Branding | Content | New Product Activation

The Newcastle United shirt sponsorship came as part of Virgin Money’s 2012 acquisition of Northern Rock. Sensitive to the importance of the football club to the Northern Rock team’s hometown city of Newcastle, the sponsorship was a key brand focus following the acquisition.

Work included an initial scramble to produce iron-on logos for the first team shirts, ready for the home fixture against Manchester United just 48 hours after the acquisition went through. The following two seasons included additional shirt branding, stadium signage and activation to support Newcastle’s 2013 Europa League campaign.

Virgin Money’s involvement in Premier League football continued as the business signed to become Official Financial Services Partner of Manchester United in the UK from the 2016/17 season. This was a very different brief, focussed on products, tailored to UK-based United fans and their finances.

Work included rights negotiation, launch PR activity and content marketing celebrating the “game-changers” in the grassroots local Man Utd fanbase. Key products included the Stanley Chow designed credit card, supported by a fan-led vote to choose a winning design to go into production.