Channels: OOH, Print, Film, Digital, Social.

Role: Lead Creative and Writer

Sometimes a cultural campaign just lands in your lap.

In 2026 MINI celebrated 25 years thriving under German management. Which happened to be the same year another English institution took centre stage under German direction. For the first time in the 154-year history of the English men's national football team, a German – Thomas Tuchel – was in charge. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, it’d sent the nation into a bit of a spiral, with a huge swathe of fans sharing their scepticism.

We spotted a rare overlap between a significant brand milestone and a major cultural conversation. The debate around English spirit and German management was one we had genuine authority to join. Better still, we had the proof. MINI had spent the last 25 years showing exactly what that combination can achieve.

At the heart of the campaign was a giant mural in Manchester's Northern Quarter, supported by a four-page Metro cover wrap that landed ahead of England's opening World Cup group game against Croatia. As a non-sponsor, we had to strike a careful balance between confidence and fandom. Drawing on everything from football ground chants and pundit clichés to tactical diagrams and tabloid football headlines, the copy constantly played with the meeting of English and German. Even the lead line borrowed from Sweet Caroline: The chemistry's so good, so good, sehr gut. That bilingual device became a thread running throughout the campaign, reinforcing the idea that English spirit and German management can be a winning combination.

We grounded the campaign in authenticity, collaborating with football artist Jamie Eke, whose work for Brighton & Hove Albion has made him a recognised voice within the game. The visual identity drew on the symbols, rituals and iconography of football fandom, layered with the tactical sketches of a manager's whiteboard.