Serious Concerns about FB Marketing(long)

Axe

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Dec 31, 2001
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...Guys, I have to say I'm very worried about the GTAA's ability to market GT football next season when the stadium is completed. We will have an outstanding schedule next year so we will probably have many sell-outs. However, I'm hoping we will do this with an increased season-ticket base instead of visiting fans. 2004 could get real ugly if the GTAA doesn't get serious.

I'm sure those of you that live in the Atlanta area have seen our recent ads in the AJC. Previously, I sold ads for the AJC. I can tell you that in 1996 these ads would have cost around $3,000-$4,000 each. I believe the GTAA is wasting it's money, if a college student turned that in for an Advertising class he would be in big trouble. For those that haven't seen them, they say something like "There are many wrecks in Atlanta, only 1 is followed by a swarm of yellow jackets." There is also a picture of Greg Gathers and the home schedule. The ad says if you order now you get 1 marta pass and 1 bobble head doll. Does anyone believe this ad is going to convince someone to come to a GT game this fall.

Those marketing GT football have a big advantage working in their favor, most potential season ticket holders know GT football exists. It's highly unlikely that someone is going to open the newspaper, see the ad, and say "wow GT tickets are available, I had no idea." The ad needs to speak to them and tell them why "they" should be there this fall. Give them reasons, there should be pictures of smiling families, examples of college pagentry, wild fans, and bright saturday afternoons. The awful home schedule should be downplayed and the above examples should take center stage.

Once again, look at how the Falcons are doing things. They are running a radio spot right now, that highlights a high energy rock song. "BOOOM, here comes the boom...., ready or not...." They aren't selling the NFC South schedule they are selling a Sunday experience. We aren't selling the same pro experience, but like them we need to highlight our experience. When we run radio spots, they usually sound something like this, "Hi Jacket fans this is Wes Durham letting you know about another great season of GT football. Don't miss any of the action, when new coach Chan Gailey takes the field for the first time against ACC powers like FSU, Wake Forest, and Virginia. The radio spots should still have the fight song, but I would include comments from GT fans having a good time on gameday. Sell the band, buzz, etc. but do it with a little more pop.

Like I said, I'm very concerened about this. The recent parking PR fiasco really gave me reason to worry. I thought since the GTAA was spending $70 million to expand our stadium, that they would get serious about marketing. That doesn't appear to be the case. I hope they bring in some fresh ideas for next season and beyond.

Any Comments.
 

bugboy

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Dec 2, 2001
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Yes, I have a comment.

You may be more knowledgeable on this subject than I am, but I've always been under the impression that college football is not something that can be easily marketed. It seems that the stands are always full of people that grew up on the game and they generally have always supported the school.

An example is myself. I grew up in a UGA family and because of that, I was always a big fan of college football. When I went to Tech, I started rooting for the Jackets. Most fans that attend college football games are die-hard fans of their school (moreso than any NFL franchise). Most schools don't really market themselves to the public because they don't have to.

Maybe Tech is different because we're located in an urban area with many transplants who don't have an allegiance to any college football team (read: Northerners). Maybe a strong marketing program will really have an effect and help us bring in 10K more fans in 2003. I'm just always skeptical of the power of marketing with college football.
 

coldbeer

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Dec 3, 2001
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Axe, I agree 100%. The recent AJC ads for GT football are laughable, at best. The GTAA hasn't changed their basic advertising theme in many years.

The fine folks at the GTAA need to realize one primary concept: GT Football is not a professional sport (and never will be). Thus, we shouldn't try to advertise the games to local sports fans just like another Braves, Hawks, Falcons, Beat, etc. contest. We will lose that battle for a local sports fans' wallet 9 times out of 10. As you said, they need to promote the "event" of GT football more than the game itself.

I had to sound more and more like an old fart, but the GTAA really needs to better understand their core group of fans and how to better attract new fans. A group of 12 - 15 fans (from various walks of life) that got to sit with Braine and other GTAA execs once a month for breakfast would go a long way to understanding their fan base.
 

Axe

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Bug,

Good Points. Yes, I think we are in a different situation because we are in a large metropolitan city. We will always have the die-hards like us that go, but everyone became a fan sometime. There are plenty of fans in Bobby Dodd stadium that didn't go to GT and became big fans after going to a few games.

Regarding the metro area, I've always said that if GT was in Macon, but everything else about the school, size, etc. was the same we would put 70,000 fans a week in the Stadium. In cities like Athens, Tally, Knox, or even Clemson the games overtake the city so if you even remotely like sports or football you go because that's just what you do. For GT, we could have a game and most of the people in Atlanta would have no clue.

We are attempting to fill up this new stadium, and clearly we cannot do it without marketing our program. New fans won't be diehard fans the first time they go but we have to start by getting them in the stadium. We are clearly going to have to market our program. So if we do it we need to try and do it the right way. You can market your program and still sell the college experience. That is exactly what we aren't doing. We are trying to sell bobblehead dolls and marta passes, while our potential season ticket holder wants to be sold on the pagentry of the college game.

There are thousands of folks in Metro Atlanta that know GT has college football, they have no idea how much fun it is to watch the band march down Bobby Dodd Way, or tailgate under the skyscrappers or sing ramblin wreck after a fourth quarter touchdown, we need to tell them about it.
 

GTTerrific

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Nov 19, 2001
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Good marketing can help build a fan base. Axe is right that the marketing department can do a much better job in building excitement.

It's all about image. Want people to feel excited about whats taking place. They've missed the boat already on marketing the stadium expansion. Not that it still can't be marketed hard for next season.

There are GT fans all over the state that don't attend games. I'm sure the marketing department can tell you almost exactly the numbers. If you can get them excited about the program then people that are close to them will get excited as well. It's a domino effect.

Marketing can do a lot more good than GT fans complaining about radio coverage, Mike, Bell, and others.


Axe is right. The Marketing department can use GT tradition, excitement on game day, and an exciting football team better than they do. There is no "pop" in these adds to generate excitement. Advertising marta is a negative if you ask me. It just tells the people it's not easy to get to the games.


Marketing can go a long ways with helping the atmoshere on game day as well. It can help generate excitement of those fans that already attend the games and bring it to a new level. Some of us don't need a boost, while others of us could use a good kick in the rear! Marketing can help in this area.

There is so much passion in GT football. The marketing department doesn't even begin to tap it.

The Falcons, although it's a pro market, have built excitement in there product through marketing. Has generated excitement in me, and I was already a fan.

Want GT people to be so excited about the season that AU fans will have a hard time getting tickets to the game in 2003.

I don't buy into the bigger fan base deal. That's just an excuse. Sure it's true they have more fans, but there are still enough GT fans to fill that stadium with excitement about GT football.

Want to add UT to the schedule and only see about 20,000 of there fans. If even that. Powerful Marketing can go a long ways to building excitement in a program. Let's put some "pop" in the airways and papers! Let's tell them what GT football is all about. It's about passion. It's about history (Bobby Dodd, John Heisman, National Championships, Bowl Victories, Wramblin Wreck). It's about being Champions. It's not about riding marta to the game. Some things won't touch the possible fan that are unknowing about GT Football, but it will excite those who do know. It would help build interest in what GT football is all about.

Do you think it's difficult to get in and out of AU on game day? Have any of you delt with that? It's easy to get in and out of GT compared to a lot of college campuses. Parking is a freak'n nightmare in a lot of places. Here it's viewed as a negative, but that's only a perception.

We can do a heck of a lot better job down playing anything negative and building excitement in the program.

When the Ramblin Wreck takes the field followed by the players and coaches on Aug. 31 the GT fans in that stadium should be juiced!!
 

Axe

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539
Off the top of my head idea for radio spot:

commerical begins

(Ramblin Wreck fight song plays softly under voices)

GT Fan #1:...There's just something about GT football at night...The historic tradition of Grant Field...the skyline...it's just awesome...

GT Fan #2:...I've been coming since I was 4 when my Dad used to bring me down to campus...It's just a very special place.

(Ramblin Wreck fight song continues to play softly under voices)

Wes Durham('98 UVA call): Dez White at the 40...looking for room 35, 30...25...20...15..10...5...Dez White...Dez White...Does it again....

Announcer(Deep Voice): Georgia Tech Football...There's nothing else like it...For Tickets Call 1-888-Tech-Tix...
 

GT98

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4,212
Axe, coldbeer and GTTerrific have all touched on good points regarding the lack of marketing savvy from the GTAA. My question is what can be done about it? Will the GTAA listen to the fanbase? They really do not seem to have a good grasp of who the average GT fan is as well as why they attend games.

My other concern is that we are competing for the "transient" fans' interest against a guy that completely understands marketing, Mr. Blank. He will be working very, very hard in order to win fan support for his $595 million dollar investment. The Falcons have seen about an 85% increase in season ticket sales. WOW!!! I am not suggesting that the GTAA adopt all of his ideas (such as slashing ticket prices), but he is smart enough to annouce all of the extra parking that is now available to tailgate w/and turn Falcons' games into an experience w/friends and family.

The fact that the GTAA needs to sell the experience is right on the $$$; if not, the stadium will only be sold out when the opposing team is bringing a contigent like: Ugag, Clemson, F$U and Auburn.
 

bugboy

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Dec 2, 2001
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Maybe I'm just too skeptical. I don't know. But operating under the assumption that a marketing plan can have an effect, I'd say this:

1. DO NOT sell Marta as part of the deal. College football fans don't want Marta.

2. Sell the tailgating. Sell the open campus spaces (how ever many there are).

3. Sell BDS. After the expansion, this is gonna be an awesome place to watch a game. Sell that.

4. Sell the Varsity. Sell the Band. Sell the Wreck. Sell 3rd Street Hill. Sell Wes Durham...whatever makes us unique.

5. Sell the skyline.

Win, win, win. The best marketing program is winning. We need a big home win this year against FSU. That would really help.

Finally, we need to make a push outside of Atlanta. GT football is non-existent down here in Columbus. The medium sized towns in this state need to hear our name...Savannah, August, Macon, Columbus, Rome, Albany, Valdosta, Brunswick, Lagrange, Carrollton, etc. We are the "GEORGIA" Institute of Technology. Sometimes, I think that Tech has thrown in the towel outside of Atlanta. If we want to start filling our stadium with our people, we need more fans from all over the state, not just Atlanta.
 

JacketFanPCB

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GREAT thread. I hope the GTAA gets some e-mails and some phone calls outta this!

I've been in radio for 13 years, so pardon me if I sound biased, but we gotta sell that sizzle!! I don't know about you, but I grew up listening to Al Ciraldo and that "theatre of the mind" image he created every Saturday: "Grant Field, Atlanta, Ga. Hello again football fans, Al Ciraldo along with Kim King. Today the BIG one. The Ga. Tech Yellow Jackets (7-3 on the year, coached by Bill Curry)....AND the Georgia Bulldogs...." NOTHING sells it like radio.

Sad to say that many Tech fans are fickle. Many are transient. Some just have NO clue WHO to root for. Truth is, Atlanta's metro area is a MULTI MULTI million person landscape from which to draw from. CREATE the excitement, BUILD the excitement, and they will come. Perhaps a radio/TV combo ad campaign complete with as Axe has suggested...testimonial clips from fans of all ages OR some great moments from past GT games with Wes Durham. Play 3 or 4 of these great moments back to back and end it with something like "Un BEE liev able!"

Do it with sound, excitement, pagaentry, and GT tradition, but BLOW THEM AWAY with the passion of GT football!

 

Smooth

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Dec 20, 2001
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I hope I'm not too late to get in on this one ... In addition to all that's been said, the GTAA needs to perofrm TARGET marketing. They seem to have the attitude that all that needs to be done is to send the A-T members a ticket application and then put an ad in the newspaper to cover everyone else. How about a few dedicated efforts to hit a particular audience? Some examples:

1) Young Alums - Just from the sample of my work associates, I would say that season ticket purchases by recent graduates are pathetic. How about a young alumni program like they do for A-T points? Let the youngsters pay a small amount for season tickets the 1st 5 years and have the GTAA eat the rest. Once they've got tix and start making some money, they will most likely renew after the 5 years are up at full price. Consider the lost revenue a cost of marketing.

2) Alums of Other Schools in Atlanta - Here I am not talking about SEC alums, instead, think about how many people live in Atlanta that went to a non-D1 school. Out of these, some reasonable amount of them must be college football fans, and I would bet that they don't go back to every one of their home games. Market to them. Market to their local alumni associations. Every person in the stands doesn't have to start out as a rabid Tech fan. This is how you build a non-alumni base.

3) High Schools - Atlanta is a very diverse place. Kids at various high schools come from all sorts of backgrounds, and not all of them have a firm allegiance to a college program. I know we've done some of this in the past as far as high school bands that have been given tickets to games. Give away a few tickets. At the very least, we'll fill a few more seats. At best, we help ourselves long-term, and it cannot be bad for recruiting either.

Thoughts ???
 

FAN OF BOBBY DODD

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ONEOF THE BEST THINGS WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS IS TAKE A NEWCOMER TO OUR AREA TO THE GAMES AS A GUEST. I HAVE HAD AT LEAST FOUR WHO HAVE BECOME SEASON TICKET HOLDERS THEMSELVES. IF WE SHOW EXCITEMENT IT WILL RUB OFF.
 

oldfoggy

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The best way to fill the stands is to field a competitive team. BDodd didn't win em all but his teams were competitive. Just play well win or loose and the fans will come back.

 

bobby dodds ghost

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oldfoggy, you are right, but..........
Tech has a track record of failing when it comes to marketing. I blame it partly on the high turn-over rate in the department, and the fact that most of the ones in the dept. are wet behind the ears. They make beginner mistakes and seem to display little long term vision or direction from the AA.
I would love to see the GTAA staffed by nothing but die-hard Tech people who understand the Tech "situation". Hey, but Tech couldn't afford 'em!
.
.
BOO
 

goldeagle

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"I feel the spirit starting to move me here..." We may have the beginnings of a resurgence/rebellion/revolution here; BUT AND HOWEVER THAT MAYBE IT IS HARD TO SELL A PROGRAM WHEN YOU CANNOT GET IT ON A DECENT RADIO STATION (READ SIGNAL STRENGTH) THROUGHOUT THE STATE. PRESENT SITUATION IS LIKE THE OLD SCOREBOARD, IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT ! I CANNOT GET 790 HERE IN FORSYTH, MUCH LESS PERRY OR LAKE OCONEE! WITH ALL DUE CREDIT TO WES DURHAM SOME OF THE BEST TECH BROADCASTS I HAVE EVER HEARD WERE DONE BY LARRY MUNSON. WE ARE A WORLD CLASS ENGINEERING SCHOOL, WHY CAN'T WE GET WGST WIRED TO THE REACTOR FOR POWER AND COME UP WITH A BROADCAST THAT YOU COULD PICK UP WITH A CRYSTAL SET IN BUMöööö!? BTW, HOW ABOUT SHOWING THE WRECK PARADE THAT USED TO BE HELD AROUND PETERS PARK AND THE HOMECOMING DISPLAYS THAT USED TO BRING ATLANTANS OUT IN DROVES AT NIGHT DURING HOMECOMING TO VISIT THE CAMPUS?!

DO IT RIGHT, DO IT BIG, DO IT FIRST CLASS!!
 

84Jacket

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I'll agree with the thought that GTAA has thrown in the towel in other parts of Georgia. Besides Atlanta, I have lived in NE, NW, SW and SE parts of the state. Other than for loyal GT fans, the words "Georgia Tech" are rarely heard--except in a derogatory tone by mutt fans during a bad season in some sport.

I e-mailed several people about GT sports radio broadcasts not being carried for the last decade in the town where I went to high school. If we hadn't been able to hear Al Ciraldo on Saturdays in SW GA back in the 70's, my family would've gone nuts. If we weren't at the Tech game, it was on the radio in our house and cars--and this was way before the day of nearly every game being televised. Those radio broadcasts were my link to Tech as a kid--I was hooked early.

My messages about GT sports broadcasts missing in several medium/small towns was met with indifference. That was very disappointing, especially since an A-T executive and a player on the current football team are from that town. As it stands now, members of this player's family who can't come to Atlanta can't even hear the games he plays in. That's sad...and while most games are on TV somewhere, this town in a UGag/SEC and F$U television market, so it's not like they'll automatically get the game or additional info on TV, either.

I'm not sure the people at GTAA realize that in many medium and small towns in the state, there are Tech grads and fans in the woodwork, often community and industry leaders who need a reason to get interested in Tech sports. My sister's small-town family doctor is a GT grad, and even a minister or two I know, so I'm sure Tech grads are out there in all areas in all walks of life. These folks have no interest in riding MARTA to campus, but they do need their heartstrings pulled and their adrenaline pumped!

In my opinion, the whole realm of marketing GT sports needs to be revamped. Too bad nobody pays me for my opinion....
 

gnats67

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All interesting suggestions (I like Old Fogs best). Marketing is risky business because you're looking for a return on an investment so if its goofy or ineffectual its wasted effort. I don't understand the Marta ploy either unless its just indicative of an ignorant attempt as in "Now lets see...what are the positives...well you can take Marta!" Give GTAA credit for trying, I guess, but if we're going to the trouble(expense)of marketing it'd be nice to see something more tradition based. Marketing is a pretty lousy enterprise anyway...I'll never forget that one about putting the spice back in...
 

goldeagle

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Guys the caps were enthusiasm, not shouting at you my beloved brethren; the vice-president of U.S. Broadcasting, which owns or used to own several radio stations in GA(Macon especially), is an IE grad; I asked Wes the question about poor radio coverage and got the reply that the AA thought 790 had a strong enough signal! We are going to have to get synergistic here and figure out a way to pluck this chicken!
 

JacketFanPCB

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Can someone please link this thread to the Hive so that more folks can read it??? Perhaps some folks with some influence??

Thanks!
 

ramblinwise1

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...The ad says if you order now you get 1 marta pass and 1 bobble head doll. Does anyone believe this ad is going to convince someone to come to a GT game this fall.
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I told you... they WANT us to ride Marta to the games...
 
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