillips campaigns we have chosen a player that embodies the spirit and ambition of the club and created a campaign that both transcends the boundaries between culture and football, and that re-frames how a football club can interact with its fans.”

The viral is backed by outdoor activity including 96-sheets and large-scale formats around Manchester.

*OK, only a City fan could write a line like that, I confess it, blame my uncle.