The "I
Love Manchester" Campaign
The
"I Love MCR" campaign was set up by Manchester City
Council in the wake of the riots in the city centre and Salford
on 9 August 2011, copycat riots following upon those which took
place a few days earlier in London and Birmingham.
The
massive local response to the "I Love MCR" campaign
has united ordinary decent people in the Greater Manchester region
against the rioters and looters who horrified, outraged and disgusted
right thinking people in Manchester during late August 2011. The
campaign serves to show that ordinary Mancunians will just not
stand by helplessly and watch such riotous behaviour and lawlessness
on their streets, without expressing their love for their city
and resistance to those who would detract from it and demonstrated
to the world that the people of Manchester are proud of their
city and are united against antisocial behaviour in light of the
outrageous disturbances and vandalism that were perpetrated on
their city.
Marketing
Manchester (www.marketingmanchester.com) and Manchester
Arndale pioneered and promoted the ‘I Love MCR’
campaign, and in response, window posters, shop fronts, building
banners, mugs and T-shirts all proclaimed the popularity of this
heartfelt campaign as evidenced by the widespread use of the logo
throughout the city centre.
As a symbol
of the city’s defiance Marketing Manchester launched a ‘Wear
your I Love MCR T-shirt to work day’ which took place on
Friday 26 August. Proceeds from the sale of T-shirts, posters
and mugs are to be split between local charities "Forever
Manchester" (http://forevermanchester.com) and "Reclaim"
(www.reclaimproject.org.uk).
Buildings
and shop windows throughout the city centre, large and small,
public, private and commercial, are now proudly displaying the
"I Love MCR" logo - such has been the effect of the
campaign that others have begun to emulate its sentiments, as
borne out by the appearance of the "I Love Salford"
campaign over the other side of the River Irwell.
The "N4
Loves U" Festival
Following
upon the "I Love MCR" campaign, many Northern Quarter
businesses hosted a two-day festival called the "N4 Loves
U Festival", which took place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday
4th September 2011. The festival was centred around Thomas Street,
Tib Street, Edge Street, Copperas Street, High Street and Oak
Street which were closed off to traffic. There were music stages,
four pop-up bars and thirty acts performing across the weekend.
Afflecks also ran a vintage
market, and several car parks around the city centre were free
on the two festival days.
"We
Love Manchester" Day
Friday
26th August 2011 was proclaimed as "We Love Manchester Day"
- a day designed as a celebration of the best things about Manchester
in defiance of the riots. Accordingly, many city landmarks were
duly dressed up for the event. Even Manchester Town Hall was adorned
with a 'We Love MCR' banner.
More
than 11,500 people have joined the "I Love MCR" campaign
on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WeLoveMCR) and dozens of businesses
and organisations have signed up to celebrate. If you own a business
and want to get involved please go to www.marketingmanchester.com/what-we-do/latest-projects/i-love-mcr.aspx.
The
Co-op unveiled a 56 metre high banner, which spanned 15 floors
of the CIS Tower and video animations of a beating heart were
projected onto city landmarks including Urbis and Piccadilly Tower.
Exchange
Square was the focus of "We Love MCR" day, with a string
of live performances as hundreds of Mancunians gathered in the
city centre after work and during the early evening to celebrate.
There
were speeches from several special guests in support of the campaign
and free cakes and tea were provided by local businesses. The
campaign has been backed by celebrities including Coronation Street
stars and Manchester United and Manchester City players, including
Sergio Aguero and Mario Ballotelli. People also gathered in Market
Street on Sunday, holding up posters, taking part in what has
been described as "a Manchester moment".
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