Help a Grad Student - School Project about Rise with Us Theme

by sneakpreviewguitarist on Mar 24, 2008 4:30 PM PDT Comment 14 comments

I'm a graduate student at San Diego State University, and I'm doing a project on the Blazers for my marketing class. I wanted to get some feedback on what you think of the Rise with Us theme the Blazers are using for the season (the ads on Comcast, the giant sign by the arena, the theme in general, etc.). Any thoughts/comments are most appreciated. Thanks!!

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A

little pretentious if you ask me, but it gets the overall theme of the current situation across without being too annoying or embarassing.

by mmopg1 on Mar 24, 2008 4:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

slightly cheesy

yet surprisingly spot on.

a good fit with Portland's "Keep Portland Weird" mantra.

Can't we all just get along?

by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Mar 24, 2008 4:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like it

but it doesn't make any more or less likely to follow the team or buy tickets (I'm already sold). I wonder what effect (if any) the campaign is having on the disillusioned pre-Jail Blazer fan or casual fan.

by jksnake99 on Mar 24, 2008 5:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Marketing class projects

Hoo boy, does that bring back memories. For your sake, I hope it's not one of those dreaded Group Projects.

Just a couple of comments: First, the players also thought it was cheesy when it was first introduced, but then decided it was apropos. (If you want to follow that up, I think it was mentioned by Jarrett Jack in the Oregonian during our December win streak.)

Secondly, the Blazers' marketing people took a risk with it, as they must have figured there'd be a bunch of Viagra jokes, etc. Will you be talking to them? It'd be interesting to see who decided/how it came to be the theme for the season.

(Personally, I never liked it.)

by Corvid on Mar 24, 2008 5:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I love it.

I think it's inspirational and inclusive. Makes the fan feel as if they are part of something, like they have gotten in on the ground floor of something great. It's also good spin, "don't expect too much because we are 'rising' and not there yet " but also "it's ok to have hope, we are re-birthing this franchise."

Tempered expectation, hope, freshness, inclusiveness, simplicity, positive connotations.

Can't ask for much more IMHO.~Nathan

Blazers fan since '84, Currently exiled in Tennessee and North Carolina

by HurraKane212 on Mar 24, 2008 5:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

when i first heard it...

i thought it was a little patronizing.

it has grown on me, like slogans often do.

they have done a very good job in my opinion of incorporating the slogan into a multi-platform campaign. it's consistent throughout their materials, in the arena, online, etc.

i like that the word "rise" has basketball connotations, thought that was a nice twist.

more than anything, the inclusiveness aspect of the "with us" seems to be successful. when i mention the blazers in casual conversation with non-fans, there seems to be 100% agreement that the team is different than "the old guys."

not sure how much credit this slogan gets for that compared to actions of our very well-behaved players, but it didn't hurt.

For more pictures and videos, check out the BlazersEdge Facebook group and www.youtube.com/blazersedgeben

by Ben. on Mar 24, 2008 6:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think the slogan should be:

The Blazers Are So Explosive, Iran's Not Allowed to Have Them

by dp8039 on Mar 24, 2008 6:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Or...

Oden is so devastating George Bush thought he was a WMD.

by BlazerD on Mar 25, 2008 12:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The mere fact

that anyone remembers it this late in the season is proof of its success. I was neutral when they started but after reading the same article mentioned above from the players thought more positive about it. It is one of the biggest problems with the NBA - the disconnect between the players and the marketing people. Better this year than many years before.

by lee3022 on Mar 24, 2008 9:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

truthfully

i don't think i've ever given much weight to team slogans. I remember the Pittsburgh Pirates had a pretty goofy one a couple years back, but I can't remember what it was (just that it was goofy). I wonder how effective slogans really are. But now that I'm thinking about that, it would be tough to empirically test. Surveying fans may be the best way to go, but of course surveys are rife with biases. But to actually test slogans, you would need to check the attendance and television ratings of all the teams with slogans and all without. then hope the two lists are evenly matched with talent. The Suns without slogans I'm sure have more attendance than the Bobcats with slogans. Or see if a team has not had slogans in the past, but now has, and see if attendance changed during the two spans.

As for the Blazers new one, I think it's as good as a slogan for a team is going to be, but I still don't get excited over it

by dp8039 on Mar 25, 2008 7:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

San Diego?

I hope you're a Blazers fan then. I thought I was the only one down here. Good to know I'm not alone. Let me know if you ever wanna go beat up some l*kers fans.

I'm super duper awesome

by hobobob on Mar 25, 2008 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm on the fence

It is cheesy, but it fits the culture. I think it would be more fitting for a bread company. The sign is neat but again, I don't think it has a huge impact. To me, it is just a slogan and I am not easily moved by slogans.

by DraftTylerHansbrough on Mar 25, 2008 1:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's effective for its purpose

It was never meant for the committed fans. It is intended to communicate to those who were turned off by the "Jail Blazers" image that this is a new beginning.

It is intended to reinforce the good news: Brandon's Rookie of the Year award, the drafting of Oden, the dumping of the troublemakers. The whole marketing approach is built around convincing Portland that we have a fresh start with the team.

By itself, the slogan would do nothing, but in the context of the other news that is seeping back into the public consciousness about the Blazers, it helps to reinforce the whole picture.

It's only a useful slogan because it matches the reality. The team has had a new start, and is on the rise. The winning streak just reinforced that. The really brilliant marketing moves were not the slogan, but A) drafting Roy and Aldridge B) trading Zach C) winning the lottery and drafting Oden and D) winning 13 games in a row in December. That makes the slogan believable.

I'm frequently right, but always certain

by jscot on Mar 26, 2008 12:35 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs