Manchester became the stage for an old school marketing masterclass when a series of cryptic posters sent Oasis fans into a frenzy this weekend.
The posters, plastered across locations in the city – including the Northern Quarter, Oxford Road corridor, and parts of south Manchester – appeared to tease new music from the iconic Britpop legends ahead of their long-awaiting reunion tour later this year.
But in a twist that has since been hailed as a stroke of marketing genius, the campaign was actually the work of another legendary Manchester band, Doves, who released their sixth album Constellations for the Lonely last week.
The posters featured a series of clues designed to ignite speculation: “Fill in the blanks… Which chart-topping Mancunian band is releasing new music in 2025?”
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The hints pointed to a band with two brothers, Manchester City fans, formed in the 90s, and boasting multiple number-one albums. With five dotted letter spaces and only an ‘s’ filled in, the internet quickly lit up with hopes of a new Oasis album.
“Oasis all but confirmed to be releasing new music with the posters around Manchester. What a time to be alive,” one fan tweeted.
Another asked, “Do you think the poster is about OASIS??”
Liam Gallagher himself even got in on the conversation replying to one fan goaded him for now living in London.
However, the campaign was all a clever ruse by fellow Britpop heroes Doves, who confirmed the posters were teasing their own new music and a 2025 tour.
The band, fronted by Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers Jez and Andy Williams, released their sixth album Constellations for the Lonely last week to rapturous reviews.
And the cheeky campaign proves that even in an era dominated by digital marketing, a well-executed, real-world campaign can still make waves.
As one fan aptly put it: “Doves just schooled everyone in how to do a marketing campaign. Bravo.”
Now, here’s hoping an Oasis album is really on the way too!
