Manchester City × Midea: An Interactive Video Experience Built to Engage Global Fans across any platform

When two global powerhouses like Manchester City and Midea come together, the opportunity for smart, tech-driven fan engagement is immense. To bring their partnership to life in a memorable, interactive, and globally scalable format, Manchester City and Midea collaborated with AliveNow to create a first-of-its-kind web-based interactive video experience.

This campaign merged entertainment, gamification, and branded storytelling—featuring Manchester City stars and Midea home appliances—into a seamless digital journey that fans could instantly access on mobile or desktop via a simple URL.

Below is the video that showcases the style and format of the interactive experience:

A Simple Idea with Powerful Outcomes: Answer to Continue Watching

The core mechanic of the experience was intentionally simple yet highly engaging:

Users had to answer a question correctly for the video to continue.
If they answered right, the Rube-Goldberg style sequence progressed smoothly.
If not—the chain reaction came to a dramatic halt.

This “answer-to-continue” mechanic introduced:

• Gamification through skill and anticipation
• Retention—users stayed invested to see the full video
• Brand integration that felt natural, not intrusive
• Replayability for users eager to see alternate outcomes

The clever use of Manchester City talent and Midea’s product range added authenticity and visual appeal, ensuring the branded elements became an enjoyable part of the experience instead of a distraction.

Creative Tech + Sports Marketing: Why This Campaign Worked

The Manchester City × Midea campaign succeeded because it sat at the intersection of four powerful marketing forces:

1. Fan Engagement

Football fans love challenges, quizzes, and content featuring their favorite players. The experience tapped into this passion.

2. Brand Integration Without Interruption

Midea’s appliances were integrated into the Rube-Goldberg setup, making the brand message enjoyable and additive.

3. Gamification Creates Stickiness

Interactive choices created anticipation and curiosity—driving much higher completion rates than passive video.

4. Rapid Multi-Market Deployment

Because the experience was web-based, it effortlessly scaled across multiple markets and could be promoted through any digital channel.

Conclusion: A New Template for High-Impact Sponsored Activations

The Manchester City × Midea interactive video is a strong example of how creative tech can elevate brand partnerships, especially in sports. By transforming a traditional brand video into a dynamic, choice-driven journey, the campaign deepened fan engagement and delivered a unique digital activation that stood out across global markets.

Interactive, gamified content like this is becoming a critical tool for brands and agencies looking to break through digital noise and create memorable user experiences.