EPL Jersey

This Saturday, as I often do, I woke up early to watch the English Premier League. For those that do not follow soccer the EPL is the English soccer league, considered by most to be the best league in the world. During the game between by beloved Tottenham and Manchester United something caught my eye in a way that it has never before. In soccer unlike traditional US sports such as baseball and football, the front of the jersey is reserved for sponsors. While this is something I have known about for virtually my entire life I never have thought deeply about the sponsorship on the uniforms. I made the immediate connection between this form of advertising and celebrity endorsements. A company that decides to promote themselves on a uniform not only takes on the risk of the players misbehaving but also the team as a whole. Celebrity endorsements/partnerships can be very risky for companies because once the two form a bond a celebrity’s bad judgment can seriously hurt a business. To me having your company on a jersey is a huge risk. Not only are you as a company now bond to a whole team of players but you are also a part of that organization. I wonder if fans of rival teams would be against products that sponsor their most hated opponents.

I also did some research into just how much teams earn from jersey sponsorships and found some very interesting information. Manchester United and Liverpool both earn the most with an annual 20million pound payday. London’s Fulham club makes the least bringing in 120,000 pounds yearly. The range in which companies advertise on teams is almost as wide the discrepancy between the costs to sponsor. With companies ranging from beer to air travel.

The NBA is one US league that as discussed moving toward this style of advertising and revenue and I think it will be interesting to see how it is received here in the states.

Below are some jerseys to show examples of this form of advertising.  

 

Giants Baseball

With my hometown San Francisco Giants clinching another playoff berth I found it fitting to examine one of their TV ads. When I am home it is very rare for me to miss a game so I have seen almost every ad the team has released since I was very young. I find professional sports advertisements extremely interesting as it is a field I wish to get into. While some products force celebrity endorsements, sports teams are already coupled with the star players on their roster. While the team has to deal with the publicity those players attract they also control which ones they choose to highlight through advertising. In this particular advertisement the Giants do not place a heavy emphasis on any particular player and have multiple players shown. I think that was a very good move as it kept the focus off of just one player, placing the concentration on the team as a whole.

 

One thing I thought this commercial did a brilliant job of was conjuring up old beloved memories. The “Let’s Get Back Together” phrase was excellent. It brings back the memories of the World Series title in 2010 that are still alive and in every Giants fan’s mind. The commercial also shows fans instead of only focusing on players. I think that was very smart as it lets the fans know that they are a huge part of the team’s success and that they are needed in the stands. The final three seconds where the “Let’s Go Giants” chant is heard also ties directly into the memories and the fans importance. Everyone who has attended a meaningful Giants home game can hear that chant ringing though their head. The word “Together” is a key word to me in this ad, as it really does act as a call to action to fans. It calls for them to go to games cheer the team on and that the ball club cannot make it all the way alone.

This advertisement is very good one as it contains many different elements and really connects the product (Giants) with the consumer (fans). With that being said, “Let’s Go Giants!”

Cell Phones: More Than Just Talking

Cell phones and cell phone commercials are very fascinating to me. The technology and the uses associated with cell phones grow and change so fast. Even in my young life I have seen a ridiculous transformation in the cell phone. Technology has taken it from being a communication device to somewhat of a social symbol. Cell phones are always out and are often incorporated into conversation, be it showing off a photo to pulling up a website.

I actually found this commercial during my search to find another video that I had intended to write on, but this ad really stuck out to me. The entire focus of this commercial is the phone in a social setting. For example sharing a photo or giving someone a video. Those are both things that I had mentioned earlier as areas where cell phone technology is taking us. This commercial almost makes a connection in a consumer’s head that when they are at a social event and they take a picture this phone is the one they need to quickly and easily share the image. Cell phone advertisements are really moving toward, if they aren’t already there, selling the idea of the phone as a social device more than strictly a communication device. The feeling of the ads changes the phone from “like” to a “must have.” The phone as it is portrayed in these commercials is a need in social settings and something that you “must have.” I believe this ad, and others that use this focus do a great job at tapping into the consumers desire to be “cool” and have the social device that will keep up with their life. Any ad in my mind that can change something from a “like” to a “must have” is an overwhelming success and this one has defiantly done that to some of its audience.

Fantasy Football and Star Wars?

This week marked the beginning of another NFL season. Meanwhile to the millions of fans who enjoy fantasy football the season has already been long in full swing. With many fans completing their fantasy draft weeks ago the trash talking and taunts have already been raging on while no games have been played. One aspect I feel that gets overlooked in all the post draft commotion is the commercials. I find fantasy football commercials to be some of the funnier ads on TV. Advertisers have the ability to take the ads in so many different directions, from the person who always seems to lose, to the friend that is overly enthusiastic about his team’s success.  This particular ad is a bit older but is one that I particularly enjoy.

 

I love when two completely unrelated things pair up to create something that seems to fit in perfect harmony. I would never think to incorporate Star Wars with fantasy football. This video got me thinking about all the possible partnerships you can have in the world of marketing and communications. I have started to look at brands and objects and find “partners” for them, which in most cases would make hilarious advertisements. For an advertisement to be successful it must have an element of surprise to it. If an advertisement catches you off guard it has a much better chance of getting you to laugh and thus remember the product or service. For that reason I found this advertisement to be a huge success.