Instagram
Manchester United has commissioned Stanley Chow, a local illustrator and lifelong supporter, to draw custom portraits of the club's Starting XI for its Champions League fixtures this season. Each player appears in the Snapdragon-branded kit, and the artwork is photographed on Snapdragon-powered phones against scenic backdrops in host cities such as Como and Madrid.
On Instagram, United is pairing the carousel with the platform's new multiple captions feature, labelling each player as fans swipe through the portraits. The approach gives a routine matchday asset a premium, collectible feel while weaving the sponsor's product into the story rather than simply stamping a logo on a template.
For social teams, the takeaway is that lineup announcements are among the most reliable sponsorship inventory and can be refreshed creatively. Clubs could commission fan artists for marquee fixtures, tie visuals to away-trip locations, or let a tech partner's device become part of the production. Testing Instagram's per-slide captions on carousels is an easy way to add context without cluttering the artwork.
