A huge mural of Manchester United FC and England forward Marcus Rashford wearing Beats By Dre headphones was painted in the Shudehill area of Manchester in response to the widespread online abuse the footballer has received in recent months.
The OOH mural features a massive work of art by BBC art director Reuben Dangoor: it features a zen-looking, peaceful Rashford wearing headphones which seemingly help drown out the surrounding social media noise of both positive and negative comments and posts.
The outdoor execution, which was painted on to the side of the Hare & Hounds pub which is a short walk from Manchester’s National Football Museum and AO Arena, was further amplified through PR and across the brand’s social channels along with the copy line ‘Form Is Temporary: Class Is Permanent. @marcusrashford rightfully displayed in his home city of Manchester.’
‘Form is temporary; class is permanent.’
Available for all to see in the Northern Quarter of @marcusrashford’s Manchester.
Artwork by @Reubendangerman. pic.twitter.com/esHembxnkK
— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) May 2, 2022
The Apple-owned audio brand initiative, which was created in harness with agency Havas Entertainment, media agency Talon and with Global Street Art Agency, aimed to highlight the positive work Rashford has been doing off the pitch and the impact that it’s had.
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This eye-catching Rashford artwork isn’t the first big, brand-backed mural to feature the player.
In February 2022 fashion house Burberry, style magazine The Face, The National Literacy Trust and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford teamed up with pupils of a North London Primary School on an art-led storytelling project in Tottenham which aimed to make children the heroes of their own stories centred on a giant mural called ‘Dreamscapes’ supported by a limited edition zine.
In 2021 Nike marked Rashford’s birthday with a new football pitch and matching mural at his former primary school at Button Lane in Whythenshaw (South Manchester) and in 2020 Rashford was featured in a mural by street artist Akse in the city for his work during the Covid-19 pandemic to tackle food poverty.
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