Creative Brief
BRAND: Manchester United
DATE: March 26, 2025
TASK: Develop a campaign promoting the launch of Manchester United’s new NWSL expansion team in Manchester, Connecticut – Manchester United W.F.C.
CAMPAIGN HEADLINE/TAGLINE: From Manchester to Manchester
Who is our target audience?
The primary target audience for the launch includes soccer fans across the U.S., specifically in New England. New England has the lowest percentage of fans who engage with the sport through watching or attending matches and the lowest percentage of fans ages 18-34. However, this region also has the highest percentage of female fans, making up more than half (54%) of all fans in the Northeast. The campaign will also target women’s soccer and NWSL fans. Women’s soccer fans are divided when it comes to gender (54% male and 46% female), and there are more female fans of women’s soccer than men’s. The core segment of women’s soccer fans is between the ages 25-34. This segment is typically in the family-building stage of their lives and grew up watching soccer just as the sport’s popularity has surged in the past decade due to the international success of the U.S. Women’s Soccer team, and icons like Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan; this solidifies their interest in the sport as well as in the culture and icons surrounding it.
Secondary target audiences include existing Manchester United fans in the country who are loyal to the club internationally but have no loyalty to a local NWSL or MSL team either because of a lack of proximity to a club or a lack of interest in the club’s culture. This campaign would also target families in New England, especially if the family has young athletes they could take to games.
Where will this ad appear?
This campaign will include out-of-home and paid social advertising. OOH advertisements include billboards and bus shelters across New England and the Middle Atlantic. Metropolitan areas, including Hartford, New York, Philadelphia and Boston, will display many of these ads because they have large populations of the campaign’s target audience. Although New York has an NWSL team and Boston will soon debut one, there is still an opportunity to get as many eyes as possible on ads, due to the level of tourism to these cities, especially New York City. Bus shelters along lines like the CT Transit will also be effective spots to promote the new Manchester W.F.C. bus shelter ads as well as street (wheatpaste) posters across Connecticut and New York City.
The campaign will also feature these ads on social media. Part of that will include leveraging existing Manchester United followers on social media, including its Meta (Instagram and Facebook), X, TikTok and YouTube channels. Combined, the Manchester United and Manchester United W.F.C. teams in England have a combined 228.36M+ followers. Using these channels for cross-promotion of the new team will also target audiences internationally who have space in their hearts for one more Man Utd team, especially if they’re at a close enough distance to attend a match.
What is the goal?
Manchester W.F.C.’s NWSL expansion represents an opportunity to bring a legacy and global brand like Manchester United to a new market, combining the eccentricities and devotion of European football culture with the growing women’s football footprint in the U.S. The campaign’s goal is to increase awareness of and generate excitement among women’s soccer and NWSL fans for the new Manchester United W.F.C. team by establishing a culture in advance that is uniquely American with the legacy and heritage of its ownership club. In addition to building awareness, Manchester United wants to sell tickets and merchandise for the new club, cultivating a loyal fan base in its new home. Ultimately, Manchester W.F.C. aims to cement its role in the Man Utd legacy.
Why do we need this ad?
While women’s football in the U.S. has grown exponentially, it is still among the most underrepresented in women’s sports. Even in the Northeast U.S., there are few NWSL teams. Further, the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun is the only major league team in the state. Connecticut is ultimately a location without many major sporting events, but these ads are an opportunity to whet their appetite for another major league sports team and build on the unique atmosphere and appeal of women’s soccer. Manchester United must work to cultivate loyalty and excitement among residents to preserve the club’s longevity and justify its position in the NWSL. This means establishing roots in Connecticut, building a relationship with a new fan base through promotion and showing the community why Manchester United W.F.C. is a team worth rooting for in America despite having a legacy in England. These ads, which will draw heavily on the commonalities between Manchester, England, and Manchester, CT, as well as its legacy, will give potential new fans a taste of Manchester United W.F.C.’s identity and reassure them that their new NWSL club is prepared to bring grit, positivity, and a winning attitude to their community. This level of excitement will also drive these fans and locals to buy tickets to attend games, buy merchandise to represent the club and spread news of the new club’s launch.
*Not affiliated with Manchester United, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). All content was created for the 2025 Spring Comprehensive Exam at USC Annenberg.