City's grand plan to rule the globe has a world of problems
The club aims to become the Virgin of football but experts believe it may go horribly wrong
- The Guardian,
- Friday September 12 2008
- Article history
Under owner Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, Man City want to become a global brand in the style of Virgin. Photograph: Chris Weeks/AP
Garry Cook, the executive chairman of Manchester City, this week revealed plans for the club to become "the Virgin of Asia and the world". Before he proceeds with this scheme, though, one that could eventually see City-branded cars, food outlets, energy drinks and motorcycle helmets sold across the globe, he may want to consider the warnings of those whose expertise lies in enhancing commercial profiles and who are convinced Cook's desire to become the Richard Branson of football is a non-starter.
"The Virgin model that City want to replicate is not compatible with football for the simple reason that the sport polarises people," said Alan Cooper, partner at HPI Research, a marketing consultancy that works with Virgin. "People establish allegiances in football which they don't in the business world and this immediately shrinks a club's customer base."
Stressing his point, Cooper tells of the time Vodafone, during the period they sponsored Manchester United, were forced to remove all company logos from the exterior of its call centre in Leeds. Why? Because it was located 400 metres from Elland Road and so became a target for brick-happy home supporters irate that backers of their fiercest rivals had set up base there.
Howard Robinson, of EDP Sports Marketing, believes a similar fate could befall "McManCity" should it ever open. "Who exactly is going to eat at a Manchester City restaurant? Bolton fans won't, neither will Liverpool fans," he said. "Nobody bar City fans would and while there may be a few more of them emerging in the next few years, the total figure is still going to be relatively small, nothing on the scale of what Virgin attracts to its various products.
"Man City's business is football and what they need to do first in terms of enhancing their brand is deliver a winning team on the pitch. If they don't then all these business plans will be irrelevant."
That task should become easier now the Abu Dhabi United Group has bought a majority stake at Eastlands and with it the financial might to sign world-class players. The first has already arrived - Robinho for a British record £32.5m fee - and, while doubts have been cast over the investment after an inconsistent spell for the Brazilian at Real Madrid, Cooper believes he could be a shrewd signing.
"What draws people from Asia and Africa, which are the key markets right now, to clubs is not just success but also a recognisable identity. Manchester United have successfully sold themselves abroad because they have a rich history to back up the trophies they've won. Real Madrid have done well in those places for similar reasons but also because of their galácticos policy which gave them the most recognisable team in the world.
"City need a similar, strong, identity and with Robinho it could be that of a side that plays with Brazilian flair." This is a sentiment shared by Robinson: "City need to become attractive on the pitch to become attractive abroad. Not many people in Beijing are going to buy shirts with Richard Dunne's name on the back."
What is for sure is that City have a long way to go before they can mimic Virgin, a company that has been going for almost 40 years, has 200 branded companies worldwide and annual revenue in excess of £10bn. According to a recent poll carried out by management consultants BBDO, the club is not even one of the world's top-25 most recognisable football brands, even coming behind the likes of Lille in terms of global awareness and sales.
"If City really want to make their mark abroad they should look to tap into India. It is going to become the biggest country in terms of population by 2015 and is showing an appetite for football which so far no club has tried to satisfy," said Robinson. "City could become massive there. That cause would undeniably be helped by signing an Indian player; that would spread the club's name across the country in an instant."
City's motives are obvious at a time when English football has become a worldwide phenomenon but what appears unconvincing is the manner in which they intend to go global. "Clubs more successful than City have not attempted to replicate Virgin so there is nothing to suggest they will pull it of," said Robinson. "They need to come up with a strategy that has been thought through calmly and, perhaps, privately."
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