I´d like to make clear why fans, again myself included, started to complain, via twitter, about the unsuitable way, one of our sponsors started representing our badge. This, off course, led to yet again Liverpool fans being accused of oversensitivity, which is ludicrous.
Firstly, we didn’t solely blame Dunkin’ Donuts for disrespecting the Hillsborough victims and their families. Our principle annoyance was that our badge, which we defend and are proud of, was in the process of being used in a Marketing campaign for an American Fast Food Company.
The fact that Liverpool Football Club is currently owned by Americans, obviously, there will be business deals going on between other companies, Warrior, New Balance and the one in question. However, seeing our players embarrassing themselves in the festive greetings card (see below) and now redesigning our badge is just too far.
Yes, we are generating money from them, as I’ve just mentioned they are one of the clubs present day sponsors. Nevertheless, this doesn’t give them or anybody the freedom to do what they want with our name.
Turning the Hillsborough flames into chocolate milkshakes, in a mocked-up version of our crest (see below) is just where things have to stop.
Moreover, protocols and procedures have to be put into place by the club itself demanding any company who wishes to use our image, name or badge need to get the green light from officials from Liverpool before they publically go ahead with advertising campaigns or marketing techniques.
In addition, as you would have noticed not only did Dunkin’ Donuts issue a statement apologizing and halting the campaign immediately, but also they used Twitter to apologize to hundreds of Liverpool supporters’ individually. Why would they do this? Wouldn´t one tweet be enough?
Furthermore, the tweets that they sent out to us were just copied and pasted and didn´t mean anything significant apart from them trying to save the image of their Company, as this story made international news on Thursday.
They even sent an apologetic tweet to a Manchester fan (see below) expressing their regret to what they have done. Obviously this proves these sympathetic tweets were just another PR stunt on their behalf.
This also worked negativity towards our fans in a way that it provoked other supporters from other clubs to jump on the bandwagon and accuse Liverpool of yet again being too sensitive.
Let´s not forget we have reason to be touchier in certain situations than other clubs. No other club apart from Bradford City has suffered such a loss of life in English Football.
Liverpool as a city still lives with the pain of what happened on the 15th of April 1989 every day. A tragedy, in which, the families of the victims are yet to receive full justice and concrete answers from. A disaster where Liverpool fans themselves were blamed for by certain organizations “rags” which I don´t mention. Therefore, if Liverpool fans are slightly more sensitive on these kinds of topics, then we have good reason to be so. Stop judging us on these matters.
To sum up, Dunkin’ Donuts were wrong in the sense that; recreating their own version of our badge without researching the elements to what it is made up of is negligence on their part. Although, the club must now act to keep closer tabs on these companies and not allow them to begin campaigns of this nature without their permission. I’m not a fan of the modern game in the sense of the financial side. However, as always I´ll continue to defend the Badge of Liverpool Football Club.
@anfieldeurope
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