A creative hat-trick for Burnley, Charlton and Guinness on transfer deadline day

As the first week of February comes to a close, across The Pond a whole nation is readying itself for the Big Game and timelines are being flooded with celeb-laden ads.

As Creative Corner goes to bed before the game, the best is no doubt yet to come so I’ll spare you another article full of Superbowl LIX and instead look closer to home at another milestone – January transfer deadline day. This seasonal milestone always throws in a few twists and turns of its own and the content never disappoints. So, I’ve picked out two memes that caught my eye and a campaign from Guinness from across the Irish Sea.

Burnley gets Friends-ly

Burnley may not be in the Premier League but their social media team is fast becoming the meme kings of football transfers. This transfer window didn’t disappoint with their take on an iconic clip from the last episode of TV show Friends to announce the arrival of Marcus Edwards from Sporting Lisbon.

The scene in question is one in which Ross gets home to a message from Rachel on his answering machine after seeing her off at the airport. The voicemail centres on her trying to get off the plane upon realising she loves him - only instead of Jennifer Aniston's voice it plays lines from club chiefs including chairman Alan Pace as they attempt to get their man to Lancashire.

It begins with bad news for Ross listening in, whose lines sync perfectly with the comments from the Burnley bosses.

“Oh my God”, Ross exclaims as the signing looks like it might not happen.

As the conversation comically unravels, mimicking the classic scene, the video ends with Ross asking: "Did you get off the plane?" to the potential signing before turning around to see new boy Edwards standing in his apartment rather than Rachel, with the winger saying: "I got off the plane" before saluting Ross.

Audience applause is heard in the background as new signing Edwards says: "Up the Clarets."

With 4 million views and counting it’s another genius edit from the Burnley FC social media team.

Charlton Chortles

Another lower-league team punching above their weight is Charlton Athletic. The southeast London club went viral this week as they announced the signing of attacking midfielder Alex Gilbert.

Charlton’s media team are obviously Inbetweeners fans and were quick to spot the similarity of their new signings’ surname with the hapless Rudge Park Comprehensive head of sixth form, Mr Gilbert.

Splicing together a scene in which Jay and Neil spot something ‘rare and exotic’ in a shopping mall, the likely lads are seen shouting ‘Gilbert, Gilbert’ into a shop before running off as the camera pans back to the store to show Alex Gilbert looking over his shoulder resplendent in his new kit.

Whilst the Premier League big clubs continue to create ever more production-heavy stylised content, the lower league clubs are proving that canny cultural references and humour can cut through the noise.

Guinness Pint Transfer

You’d be forgiven for thinking I’d come up on the down train by including Guinness in a football transfer round up. However, this much-loved tipple of egg-shaped ball chasers is now halfway through its debut season as Official Beer and Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of the Premier League.

To mark their first transfer deadline day, the brand gave fans in Ireland the chance to make their own game-changing switch before the window closed.

Titled #TransferThatPint, football fans were challenged to upgrade their at-home matchday ritual by swapping their out-of-shape glassware to be in with a chance of getting their hands on a limited-edition Guinness x Waterford crystal pint glass. Based on the number of the brand’s iconic glasses that get nicked from pubs it’s not a bad catch.

Designed to create some noise around its Nitrosurge cans, transfer requests could be submitted online alongside photos or videos of the draught Guinness cans being poured into out-shaped glasses.

The campaign culminated in the brand hosting its own transfer deadline day held at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin where fans could retire their old glass and receive a limited-edition Guinness x Waterford Crystal pint glass in person.

As Guinness campaigns go, this felt very much like the brand dipping its toes in the water. A sensible start for an ambitious brand as it looks to embed itself in football culture. I expect a taste of bigger things to come.

Well, that’s it for another week.

As ever, if you’re launching something that deserves a spot in Creative Corner, or have seen a campaign you just love, please do share it with us. Email paul.lucas@fanclubpr.com