Poor reaction to slogan for Manchester

Manchester’s promotional body gave a defensive response to the rival presentation to brand the city, according to the campaigners against the official concept for the city.

The McEnroe Group presented its designs to the official body Marketing Manchester last Wednesday (DW 11 July).

“The response was inevitably defensive,” says Nick Johnson, who heads the creative collective which came up with alternative designs and campaigns.

“We have upset the apple cart and the proverbial ball is in their court,” he says.

Marketing Manchester chairman Sir David Trippier says: “It is too early to say how we will harness the [McEnroe] group’s ideas, but we are currently looking at ways of working with them to achieve our joint objectives.”

The McEnroe Group is likely to turn down any offer for a representative to join a working group formed by Marketing Manchester, says Johnson. “It’s a sop,” he adds.