#BarclaysMen: An opportunity for everyone to learn to create.
The simplicity in Barclays Men shows everyone can learn to create Ft. wise words from an elite creator, Carys Toko + a look at nostalgia, music and science?! 🤯
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Barclays Men. A simpler time. A time when the beautiful game was run by mavericks. No modern-day Tactico’s or Gegenpressing. Just vibes. An era where Allardyce ball thrives with Kevin Davies flick-ons to Kevin Nolan. What a time to be alive. This international break has brought back that era. The #BarclaysMen trend has been all over Football Twitter. Essentially compilations on Premier League icons from the 2000s/2010s. Featuring songs from that era. Proper Barclays. Proper Bangers.
The trend started by X user 1889INE has inspired independent comp makers all over the app. It’s even been picked up by traditional clubs. Hull’s rendition with Geovanni is a personal fave. The nostalgic trend has now transcended leagues. #HombresBBVA has launched to pay homage to La Liga’s icons. Seria A you’re next. Tic Tac. Football Italia was my earliest memory of watching football. I need to tap into my Inzaghi bag.
There’s something about a Matty Taylor volley with early Tinie Tempah as a backing track that moves you. A winning formula.
What is it about these comps that move us? A rewind to simpler times, where responsibilities were less? A look back at when football inspired individualism? Our emotional ties to the music in the clips? The over-arching theme which ties these questions is the wonderful feeling of nostalgia.
Scientists define nostalgia as a feeling of yearning for a time that has passed. When we experience nostalgia, we are transported back to a period of comfort. This feeling is greater when you are experiencing a feeling of stress or anxiousness in the present. A defence response to unhappiness. Scientific research has shown that nostalgia can also make you physically warmer. So that warm, fuzzy feeling you have watching Barclays Men? You ain’t tripping dawg. Nostalgia isn’t just a psychological experience, but a physical one as well.
Provoking nostalgia is also proven to strengthen people’s social bonds. The evidence is here to see. Twitter hasn’t been the best post-Elon’s takeover and Football Twitter can be a toxic place. But Barclays Men has allowed football’s tribal audiences to put differences aside. With rival communities coming together to celebrate each other’s footballing icons.
I spoke to my brother Carys Toko (CTTMedia on IG), a seriously skilled editor. As I wanted to get his insights on the Barclays Men trend and his journey into editing.
“One day I thought why not try and make videos myself because I think if there’s anything that Gen Z have it’s either a phone or a computer,” said Carys Toko.
“At first I just started dabbling with my phone and just downloading clips on my phone and putting them together.”
“There was a big emphasis during 2020 [the pandemic] on learning a new skill and self-learning.”
The COVID bubble gave those of us fortunate enough to be healthy, time. It gave us an opportunity to reconnect to our inner child. Pick up old hobbies or new ones. Time to reflect and learn new skills in areas of interest. Or do a crazy pivot. Cary’s shows us what’s possible if you keep honing your craft. His recent work speaks for itself.
On Barclays Men Cary’s mentions,"I don’t think there’s much creativity behind these videos, people get old clips and use an old song they have a connection to from a previous FIFA and that’s why a lot of people have love towards the trend.”
“…people are remembering the throwbacks to the tunes from FIFA 2008 and if anything a video editor should remember it’s the power of music and we’re seeing that through this trend.”
Music is a beautiful thing. Shoutout Mac Miller. It’s a portal that can transport us back into a period of our lives. Music has the power to bring back distant memories. Our long-term memory has two parts; implicit and explicit memory. Music provokes our implicit memory, memories that are buried in our subconscious mind. This combination of music and football individualism is bringing back core memories.
Cary’s is right. There’s not much creativity in Barclays Men. Which made it an even bigger opportunity. The creative inputs in Barclays Men are accessible for most of us. Especially Gen Z. We’ve grown up with powerful tools such as smartphones and CapCut. Barclays Men has provided a platform for everyone to learn to create. And how we can create something that makes audiences feel. The most important thing.
For those who have used Barclays Men as a gateway to create. Keep going. For those who want to learn to create. Just start.
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