Branding landmarks

Usually, being a fan of Newcastle United doesn't cross over into my profession of working in Advertising. Sure I'll have opinions on how badly the club handle the press and how they have no concept of how to generate positive PR, but on a day to day professional basis there's no overlap.

That was until I read the news that Mike Ashley is listening to offers from brands to rename the stadium. From a personal perspective it appals me. From a brand point of view I also think it's potentially a really bad move. Let me explain...

St James' Park is the oldest football stadium in the North East. It's one of the few stadiums left in the country that has a city centre location. When you travel into Newcastle from the South (as the majority of our opponents do) you get the amazing sight of the stadium looking down over the city. It's a beautiful sight and one I still look forward to even after seeing it hundreds of times. Within the city it's a key focal point. On match day it's the centre of the universe. When you're not in the ground and Newcastle score you can here it in the city centre. It's a true multi-sensory experience that goes beyond its boundaries.

When I've spoken to opposition fans they've been unequivocal about their love of the ground. They can get off the train, walk through the city, and get up to the ground via several drinking holes. It's not located in a trading estate situated out of town like other stadia. (Of course it's not all romantic - some fans clash and some pubs are better than others.)

So with that in mind. With all of those positives I've listed above in mind, which brand do I think should name the ground?

Well, I think who it is is much less important than how they do it.

You see, St James' Park is old. It has heritage. People know it as St James' Park. It's not like other grounds that are known as a few different names (West Ham for example is known by some as Upton Park, and some as the Boleyn Ground) and it's never had a different name in the 117 years since Newcastle United was formed.

(Some other grounds have branded names but by and large these names were given when a new stadium was built.)

The simple fact is, St James' Park is a name that people have heard, talked about, trusted (despite ownership) and had deep emotional connections to for the whole of their lives. A brand is going to have to do something very special indeed to make sure they build on this and at the same time not destroy any positive consumer feelings toward their brand.

So what would I say if I were advising a brand on this issue?

Two very simple things:

Firstly, I wouldn't change the name. It's as simple as that. Do not call it 'The [Brand] Stadium.' It'll do you more harm than good. Newcastle United fans (many of whom are global by the way) will simply resent your brand. They'll still call it St James' Park and they'll resent your brand. Opposition fans have also always called it St James' Park so the chances of them calling it anything different is slim. They've had a constant message of "St James' Park" all of their lives, so how long will you have to buy the sponsorship to change even a small percentage? A long, long time. Not a good ROI.

Secondly, I'd communicate with the fans and ask them what they want out of it. It may be a privately owned business, but it'd disappear tomorrow if the fans stopped watching. This is a key learning the brand can take from the people they'll buy the rights from: the Ashley regime. If you study how they have conducted themselves since buying the club, simply do the opposite. They are shockingly bad at communicating with the fans. You need to be much, much better. Ask them what they would be comfortable with. Test ideas with them. Speak to them as people, not as nameless animals. If you do this they'll respect your business as a brand, but they'll also build up a trust with the people behind the brand.

Own the rights to name it, let everyone know you own those rights (subtly in some cases) but respect the name and don't change it.

It will be a brave brand that does the above, but it'll be a respected brand. It'll be a brand that will be supported by the fans instead of being disowned by them. It'll be a brand that goes up in my estimations, my friends estimations and my family's estimations. I'd guess that other fans may feel the same as me too. It'll be a positive action. Not a negative action.

So, pass this on to the brands thinking about it, and comment below. Let's help them do it the right way, and let's get chatting to them.

Mark
madesignstudies@gmail.com

Comments

[eaon]

excellent post sir, agree totally.
I'm always saying that the biggest mistake marketers make is looking at situations from their own perspective not their customers (or potential customers). Anyone buying into NUFC is buying into the legendary passion for football in the area so to piss-off NUFC fans from the pov of ignorance is an even bigger sin.

[Ciarán]

Really interesting post. I think you make good points about the difference between renaming new & existing stadiums. Emirates is already shorthand for Arsenal. But the Newcastle 'Brand' Stadium? Not so much.

Excellent stuff, being shared internally as I type...

[Willem van der Horst]

Can't believe I read so much theory about football, fans and a stadium. Although it's about advertising I guess.

Interesting post. I guess the important for a brand not to outright re-name is 'not good ROI' because otherwise, take a permanent stake in the place and stick your name on it - even better if it dominates the whole city so no one forgets it's you.

Sure fans will be unhappy and resentful for a while but it's unlikely they'll stop going to the games and the name will change after a while. History is written by the winners and maybe you'll be old one day and tell stories before a game to some youngsters at one of those pubs about how the Newcastle [Brand] Park used to be called St James Park... They won't care that much and be interested in talking about the game at hand. Even better if they involve the fans in the process.

I really don't know much about football or how comparable the situation is but in the case of the Arsenal stadium I'm surprised how fast Emirates is catching up as a name - I've had people correct me several times and say 'Ah yes, you mean the Emirates stadium'.

Sure, your version sounds better and the brand could perhaps get more out of it on the long term but human beings tend to go instant gratification, human beings manage brands, and having your name in big shiny letters on a whole stadium is undeniably attractive.

Let's hope something better than that happens. I'm more worried about just everything being branded everywhere and that just becomes messed up.

Can't wait for the day I'll watch a beautiful sunset somewhere and somehow have an ad message on the horizon telling me 'This beautiful sunset is brought to you by [brand]'

[Sam]

Excellent post Mark, companies should use sponsorship to bring their offering closer to the community rather than plaster fucking signs everywhere.

I love the stuff Adidas have done with the All Blacks in terms of bringing rugby fans closer to the game and giving them experiences they wouldn't otherwise be able to get. Access and (more) passion. Thems be the money shots baby.

[Lyndon Morant]

The timing isn't ideal. If stadium naming rights were sold now, the football community would see it as emblematic of financial trauma at the club. A stigma.

Completely agree that a name is more than a name and that a) a brand can't buy the equity of the St. James' park name (because, frankly, that isn't what's for sale) and b) a name is a beginning.

Do you think that if the stadium has major redevelopment work to the extent that it offers a different experience (take the new Wembley, for example) then branding it would work for the fans? Like turning over a new leaf?

[Will]

I think that the essence of a football club is its fans. The fans support a team largely because of either history or success.

In short, the providence of the club. It's more important in sports than in almost anything else.

So changing the name would have massive implications. I'm not going to talk about the benefits of rebranding; if you call it 'football ground x', you remove a reason for support - a vital pillar - and add a physical mark of the current difficulties.

(Yes, i'm still annoyed we don't play at the Victoria ground).

[Anjali Ramachandran]

Will, I assume you mean 'provenance', not 'providence'....

Mark, nice one.

[sel]

all bollocks chap, they'll do what they like and everyone will swallow it, no amount of bleeding blogging will ultimately affect the gate in the longer term - marketing is about money not emotion, there are always ways.
How about Newcastle Breweries - The Newcastle Brown Arena....they're closing the Fed brewery in 2010 - 'The Newcastle Federation Stadium' would therefore reflect the heritage of the region & blah, not many could object...could have the 'Dog' End terrace - do they still have terraces? guess not.
Greggs Park? - free sausage rolls at half time would shut you up now wouldn't it - I know you ex veggies...

love, uncle angry anti-marketing bloke x

[David Norris]

I don't know about this one. I understand that it must be very hard to look at this from a passionate Geordie perspective. You love your club, you love your history and you love your ground.

I have been to a couple of matches, and both times the atmosphere has been amazing. No matter what the place is called the atmosphere will still be there, and still hold true, your history in the black and white shirts (which you could never lose - I understand that one!).

I guess it becomes most interesting when you think about the value back to the club, and therefore the fans by doing this. If Ashley jumps into bed with the first brand that comes calling then he will get into trouble.

However, a strategic partnership that goes beyond the pure naming rights offers great potential. If it was a local brand then maybe that would work even better...

If a big money deal can be done, that enables extra financial stability to your club, and is done with thought then I think you boys would grow to love it - especially if you actually won something.

I know the pain of having your home ground sold from under you (Brighton fan), and if this means your club gets stability, hopefully launches as you emerge back in the Premier League then why the hell are you complaining?!