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Posts from the ‘My media’ Category

Aug 30

Watch it…..

Use of social media remains under the watchful eyes of consultants and employees in the football industry.  However you feel, it has merits and can be a vital part of the mix of marketing communications.  Of course, there are some like our very own Ryan McKnight that could equally highlight where such tools have been detrimental as have former managers like David Jones who I’m led to believe detested online fans forums and banned players from viewing.

FC Business (and Aaron Syed Jaffery) has recently presented some interesting findings.  I comment on those of interest to my activities in UK and Turkey.  Like any other form of strategy, measurement is critical to assess ROI.  I was intrigued to learn myself, that one client (a major Champions League player in Europe) had three countries above its own with more social media followers!  Attracting ‘Followers’ is not enough and that outlook merely represents vanity or an additional channel of communication.  Activation requires more calls to action and tangible results justifying any investment and assessment.

From a selective sample some interesting findings:

–  Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are top three Facebook numbers with Liverpool a close fourth.  Though recent recruits at Manchester City with social media expertise suggest it will climb in this table also.  Crystal Palace is at the foot.

–  On Twitter, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have top spots with far lower numbers (e.g.  first position Facebook 33M; Twitter 2M).

– Looking across mainland Europe top three FC Barcelona, Real Madrid then Manchester United.  Galatasaray are in fifth though.

– Galatasaray reach third in Twitter however, with 2.7M followers.

Seems appropriate to finish these musings with my Son’s picture sitting on Fatih Terim’s lap in the dugout at Shrewsbury Town as I get starred at for wearing the new County away kit (which apparently resembles a recent Fenerbache away one!).  Watch this space the creativity for social media and tools have no boundaries.

Sep 16

Football Academia s-port

Football academia

Been there, done it, worn the T shirt. I refer to the academic route that I took in earlier life before starting my career.  Though I do update every year via cpd to stay abreast of latest knowledge and tactics pertinent to my profession.  I believe that there are over 40 letters that I can use after my name if I wanted to relate to qualifications and achievements etc (BA Hons MA FCIM MISPAL Chartered Marketer MInstF…………).  Proud as I am of this collection, and would advocate everyone consider seriously further education, I bleat often that it is the “University of Life” that really matters. Most of that which I have achieved has combined that initial knowledge with on the job experience and commercial acumen.

I started this observation in that sometimes people debate the pros and cons of continuing education.  At this point I would like to say that I have recently had contact with two leading academics relating to the football world.  I shared a stage as speaker with Sean Hamil.  He is a Lecturer at Birkbeck University and has been Director of Supporters Direct, the UK Government-sponsored organisation established to assist football supporters to set up trusts (co-operatives) which invest equity in their football clubs.  He is Author to “State of the Game” and “Who Owns Football?: The Governance and Management of the Club Game Worldwide”. The second was Dr John Beech who I met through Twitter and our common use of the #footballfinance (hash tag).  He is a Senior Research Fellow at Coventry University, where he is Head of Sport & Tourism at the Applied Research Centre in Sustainable Regeneration (SURGE). He received the Football Supporters’ Federation Writer of the Year Award for season 2009/10.  From a limited collaboration to date I can reinforce a belief that the commercial business world and academia have much common ground and can work together to achieve things.

Sep 9

Social Media Football

Is Manchester winning?

I should have used the last blog photograph with this post as I’m banging on my drum again about the pitfalls associated with completely ignoring social media.  Naturally, I’m a convert but I’d like to think from a reasoned platform.

It seems to me ages ago since my colleague and brother-in-law, Bilen, wrote his thesis whilst completing his Master’s Degree in Strategic Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University.  It was titled: “The role of online communities in internet marketing: a study of three professional football clubs in the North West of England”.  Its compilation kindly assisted by the co-operation of three of my clients: Stockport County FC, Bury FC and Oldham Athletic FC.  I recall this subject, as still to this date some organisations are only just  awakening to the potential of its use in digital marketing strategies.

Some have said, Manchester is leading the way.  “United” is a key case study in Facebook Marketing’s intelligence.  “City” is on a pedestal with a selection of tactics scoring ‘early goals’ such as Flickr and Twitter.

We’ve had some great R.O.I (return on investment, not to be confused with Republic of Ireland) from social media.  I hope some of you are following me on Twitter and YouTube?  Or maybe Check In at my office on FourSquare (specials available!).  However you look at it, this social approach has merits and has to be considered.  There is no prescriptive solution but much best practice around.  Furthermore, when expanding into the use of  ‘social communities’ I buy in here also.  I think it was David Jones that wasn’t in favour of online fans forums – but you cannot be a serious marketer if you don’t embrace this methodology and communication channel.  It’s valuable in research, PR, polling perceptions and publicity.  Expect more from me on this subject at a later date.

May 9

Eric Cantona Four Four Two magazine and FC Sports Marketing

Ooh aah Cantona

I must say that I felt somewhat in the celebrity hall of fame when the write up of my activities involving Turkish football were mentioned alongside the great, Eric Cantona (not to confused with his brother, Joel Cantona, who had a spell at Stockport County).

This featured in May’s edition of “Four Four Two” magazine, which covered FC Sports Marketing’s first international football conference in Istanbul last month.

I visited Turkey with my Client, FC United of Manchester.

My only previous rendezvous with the French was a BBQ with David Ginola!

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