As the people of Manchester began to dig out their bucket hats ahead of the highly anticipated Oasis reunion, our team saw a golden opportunity to celebrate the spirit of Britpop while delivering standout moments for our clients. With creativity, cultural insight and a good dose of Northern charm, we delivered a trio of standout campaigns that not only paid tribute to Oasis but turned the nostalgia into buzzworthy, high-impact results.
Kicking things off, we launched a brand new exhibition at Kimpton Clocktower, Oasis Fans 1994-1997 - a striking exhibition of archive photography by photographer Jon Shard, curated by British Culture Archive. Celebrating a pre-digital era of fandom, the collection of never-seen-before photographs captures the raw energy and instantly transports visitors back to the band’s early days when queuing for tickets and homemade bank tees were the norm.
To mark the occasion, we hosted a VIP preview evening at Refuge, welcoming around 100 press, influencers and friends of Kimpton Clocktower to experience the exhibition before it opened to the public. The response has been nothing short of phenomenal. Coverage spanned across key regional titles including Manchester Evening News, I Love Manchester, Manchester’s Finest and The Manc, alongside standout broadcast features on BBC Radio 2 and Hits Radio, and national placements in The Telegraph, The i, and Metro. With a reach of over 235 million and 37 pieces of coverage (11 with 100% share of voice), the exhibition hit all the right notes. Running all summer long, if you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you check it out!
Just across the city, Printworks was getting into the Britpop spirit with a spectacular takeover of Europe’s largest digital ceiling. Working with the team to create bespoke content that oozed 90s nostalgia, from swirling Union Jack animations to bucket hats and parkas, we helped transform the space into a Wonderwall wonderland! To add an unmistakably Manc touch, we enlisted the help of Happy Mondays legend Bez to provide an exclusive voiceover, welcoming visitors and walking them through the Britpop era.
To celebrate the launch, Printworks hosted a free Oasis sing-along party underneath the digital ceiling, with giveaways, showstopping visuals and hundreds of Oasis fans belting out Oasis anthems. We brought in Tiktok creators Nathan and Grace to document the takeover, reaching more than a million followers. Media interest came thick and fast with standout features including an exclusive interview with The Mirror, alongside a wave of online coverage across Daily Star, Manchester Evening News, The Manc and Secret Manchester, all contributing to an impressive reach of 33.5million and firmly cementing Printworks as a cultural cornerstone of Oasis buzz.
And in the heart of the city, just days before the first Manchester Oasis gig, we celebrated the launch of MCR Live Hub, Manchester’s newest open-air live music venue, set in Piccadilly Gardens and central to Manchester City Council’s #MCRLive25 summer programme. With the sun shining and Oasis classics playing, guests were treated to live music from singer-songwriter El Rey and a sax set from Sam Sax, setting the perfect tone ahead of one of Manchester’s biggest weekends of live music.
To keep the momentum going, we launched a cheeky campaign the day of the first Oasis gig at Heaton Park, offering a free drink to anyone named Liam, Noel or Gallagher on any of the band’s Heaton Park dates. The playful press office idea and video content highlighting Oasis-themed live acts at the location struck a chord online, generating over 1.2k social engagements, 160k video views and 699 new followers, giving MCR Live Hub the boost it needed at launch.
Whether you’re planning your next event or looking to build a campaign with local impact, we’d love to chat. Get in touch here.
