If you listen, you may hear the sound of sleigh bells approaching. If you listen even closer you will realise you are wrong and that the ringing is coming from the tills in club shops.
’Tis the season to splash out on consumer durables and football clubs certainly aren’t about to miss out on the action. On Premier League websites you can find customised PlayStation cases at Bournemouth, Southampton’s special range of watches, Hull City’s tiger-inspired wrapping paper and, at Liverpool, a photo of Sadio Mané in Santa gear looking overwhelmed by a gift.
Some sites might simply plonk a crest on a reindeer-themed jumper and be done with it but others see an opportunity provided by digital platforms and a global fanbase. An example of a forward-thinking club are Celtic, who are seeking to turn themselves into the John Lewis of the SPL.
Recently the Scottish champions released their second annual Christmas advert. The premise involves an old man sharing a sofa with his young grandson. He is trying to get the wee ‘un interested in the glories of the Lisbon Lions, whose 50th anniversary falls next year, but the kid isn’t having any of it, so distracted is he by a smartphone. Then, just as granddad is on the verge of giving up, Leigh Griffiths appears on the mantlepiece.
He is a miniature Griffiths, dressed as an elf, here to bring joy and Celtic-branded presents to the household. Before you know it an imaginary Scott Brown has appeared in the stairwell. Finally, Brendan Rodgers turns up at the door too, his teeth as white as the falling snow. Truly, it’s a Christmas miracle.
Brown’s appearance is a cameo after he starred in the first Celtic Xmas ad as a small child’s only, invisible, friend. Posted on YouTube and shared via their various social channels, the video went viral and gave Celtic an idea.
“We realised it was an opportunity to show the lighter side to the club,” says Celtic’s commercial director, Adrian Filby. “That we’re a humorous brand, not just one with a great history. It was also a chance to engage supporters in a different way. Supporters want to get involved. They want to show their passion for the club and share the message wider. Effectively we’re a global club wrapped in a local market, but these adverts give us reach.”
Using digital video to connect with the fanbase is not new. It was used to striking, if slightly confusing effect by Manchester United in the summer when they, with the help of Adidas, announced the signing of Paul Pogba through a music video that featured the France international throwing an impressive collection of shapes.
But as well as entertaining the fanbase and encouraging them to identify further with the club in return, there is also cold, hard business logic behind Celtic’s Xmas strategy.
“Of course the ad is retail-led,” Filby says. “The digital platform is key for us. Clubs are never going to be able to compete with the big boys who will dominate radio and TV with their adverts but the digital space is different. We can own that. We have brand stickiness and good engagement levels. A high-street shopper may have some loyalty but we’ve got a supporter base who are entirely loyal and this is an opportunity to get to the front of the queue.”
The consultancy firm Deloitte’s most recent survey of money in football found that Premier League clubs’ commercial revenue (including, though not exclusively relating to, retail) has doubled between 2010 and 2015. As more retail business goes online and clubs continue to grow their social-media activity, that number will surely grow further. So expect Griffiths to get back in his green and white onesie before long.
