“Branding” and “Marketing” ...

takethepoints

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I know that this whole branding thing is big stuff in the biz world, but every time I hear someone talking about it I start putting my hand on my wallet. I've seen too many amateurs come into leadership positions and start talking about branding, listening to consultants (who often have no more clue about what they are doing then those who hire them), and spraying money around with a fire hose. For them - and, so near as I can see others - much of marketing is very seat-of-the-pants with limited systematic research to back it up.

My take on branding is to imitate, if possible, the real masters of the trade. And the most recent of those was, of course, Steve Jobs. Steve was famous for his "reality distortion field" that he could switch off and on at will and that's, I think, what most posts above are talking about. But Apple didn't become THE BRAND because of Steve's presentations. They became the great brand they are for a simple reason. Here's Steve on the subject:



Yep. It's real simple for Tech: we don't graduate or sponsor junk. Tech puts the players and their futures first and can't, as a matter of who we are, put our success on the field above our basic organizational imperatives. Tech can look a player and his parents in the eye and say that a) we wouldn't be after you to play football for us unless you could make it academically at Tech and b) we want to be able to look you in the eye and ourselves in the mirror and say that, if you give us the effort, we'll give you the future.

There's more to it then that, of course; Steve was famous for seeing new ways to do things and creating new products that no one would put money behind because there wasn't a focus group that said they wanted it. Creating demand for new football is very risky and, I'd say, almost impossible for a football program to create unless there's a Clark Shaughnessy waiting in the wings to coach at Tech. But not shipping junk is the first step. Put that first and the hype will create itself.
 
Vespidae

Vespidae

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takethepoints said:
There's more to it then that, of course; Steve was famous for seeing new ways to do things and creating new products that no one would put money behind because there wasn't a focus group that said they wanted it.
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I don’t disagree with your main point, but ... I worked with Apple and all I can say is ... don’t believe everything you hear. Several products that become blockbusters were total accidents. The iPod was conceived in Steve’s office and was a copy of a competitor product.

Still, Apple hires the best copywriters in the business. Their promotion and attention to detail is without equal.

GTAA could learn a lot from Apple. But probably won’t.
 

Animal02

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Wrecked said:
One thing I would like to see Collins push is a "we will play anyone, anywhere" mentality as part of the brand. With the offense now changing, if that was a reason we were an unattractive opponent, Id start shopping us around. Smart is doing this at UGA, and its how Bowden built up FSU. Great players want to play other great players and teams.
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Great way for GTAA to lose lots of $$$$$$$
 
stech81

stech81

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Wrecked said:
One thing I would like to see Collins push is a "we will play anyone, anywhere" mentality as part of the brand. With the offense now changing, if that was a reason we were an unattractive opponent, Id start shopping us around. Smart is doing this at UGA, and its how Bowden built up FSU. Great players want to play other great players and teams.
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We open next year with Clemson tell me how you feel after that game. :)

Also the only bad season FSU had was Bobby's first year 1976 they were 5-6
 
jojatk

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RonJohn said:
I think you misunderstand a lot of the statements. Stating that there are limitations isn't saying we can't compete and should settle for mediocrity. GT football cannot do things the same way that Alabama and the mutts do. Not recognizing limitations is just as bad as using a limitation as a crutch.

GT has pushed the "Total Person Program" for a long time. The "40 year plan" has been a push for a while. CGC has been spinning it as an advantage to recruits instead of as a detriment. Getting more staff to find academically acceptable good athletes across the country has been something pushed for by some of the same people you say are "settling for mediocrity". Most if not all schools have some negatives that affect recruiting. The best way to go about it isn't to ignore those negatives and do and say exactly the same things that others say. It is to embrace the limitations and find ways to work through or around them.
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I think that what frustrates some, like me, is when the ONLY way that our academics are referred to is with the term "limitations." There's clear, negative connotations to that. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone who does that so please don't take it that way. But for far too long the only way most people have talked about our academics is with respect to how much they limit us. And for a lot of athletes, and regular people as well, the academic rigors and environment at GT do present a limitation. But like you've indicated, for the right kids it's a challenge they can take on and conquer brilliantly while also succeeding on the field. For those kids, and we have to do a better job of identifying and reaching those kids, the idea that Geoff and his staff can go into their homes and say "hey, those other coaches who are telling you GT is so hard MUST have a very low opinion of you if they think you can't handle it. We know you can and the payoff is huge far beyond football. And we are also going to give you a great football opportunity! True, there's nowhere to hide at GT. But we know you're not the kind of person who wants to hide, anyway!" Or something like that.
 
☠CaptainBuzz☠

☠CaptainBuzz☠

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Maybe unrelated to current topic, but did CGC appoint a new “swag coordinator”? Seems like we’re seeing more graphic design work on social media. I’m guessing he’s probably just giving more guidance to someone in a current role.
 

Animal02

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jojatk said:
I think that what frustrates some, like me, is when the ONLY way that our academics are referred to is with the term "limitations." There's clear, negative connotations to that. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone who does that so please don't take it that way. But for far too long the only way most people have talked about our academics is with respect to how much they limit us. And for a lot of athletes, and regular people as well, the academic rigors and environment at GT do present a limitation. But like you've indicated, for the right kids it's a challenge they can take on and conquer brilliantly while also succeeding on the field. For those kids, and we have to do a better job of identifying and reaching those kids, the idea that Geoff and his staff can go into their homes and say "hey, those other coaches who are telling you GT is so hard MUST have a very low opinion of you if they think you can't handle it. We know you can and the payoff is huge far beyond football. And we are also going to give you a great football opportunity! True, there's nowhere to hide at GT. But we know you're not the kind of person who wants to hide, anyway!" Or something like that.
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Finding those needles on a haystack takes time and $$$$$. Something the higher ups have been reluctant to commit to in the past.
 
RonJohn

RonJohn

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jojatk said:
I think that what frustrates some, like me, is when the ONLY way that our academics are referred to is with the term "limitations." There's clear, negative connotations to that. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone who does that so please don't take it that way. But for far too long the only way most people have talked about our academics is with respect to how much they limit us. And for a lot of athletes, and regular people as well, the academic rigors and environment at GT do present a limitation. But like you've indicated, for the right kids it's a challenge they can take on and conquer brilliantly while also succeeding on the field. For those kids, and we have to do a better job of identifying and reaching those kids, the idea that Geoff and his staff can go into their homes and say "hey, those other coaches who are telling you GT is so hard MUST have a very low opinion of you if they think you can't handle it. We know you can and the payoff is huge far beyond football. And we are also going to give you a great football opportunity! True, there's nowhere to hide at GT. But we know you're not the kind of person who wants to hide, anyway!" Or something like that.
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By limitation, I am specifically referring to who can be recruited. Someone who does not care about academics in high school will have an extremely hard time staying eligible at GT. There are some recruits who actually care about academics such as Calvin Johnson. I believe the number in the South East is limited, thus a limitation to the GT football program. If GT goes after every top player in Georgia, and every top player in the South East without making a distinction for those kids who do care about education the program is setting itself up for failure with the kids who don't care about education and failure with the kids who do care about education. As I stated earlier, if the football program does not recognize that it is a limitation that must be addressed then that is as bad as throwing up their arms and using it as a crutch.

The things you said are on the right lines. The program needs to recognize those players nationwide, and even internationally. Then, as you said, we need to market to those kids with the "40 year program" message and with the message that those kids are up for the challenge. However, we do need to "limit" that message to kids that the coaches do believe are up for the challenge. If kids who are known to not be up for the message get that same message, it will dilute the message to the kids that do care about such things.
 
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