We need a radical new approach to our marketing strategy before city of culture 2017. The policy of only selling through tigerleisure must now be counter productive and needs expanding and we need to get merchandise in sports shops throughout Yorkshire, we have been the top football team in Yorkshire for over 8 years now for f*** sake! We really do need to raise our commercial game.
Maybe the stuff on sale now in the club shop could be collector's items in a few years as it's probably the only time there hasn't been a name on the club badge.
I haven't come on here and said much about this subject, as no doubt I will be seen as either anti-Allam or an apologist for CTWD. However, like it or lump it I will share something with you. I was over in the US recently (initially in Detroit) and took over this season's shirt as a present to an American friend living there (with his name and a number on it). Bless him, he put it on for the duration I was with him and his partner. Everywhere that we stopped and had a beer, my friend or I was asked who the team was or who is 1904? In each case I asked if they knew about other English clubs - and of course the usual names including Chelsea, Spurs, the Manc and Scouse clubs plus others were mentioned. I teach some Marketing & Branding (mainly to do with using audio and music) and have been involved with a number of campaigns over the years, so I know a little bit of what I'm talking about. However, whilst there, I got talking to and explained our marketing policy to a retired branding/marketing executive (ex-GM motors amongst others) and she was at a loss as to how eliminating the name of the club would aid our campaign overseas. She also jokingly asked if our club's marketing team was being run by 'Freshman' interns. I am not anti-Allam but the story of the 'The Emporer's new clothes' comes readily to mind here. Someone needs to grow up QUICKLY and realise that Hull City - yes the proud NAME of our home city, the city of culture 2017, needs to be the main brand message on ALL merchandise with the Tigers and 1904 used as sub-brand names. Apologies for the repetition on the subject, but I have tried to stay on topic re club shop sales!
We haven't got a ****ing strategy with this twat in charge. Don't forget, nobody tells him how to run his business. That's why he doesn't have a PR person to show him the error of his ways.
Our badge has nothing to do with people not knowing who we are abroad, if the badge said Hull City then the question would be who are Hull City? You've listed Spurs as a team that people recognise but they don't have the club name on the badge either. Take a look at some of the biggest sports teams in the world and in particular American sports teams, a lot of them don't have their name on the badge, same with some of the worlds biggest companies (Apple for example). In marketing terms the badge could and should work, its simple, recognisable and distinctive, we just don't have the profile or marketing strategy to take advantage of it. I don't agree with the club name been removed, largely because the motives behind it are misguided and petulant, but purely from a marketing point of view there's not a lot wrong with it.
please log in to view this image Also, what makes you see this logo: please log in to view this image And think of a word different from Apple?
Spurs don't have the name of the club on the shirts though. Neither do some others like Wolves. I don't have a problem with the club name not being on the shirt. We didn't have a badge until the 1940s, apart from the season in the 1930s when we had a blue shirt with 3 crowns on, and then we only had a tiger. Same when we reintroduced the tiger in the 70s, it was just a tiger at first. However do not like the tiger with 1904. I always think Allam in his perverse way is trying to suggest we have been Hull Tigers since 1904. Just a tiger is our nickname the tigers, just like Wolves, 1904 on it confuses the issue.
That would be a good point if it was the badge on Spurs shirt. Also there's plenty of company logos without text or any direct relation to the brand that you instantly recognise, cars are good example.
M aybe these people care a bit more than you do hence their objection Not all of us can easily jump ship to another club like some of the lightweight boo boys that descend on the KC when we are in the top flight
Actually you are absolutely wrong with that assertion. http://historicalkits.co.uk/Hull_City/Hull_City.htm
Fair points chaps, I used a poor example and I stand corrected. However, I do agree that the shop should stock Hull City merchandise. It is what we are called and what we are!
Completely agree with the sentiment, having the name on the badge isn't so much a marketing issue abroad, its for the true fans, those that are proud of their club and where their from. They want the name on there not to sell more shirts abroad but because they are proud of their team and their city.
http://www.logoquiz.net/ With enough promotion, the logo doesn't need any text for it to be recognisable.
When you look at those kits you realise our key unique asset is our colours, not the badge. Exactly, its all to do distinctive imagery, and marketing. People remember and recognise shapes/colours more than text, fun fact, that's why our motorway signs are in lower case, the shape of the word is more recognisable than that actual letters.
The club shop, and strategy as a whole is a complete farce. I went in at the start of December to buy a home shirt for my 6 & 4 year old lads. I was told then they had sold out. I contacted Tiger Leisure just before Christmas to be told that we'd sold out of those shirts, and wont be getting anymore in stock. there are league 2 clubs that would put us to shame. How can someone get ordering so wrong as to run out of kids shirts in less than 4 months at a Premier League Club?