City’s festive video tops a million views

A festive video produced by Manchester City Council is giving its traditionally successful rivals made by retail giants John Lewis and Marks and Spencer a run for their money in YouTube views.

The film has topped a million views in four days since its launch.

It shows Manchester’s Santa struggling on the ice until kindhearted children take him by the hand and show him the ropes, only for other skaters including a ‘Manc reindeer’ to etch out a huge Manchester bee in the rink as the camera pulls out.

The clip can be seen by clicking here.

Intended to promote the Christmas season in Manchester and encourage families to visit and enjoy the city, the video has also tugged the heart strings of viewers following a turbulent year in the city following the Manchester Arena attack.

Manchester’s Christmas film was created collaboratively by the city council’s communications team and Flipbook studio.

Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester’s Christmas spokesperson, said: “Our Christmas video has broken all records and just shows how many people it has touched at an important time for the city.

“The festive season boosts the city’s economy by around £90m and is vitally important for retailers of all sizes – independent and high street alike.

“The animation touches the soul following turbulent times in the city this year, and it has really hit the mark with the millions of people who have watched and loved it.”

Andrew Lord, managing director and co-founder Flipbook Studio, said: “It was great working in partnership with the city council again for another year of festive, creative brainstorming.

“We were asked to devise a creative treatment and animation that was humorous, heart-warming, poignant and that incorporated the worker bee emblem of Manchester, which has this year come to symbolise so much more to many Mancunians.”

“We’re very proud of our home city and delighted that the animation has been so well received.”