Asahi Super Dry Launches Manchester City Training Kit Partnership with AR Content

Asahi Super Dry, Japan’s number one beer, today unveils its new Official Training Kit partnership with Manchester City. To support the launch, full-service creative agency Trouble Maker has designed and executed ‘Beyond Expected Training’, a social campaign featuring Manchester City players Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Rúben Dias, Demi Stokes, Yui Hasegawa and Bunny Shaw using an AR filter to add a new dimension to their training kit. 

The campaign rolls out today across Asahi Super Dry’s and Manchester City’s social channels, plus it will feature on the social media accounts of several key opinion leaders including Lia Lewis, and Ben Black.

The social first campaign, shot ‘behind-the-scenes’ style, includes the Manchester City players activating their new AR-enabled kit. The players can be seen at the Etihad Stadium, giving interviews and training. As they pass the phone between them, each one looks into the camera and enables their kit through AR, causing it to flash an iridescent blue with Asahi Super Dry branding in the centre.

Asahi Super Dry wanted to demonstrate that its sponsorship means more than a badge. The campaign highlights the importance of training, and rather than showing how good you are, the kit represents the potential of what you can become. By using AR tech in the content created by Glance, the campaign brings to life the shared innovative mindset of both Asahi Super Dry and Manchester City.

Ross McIntyre, global marketing manager, partnerships Asahi Europe and International comments, “Asahi Super Dry is delighted to be expanding our partnership with Manchester City, by becoming the Club’s Official Training Kit Partner with ASD 0,0%, building on the successes we have seen together both on and off the pitch. This innovative spirit sits at the heart of our brewing process and at the heart of our partnership with Manchester City. As the Official Partner of the training kit, we wanted to be more than a badge; we wanted the training kit to be the epitome of that shared innovation. That’s why we’ve given the kit a new dimension for the players through a bespoke AR filter. This should serve as a catalyst to anyone that wears it, you can always go beyond what’s expected.”

Jonathan Fraser chief strategy officer, Trouble Maker adds, “Working with Asahi Super Dry on this campaign for global icons Man City was a fantastic opportunity. We made sure to capture the pioneering spirit that sits at the heart of both Asahi Super Dry and Man City. All the creativity, innovation and progress is made during training and it was about time the light shone on the kit where the true magic happens. With the new dimension of the AR filter, we’ve brought to the kit to life making it a symbol of innovation and a reminder to anyone that wears it that you can always go beyond what’s expected.”

Key opinion leaders will be showcasing the new kit as part of the campaign. They will receive a premium influencer gift box with a QR code to scan which takes them to a personal message from the Man City team inviting them to activate their kit. Along with the kit, the box also includes Asahi products and a series of Asahi Super Dry branded beer mats, featuring key moments from the club’s history.