‘Drenched in blood-red paint and his mouth in a contorted war cry, this powerful image of Wayne Rooney is meant to inspire. It has, however, managed to offend everyone from MPs to religious leaders.’ So writes Nick Craven in today’s Daily Mail, in an attempt to persuade readers that they too should be outraged by our ad for Nike. In his article he has indeed managed to find an MP and an evangelical Christian to complain about the ad. That’s everyone to the total of two.

Now, I don’t normally read the Mail cover to cover, but today they refer to our ad not once but twice. Here it is again:

Stephen Glover, in an article apparently calculated further to inflame the righteous indignation of the stereotypical Mail reader says, ‘Consider this repulsive poster carefully. Rooney’s face and upper body are smeared with what looks like blood in the shape of the cross of St George. His mouth, with two disjointed fangs, is wide open in a yell of hatred and wild aggression. This is a depiction of primitive, violent man – a bloodthirsty barbarian lifted from the dark ages.’

Blimey. That seems a trifle harsh on Rooney and his teeth. And it goes on to slag off his fiancee.

Anyway, big thanks to the Mail for running the ad again today for free.