Yes, it is that time of the season once again; when the transfer saga is in the thick of things. All the buzz around clubs and sporting franchises is on which players are going out, but more importantly, who are the latest super-stars joining the clubs. Players’ transfer announcements present a wonderful opportunity for the clubs to engage their fans on social media. Moreover, it enables them to create loads of content off-season and keep the fans delighted and energized.
Sporting clubs from across the globe have come up with some very creative ideas to showcase their recruits. From elaborated movie plots to promoting hashtags, we have seen it all. Here are some of the most creative ways of raising the curtain for the fans online.
Historical moments come to life
Erling Haaland to Manchester City
A boyhood dream coming to life is what Manchester City’s transfer reveal of Erling Haaland brought to the forth. As the fans anticipated the confirmation, the club showcased an old picture of the football star wearing the jersey in his childhood days, which then transitions to him recreating the scene, wearing the club colors, still sitting on a couch, and confirming the move. It was a brilliant campaign that has to be credited for the simplicity and the magnanimity of the idea; dreams do come true. The fans on social media responded accordingly and the video went viral.
HE’S HERE! ? pic.twitter.com/JuZEtzTWbv
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 13, 2022
Erling Haaland himself also tweeted that the ‘wait was over’ and revealed himself as a Blue. Loads of content has since been created by the club from interviews, signing shots, and more to keep the interaction and anticipation of the fans alive on social media.
Show the player in your kit
Amir Khan to Peshawar Zalmi
Once the cricket franchise picked Amir Khan in the emerging category of the Pakistan Super League in December 2021, they did not have the player shoot in their own jersey. So, they came up with a very creative idea to use their shirt and photoshop the image of the player using their branding colors and traits all-around. This is a great example of how you can get creative and let the fans know who is coming in with the team of the kit with the help of altering the graphics.
Build Anticipation then Announce New players
All Blacks New Zealand Rugby Team Squad Announcement
One of the best ways to announce new players and to get a continuous stream of visitors for engagement is by building anticipation. In the wake of announcing their squad for the season, the All Blacks produced tons of content before the final release. Here is one of the videos in which they shared the experience of Kieran Read before as he was picked in one of the squads of the past.
Creating hype throughout the week before the big day, the fans were kept on the edge of their seat for the big day.
With the time of the announcement getting ever so close, the fans were told specific platforms, with links generated, to follow the announcement. This was a fantastic example of leveraging fans all over your social platforms and directing them to specific accounts.
It’s almost time!
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) June 12, 2022
? Tune in from 11:45am NZT
➡️ https://t.co/0ilhHWIutE pic.twitter.com/Lg9p0HQOGS
Győri Audi ETO KC – Women’s Handball Team from Hungary
Győri Audi ETO KC is a women’s handball team in the Hungarian league, and they had a unique way of creating some buzz around their latest signing. Using a cut-out of the action-shot of their player, they invited the fans to guess who that person could be. For the regular followers of the women’s league, this was an exciting opportunity to showcase their knowledge and get involved.
Connect with your audience
Mohammad Salah’s transfer to Liverpool
When news of Mohammad Salah was right, left and center of the football discourse back in the summer of 2017, the fans of Liverpool just could not wait anymore. There were innumerable comments and mentions on the social media timelines of the club to reveal the signing of the player. And Liverpool responded in the simplest and the most personal possible manner they could. They decided to show the fans that their messages were being heard as Mohammad Salah scrolled tweets about him, before revealing that he had arrived at the club.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 22, 2017
The Stadium Tour that ends in a reveal
PSG reveal Messi
This has to be one of the most talked-about transfer news of the past decade. And the way PSG presented Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, deserves all the praise. This video to date has 23.3 million views on Twitter. Using the drone to give the footballs lover a virtual tour of the stadium that starts in the club’s shop, the video quickly captures the attention of the viewer. With the music selection, the editing, and the angles used before revealing Lionel Messi at the center of the stadium in the PSG kit, you can’t take your eyes off the video. Such a virtual tour with the player reveal has to be one of the best ways to announce new players.
A new ? in Paris!
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021
PSGxMESSI ❤️? pic.twitter.com/scrp1su9a6
An artistic super-hero reveal
Edin Djeko to Inter Milan
Inter Milan utilized the fervor that is prevalent in the younger generation of the world today with superheroes. One blockbuster after another, these comic book heroes have come to light on the big screens around the world. This fantastically crafted art video showing the journey of Edin Djeko from his previous clubs to Inter Milan was brilliant. It not only emphasizes the importance of utilizing current media trends but also speaks of dreams becoming a reality, painting a positive image. The latter brings a sense of optimism; something which always does well on social media.
Let the story of the swan and the snake begin ?? #WelcomeEdin ⚫️? #IMEdin #IMInter pic.twitter.com/jP6SPNOSYL
— Inter (@Inter_en) August 15, 2021
Announce new players by using gaming to your advantage
Lorenzo Pellegrini to AS Roma
Online gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world today. And AS Roma is one of the best-run football clubs when it comes to social media. This was a match made in heaven. A timeless piece of trendsetting is what the club did when they used the FIFA football game footage to reveal the signing of Lorenzo Pellegrini back in 2017. Such content can easily turn into a viral video where humor, digital activities, and a bit of creative thinking combine to produce amazing content.
?⚽️… ???❗️#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/mjgBrwduHV
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) June 30, 2017
Announce New Players on Social Media in a single click
There are a variety of possibilities which can be explored to unveil the latest talent at your club. From montages, well-thought-out videos, creating hashtags to so much more. And these fun and engaging ideas can bring in tons of interactions and new users to your social platforms. Kickly provides you the pathway to get your transfers posted and shared within a matter of minutes. With ready-to-go templates at your disposal like the ones below; you can boost your social media numbers like never before.
