Posts Tagged ‘Sports Marketing’

Chiefs Player Tweets Too Much

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J0407434 The leaves are changing colors and the sound of cheering rings in the air. Yes, it’s football season. For those like myself who are football widows, Sundays become a day of refuge and, well, errands. However, last Sunday I came across an alarming and very local, football story that did catch my eye.

Though the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t known for their athletic prowess and they aren’t regularly seen on national news or glossy covers, one Chief’s player did make major headlines for something else. Chief’s running back, Larry Johnson, posted a few negative comments about his coach and inflammatory remarks about gays via Twitter. Now, I could jump in and talk about the importance of an online governance plan, but I’ll save that for later.

Johnson not only used gay slurs online, he also made another derogatory comment to reporters, after refusing to speak with them. Let’s just say, it was the other F word. For those Kansas Citians, Johnson’s outburst doesn’t really come as a surprise. However, his discriminatory statements are unnecessary, inexcusable and unforgiveable.

Day in and day out, we stress the importance of communications and their role in perpetuating negative stereotypes. Social media allows such ignorance to survive. With so many voices and messages, social media also has the power to positively impact many with just over 100 characters. It is our responsibility to ensure these social media platforms are utilized in a respectful way.

Furthermore, for local media covering the story, please don’t forget about his anti-gay messages. This is more than just a story about an upset player talking negatively about his coach. Media has a responsibility to report the news, giving readers/viewers the whole story. Lack of media representation continues to be a challenge for the LGBT community, and this is another example of needed progress.

For more information, check out GLAAD's call for the NFL to speak out against Johnson. One quick update, as of this morning, Johnson has been suspended for two weeks.

| October 28th, 2009 No Comments »
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New Mediums: Goodbye Neon Lights, Hello Capes

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Ortega

Looking for a way to go against the grain? Well, one athlete may have succeeded. Matador Joselito Ortega will make a statement in his upcoming fights with the words, “Gay Up,” embroidered across his hot pink cape. 

Gay Up is a strawberry-flavored energy drink that is marketed to the gay community. The relatively new matador says he sees no issue, though the industry sees his move as controversial. The issue may be two-fold: the endorsement itself or the endorsement placing. In Spain, matadors are deemed as celebrities and symbols of masculinity. Endorsements inside the ring are new, let alone on something as sacred as the cape. Furthermore, does the actual endorsement of a gay product create even more controversy? I’d have to say so.

Ortega says, "I am a bullfighter. That is not going to change. I am going to go out into the ring as I have done until now, to risk my life, and the seven goring wounds on my body prove that. If the gay community welcomes me as an image or a symbol, that is fine."

Though Ortega’s action does provide visibility for products targeted at the gay community and the gay community as a whole, how will Ortega be received by bullfighting fans and the industry? For a highly conservative industry, it will be interesting to see the criticism Ortega might face and arguments for and against this endorsement.

What do you think of this new endorsement method? What does it mean for the gay community?

Photo: AP Photo/Sergio Torres

| September 28th, 2009 No Comments »
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Cleveland Rocks!

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Comp-Candidate_City(final) Over the past couple of months, I have provided updates on Cleveland’s efforts to land the 2014 Gay Games. As their agency of record, we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the LGBT community here in Ohio to gather support for hosting this global event here in the state. It’s been an exciting, and eye-opening experience (read: politics) during the journey so far.

Next weekend marks a turning point in our effort to woo the FGG: a site visit from FGG delegates. During the weekend of July 30 – Aug. 3, we have the opportunity to show the world why Cleveland is THE choice to host this event. It begs the question—how do you market a city not currently on the gay radar to the LGBT community?

Some key learnings over the past several months:
• If you host it (for free), they will come: One of the big aspects of our weekend is a community event at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It’s called Frivolity, and it’s simply just that—fun and entertainment. And, the kicker? It’s completely free—which means free access to the Rock & Roll HOF. We’ve been amazed at the outpouring of support for this event, whether through event attendance, volunteering, or performers willing to strut their stuff. Even the FH office here in Cleveland and members of the Out Front team around the network are rallying around the event, donating their time (and friends) for the cause.

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| July 24th, 2009 No Comments »
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Continuing the Conversation on HIV/AIDS

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CGD As many of us have said countless times before, the conversation about HIV/AIDS needs to be restarted and refreshed. We all need to be thinking about ways to ensure we keep the dialogue going about prevention and protection, treatment and care. With infection rates climbing in many places (including D.C. where it has now been labeled an epidemic), we simply have no choice but to think about all of the ways in which we can leverage communications tools to share information and encourage efforts to fight HIV infections.

So it was great to read this morning about a new coalition of business leaders that has identified three target cities in the U.S. for a new campaign to “fight the spread of HIV and AIDS with better marketing, appearances by professional basketball players and financial donations to city health departments.”  The Washington Post carried the story on the front of its Metro section today and provided good detail about a story that gets far too little attention. 

According to the article, the three cities receiving the funding are Washington, D.C., New York City and Oakland, California. The companies involved are all members of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and include Pfizer, Nike, Nokia, the National Basketball Association and Facebook (among others). Very cool. I must say, however, that I hope this program does not become a one-shot deal. If the companies just write checks and issue press releases and then the campaign goes nowhere, then this announcement will amount to nothing more than bad PR. I really hope that the partners are committed to this campaign and will see it through, including remaining engaged in outreach and communication focused on making a positive impact.

The announcement could not have come at a better time. Saturday, June 27, 2009 is National HIV Testing Day – an annual observance that often seems to be overshadowed by other events and activities. 

What do you think? Is this kind of corporate engagement helpful? What else should we be doing to further the conversation about HIV/AIDS? Please share your thoughts below.

| June 25th, 2009 No Comments »
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Olympic Pride

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Vancouver  Earlier this year, I promised that I would give regular updates on Cleveland’s bid to host Gay Games IX. Latest news is that we are preparing to host a visit from delegates of the Federation of Gay Games here in Cleveland in late July. We have some exciting events planned, so I will be sure to share photos here.

Now that I have immersed myself in everything related to LGBT sports, I wanted to share a bit more detail on a news item we tweeted for you earlier this month. As we all know, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games are just months away, and Vancouver will serve as the destination for this global showcase of athleticism. Anyone who has watched either the Summer or Winter Olympics knows about the “Olympic Village,” where each country has some sort of venue to showcase not only their culture, but to provide a haven for its athletes. This winter, for the first time in Olympic history, there will be “Pride House,” a place for LGBT athletes to relax, watch events and meet friends. The organizer, GayWhistler, designed Pride House as a safe space for out athletes, coaches, fans and allies to come and essentially be themselves.

As Dean Nelson of GayWhistler put it, the Olympics have a “pretty homophobic structure where being out is not really encouraged." he said. "We're hoping we can be a catalyst and change that perception.”

This is big news in the Olympic community. As Olympic historian Kevin Wamsley commented in the story, the Olympics have traditionally skirted around the issue of sexuality, and have not provided a friendly environment for LGBT athletes in the past. And, at this point, neither the Vancouver Organizing Committee nor the International Olympics Committee are partners in this effort.

I applaud…nay, give a standing ovation… to GayWhistler for creating Pride House. The Olympics bring the world together, and that includes the LGBT community. With so many media outlets expected to descend upon Vancouver, I hope that there will be an opportunity to generate great interest in the LGBT Olympic Athlete and for sponsors and companies to market to the LGBT community. More important, I hope the IOC recognizes and embraces the importance of the LGBT community. Olympic athletes are role models. Let them be Out Role Models.

| May 29th, 2009 1 Comment »
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