With the launch of the new Topps Flagship Premier League collection, Topps wanted to create a physical presence that would cut through on matchday - turning the collection’s biggest player cards into memorable football moments for fans.
Our task was to bring Flagship to life through a series of large-scale activations, using iconic players, high-profile fixtures and strategically selected matchday locations to drive awareness, fan engagement and earned coverage.
We created Flying the Flagship: a three-part mural campaign spanning Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United.
Each activation was built around a recognisable player and a culturally relevant football moment:
- Phil Foden’s Black Edge card at the Etihad Stadium, ahead of Manchester City v Bournemouth
- Declan Rice’s Gold Lion card on the walk to the Emirates, ahead of Arsenal v Chelsea
- Wayne Rooney’s iconic overhead kick card outside Old Trafford and Hotel Football, marking the 15th anniversary of the moment ahead of the Manchester Derby
Rather than treating the murals as standalone outdoor advertising, we positioned each one within the wider matchday experience. Media and creators were invited to attend the fixtures, giving them a genuine reason to experience the activation and share it with their audiences.
The murals were supported by promotional pack distribution and QR code mechanics, encouraging fans to stop, take photos, open packs and engage directly with the Flagship collection.
Creator engagement was entirely organic, with no paid creator posts. The approach focused on authentic football fan accounts and creators relevant to each club’s audience - from Manchester City fan channels and Arsenal creators, to Manchester United-focused accounts across Twitter/X and Facebook.
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The campaign generated significant cut-through across creator, media and fan communities, to date delivering:
- 146 pieces of earned creator coverage
- 38 pieces of earned media coverage
- 22.7M total social reach
- 1.1M total Reel views
- 4,500 promotional packs distributed
Each mural created its own standout moment. The Foden activation secured coverage across titles including Sky Sports and BBC Sport, while the Rice mural generated 38 pieces of coverage even before the matchday and was featured in The London Standard.
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The Rooney mural closed the series with strong coverage from BBC Sport, Sky Sports and Manchester United fan accounts, alongside an organic repost from Rooney himself - giving the activation a powerful endorsement from the player at its centre.
Across all three activations, the combination of product, player, place and matchday turned a trading card launch into something fans actively wanted to photograph, share and experience.
