We’ve built our business on developing great relationships with our clients. Some of them have been with us since day one. Manchester City is a prime example. Our work with City has included brand strategy, creative campaigns, kit launches, interior design, promotional films, animated pitchside LEDs, player photography and direction, fan engagement, stadium dressing, signage, retail campaigns, radio advertising and seat covering designs during the pandemic.

At the beginning of Manchester City’s rise towards dominance in British football culture, the club wanted to signal their ambitious intent of breaking into the Premier League’s established Big Four of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. We worked with artists and filmmakers to create a street-level campaign that provoked pride amongst fans, generated national publicity and signalled that City meant business.

We’ve named and designed many hospitality spaces at City, contributing to a Best Football Club Hospitality win at the Football Business Awards.

In The Mancunian, we created a premium restaurant where ‘give and go’ meets rock’n’roll, and a passion for football meets the soundtrack to the city. From lyrics on arrival and placemats embossed with musicians’ quotes, to a soundwave of Blue Moon and framed artwork of City legends past and present, it’s a celebration of Manchester’s famed musical heritage and City’s beautiful football.

“The launch of our new Cityzens membership was a landmark project for City, with a goal to engage our fans all across the world and provide them with ways to get closer to the club – to participate in decisions, to experience matchdays, to interact with players, to get club and partner discounts. Music worked as a close and extremely collaborative member of our team, helping to bring Cityzens to life. Their strategic insights and visual direction helped create an authentic creative, impactful and emotional campaign that fans will remember forever.”

Diego Gigliani – Director of Marketing, Media & Fan Development

Many Manchester City fans had an issue with the club badge introduced in the 1990s. The club decided it was time to ask them about a potential change. We worked with City to create an experience that guided fans into and through the narrative about the badge’s past and present, and ultimately contribute to a future design. Threads created an aesthetic of authenticity, weaving the club’s badge and fans into the fabric of the club.

Football club fixture campaigns often follow an identical layout or design, yet each game promises a unique experience. And with City’s attacking style of play, a match at the Etihad will always be box office entertainment. We developed a campaign that allowed each ad to create its own sense of drama by taking inspiration from the visual styles and layouts of film posters.