Football Manager is the video game that takes armchair football punditry to the next level. Now McCann London and Xbox have taken it up another notch by recruiting an eager gamer – and Wembley Stadium tour guide – for a real-life job as a tactician at Bromley FC.
Nathan Owalabi got the gig after an impressive performance on Football Manager, followed by a proper job interview with Bromley manager Andy Woodman. His adventures are documented in a three-part series launching on TNT Sports today.
Laurence Thomson, joint CCO at McCann London said: “We exist to create ideas that push boundaries. More than just a launch campaign for FM24 this is a real job, with real lives and competitive sport.. oh and a broadcast partnership. The smartness of this campaign is its integration with FM24. We eagerly anticipate the lasting impact that initiatives like this can have.”
Mohan Gehlot, senior global product manager at Xbox said: “Football Manager players are incredibly dedicated, so the chance for us to bridge the gap between the virtual and real worlds of football was an irresistible opportunity. The impact on the business so far has been fantastic. Since November’s launch we’ve seen a great uplift within Game Pass users for FM, incredible numbers that we don’t see very often.”
Andy Woodman, Bromley FC’s manager, said: “Nathan has embedded himself into our group of staff and his work ethic has been great. The benefits of the project are that we have another voice and angle; a different approach to things. Nathan has embraced the opportunity and has really added something to our group”.
Fans can follow Nathan’s journey at the club online and on social media via TNT Sports, as well as Xbox UK, Bromley F.C. and Football Manager channels.
It’s a move that in retrospect feels like it had to happen one day. Well done McCann and Xbox for getting there first. Hope Nathan doesn’t get too many trolls.
MAA creative scale: 7
