The Soccer Mystique Part 2

Continuing on with the Soccer subject, my next example is Liverpool Football Club. Liverpool was formed in 1892, and quickly gained some success on the pitch. Although I do deeply love the beautiful game that is played on the pitch, I am not here to talk about what Liverpool FC does on the grass(and I'm sure if you're a Liverpool fan, you'd prefer it if I did not). I am here to talk about how they portray themselves, to the world.

Liverpool is a club with a rich history of successes and failures. Unlike their rich and illustrious neighbors, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, and even the more recent successes of Tottenham, Liverpool has a much more emotional appeal with their fans. Their fans, although lower in number than their more wealthy and internationally recognized neighbors,  have a certain type of love for the club; a borderline obsession, if you asked me.

What else could cause millions of people to sing a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel?

Now, that is amazing! These are grown men and women, in the thousands', collectively singing a show tune. That is powerful admiration of a brand.

I have a good friend who has been a Liverpool fan for quite some time. To hear the emotion connected to his admiration of the club is very interesting. I'm not necessarily a big fan of English soccer, but the only reason I know or watch any of what's going on there is my friend's constant vocalization of affection for the club. For him, it is an exclusive membership. A brotherhood of like-minded individuals, collectively seeking one goal(literally, just one goal). 

That is what branding is all about, creating a customer base that feels proud to purchase product. Not just because the products speaks to them, but because it allows them to speak to and for the brand. Trust me, if you haven't met a Liverpool fan, find one, and you'll get an ear-full. Be careful though, don't mention your affection for another club. Liverpool fans stay prepared to defend Liverpool at all costs, even in the case of extreme defamation of your favorite club. 

If you're a Liverpool fan, then the show tune maintains one very evident truth, "You'll never walk alone."