Social media used to coordinate I Love Mcr campaign

I love Manchester

Social media marketing has been placed at the heart of the I Love Mcr campaign, which aims to restore confidence in Manchester after the riot.

On Tuesday, 9 August 2011, the Manchester riot caused damage to large parts of the city centre as looters broke into shops and set fire to buildings. Footage of the disturbances was broadcast around the world, causing further damage to Manchester's international reputation.

However, a broad coalition of organisations has joined together to promote a more positive view of the city through the new I Love Mcr campaign. The Visit Manchester tourist board is selling t-shirts bearing the I Love Mcr logo; all profits go to the mentoring project Reclaim and the fundraising campaign Forever Manchester. Meanwhile, the Marketing Manchester marketing board is calling on retailers, restaurants and bars to offer special discounts to encourage people to return to the city centre.

Support for the I Love Mcr Facebook page

Social media is being used to coordinate the fightback – as of Wednesday, 24 August 2011, the I Love Mcr Facebook page had received more than 11,000 likes. Visitors can also use the page to download an I Love Mcr poster, desktop wallpaper and twibbon. And on Twitter, users are rallying around the hashtag #ILoveMCR.

Al Mackin, managing director of theEword, commented: "The I Love Mcr campaign is a prime example of how social media can bring people together. The vast majority of Manchester residents were appalled by the riot, so Twitter and Facebook-led campaigns give them an opportunity to show their support for the city."

Several events are being planned in the coming weeks as part of I Love Mcr. A programme of dance, comedy and theatre is already underway and there is talk of staging a street party in the Northern Quarter. Transport costs will also be kept to a minimum; last Sunday, for example, parking charges were waived in the city centre and all travel on the Metrolink tram network was free.