Branding the Panthers
Hoping to create a message that resonates with South Florida sports fans, the Panthers have hired SME to develop a brand strategy that encompasses the team and its mission as a source of entertainment.
SME, a premier branding company that has developed brand messages for dozens of teams, sports organizations and companies, has been interviewing season ticket holders and casual fans, current and former players, and former Panthers general manager and president Bill Torrey to learn what the team means to the community.
“Now is the time to go out and do our research to get a good sense of how people feel about us and blend it with how we feel about ourselves,” Panthers Chief Operating Officer Michael Yormark said. “We felt that at this time it was important for us to first do some research in the marketplace, talk to our core hockey fans, sports fans and find out what people think about the Florida Panthers. What do they think about the brand and perhaps reposition ourselves and make sure we’re connecting with both our core audience as well as potentially new fans to get a better understanding of what people think about it, about us, about who we should be.”
SME, which created the Panthers’ logo, developed the NHL’s post-lockout theme and new shield logo. It has worked with dozens of teams, including the Boston Bruins, for whom it created “the Hub of Hockey” campaign, and the Detroit Pistons. The company also designed the striped dolphin logo -- that is vastly different from the team’s cartoonish dolphin logo -- for Dolphin Stadium last year.
Using its “Brand-ON” concept, SME will develop a strategy for the team. The company's Web site, describes "Brand-ON" this way: SME Brand-ON empowers organizations by conveying a profound understanding of the building blocks of their brands. This awareness enables them to successfully communicate essential brand benefits to all constituents through times of prosperity, decline and crisis. Brand-ON uncovers values, promise, positioning and dimensions; leading to powerful conclusive brand strategies, mapping out the successful course of a brand for years to come.
SME expects to develop a message the Panthers will use across their business in advertising, on television, and in BankAtlantic Center.
“Everything we do will revolve around this new creative,” Yormark said.
The idea, says Ed O’Hara, SME chief creative officer and senior partner, is “to better define the Florida Panthers’ brand, to sustain growth, success, clarity of message.”
O’Hara said 60 people have been interviewed, including season ticket holders, booster club members and even fans in sports bars, to find out how they feel about the team. Unlike a survey or focus group, those interviewed do not represent a cross-section of the community, but instead people who already have some affinity for the team.
“We were speaking to the already converted so we heard a lot of good things. They say [of the arena] ‘this is my sanctuary, it’s full of fun and love’,” O’Hara said. “We ask them 'if the Panthers went away tomorrow, how would you feel, what would you do?' We got responses that were everything from ‘You see that window -- I’d jump,’ to ‘I’d have to root for the Tampa Bay Lightning’.”
SME is sharing those findings with team officials during a workshop today. Yormark said he hopes the new brand message will be in place in time for next season.
Comments
No doubt the top priority has got to be doing what is necessary to put a real contender out on the ice & it does seem that Martin recognizes and appreciates the core of players that the team must build around. But marketing is extremely important as well, because the public is very visually oriented and suffers from an absurdly short attention span--out of sight, out of mind. This summer & fall will be very telling in terms of the organization's depth of commitment to both areas. It bothers me to read that the SME exec seems at least satisfied and possibly proud of the fact that 60 people, who already know about the team, have been interviewed as a part of the re-branding strategy. Hopefully, this is just a starting point--I, and I'm sure most fans, would be absolutely livid if this turns out to be little more than the blue jersey with the broken stick logo and the handful of billboards along the side of the highway in Broward that we were treated to several years ago.
While it is undoubtedly important to take care of the season ticketholders, who have felt (rightfully so) neglected & unappreciated, SME MUST reach out and make a solid attempt to expand the fan base beyond the boundaries of Broward. Really, ever since the team moved north, the organization appears to have completely written off the Miami-Dade fan base and I truly believe they have suffered because of it. Although the majority of season ticketholders most likely reside in Broward & Palm Beach, the organization is in no position to ignore the potential revenue that mini-plan and single-game ticket purchases can generate. Such increased revenue might then help to guarantee that the owners will give Martin the financial leeway to keep the core together and to bring in the players that genuinely address the team's needs.
Of course, it's not just about expensive players-- an Alexei Yashin albatross or another Pavel Bure is not the answer--but just imagine what might have been the past two seasons if the organization had all that revenue to play with because of wise marketing. Perhaps the team would not have taken Luongo to arbitration, which was clearly the death-knell of his tenure with the Panthers. And that occurred at a time when Luongo pretty much WAS the Panthers' entire marketing strategy!
Suffice it to say, I am hopeful but dubious, based on what I have read thusfar. It is encouraging to see that the need for a new marketing strategy has been acknowledged, and SME has worked with the Rangers, as well as the Bruins (I couldn't find specific mention of any other teams on the company's website). But these are teams with solid, established fan bases. Let's just hope SME does more for the Panthers than they've done for RC Cola.
Posted by: Paula | June 11, 2007 4:45 PM
forget about spending money on BRANDING the Panther image!!! Move the team to Canada, Winnipeg, Hamilton or wherever, no BRANDING required, people know the game and will support an NHL team, no questions asked, you cannot make a pig out of a sow's ear!!!
Posted by: vedersmart | June 9, 2007 8:17 PM
How about putting a winning team that can make the playoffs on the ice! And changing those hideous uniforms
would help too. Navy blue, ketchup and mustard are not a good combination!
Posted by: Todd | June 8, 2007 6:11 PM
I'm a season ticket holder and had a GREAT promo for the Panthers..a terrific opportunity, they ignored me like I was nuts. I have had more than a handful of lazy "season ticket reps" just come and go. No communication. I'd have my rep of the week call me, then..I'd have some other rep call and ask if I wanted season tickets! ever hear of cross-reference? It's happened MANY times. I love hockey AND the Panthers BUT some of these employees really blow. AND the Yormark guy, he better get on the maintenance of the BAC, because toward the end of the season, there were many restrooms that had graffitti, and broken handles etc. Seems he has enough time to fire and screw with ticket tearers, and blow his stack but what about the day-to-day maintenance of the arena. This "product" needs to be out at as many festivals, celebrations, parades, etc as possible and SELL the "product". when was the last time you saw anyone from the Panthers out doing anything? As for on the ice business, I agree with the above statement. with the botched handdling of the Luongo fiasco, this team is lucky to have the support it has now! Coach Martin seems to be doing the right things, and if they spend money wisely AND /OR do spend some, this team will go places..and as you know here in South Florida..the fans show up. This is a hockey RICH area, don't let anyone fool you..they are here, especially in Broward, and this place would go NUTS if the Panthers got on track. In closing, get out to the public..get a winner on the ice...
Posted by: Fan | June 7, 2007 10:32 PM