Saints and Sinners
Sportsdirect.com@ St. James Park doesn’t really slip off the tongue does it?
I’m not entirely sure that the new name for the historic sporting arena and home to the legendary Newcastle United is really captured. I know that I am not on my own with my thinking as hysteria has gripped the North East and Newcastle United fans from across the globe.
The trials and tribulations of the club are well known through its controversial sackings, boardroom battles and player transfers, but the one constant has been the club name and that of its historic ground St. James Park. These are the crown jewels of the Newcastle United brand and something that should be revered at all cost, like any successful worldwide brand.
In the world we live in today, brands play a critical part in our daily lives. They allow us to express our personality and fulfil our aspirations. They are built on the relationship we have with the products or services we choose and like any relationship it takes time, commitment and consideration of the other persons needs to maintain that sense of value.
There is a very fine line between success and failure when managing your brand. Branding goes way beyond a company logo or TV advert, it encapsulates every way in which your customers come into contact with your brand.
The recent media coverage of M&S charging extra for larger bra sizes was met with hostility from customers and immediately the household favourite switched their adverts to apologies and dropped their prices. They recognised that making a little extra cash over losing customers and damaging their likeable personality was a risk too big to take.
Direct Line also hit the headlines earlier this year by amending its holiday insurance policy terms to allow customers to claim for the effects of Swine Flu whilst taking a break.
Both of these recent examples demonstrate how easily a brand can change its perception, in the eyes of the customer.
The golden rule for every business is never take people for granted - complacency has a high price.
However, the passionate and fanatical community that support the Newcastle United brand are a little more demanding than your everyday consumer. In an age when we witness fans naming their children after players and covering their bodies in tattoo’s of their favourite football team, football clubs should be thankful of life-long fans.
Tinkering with these most valuable of assets for commercial gain at the expense of the fans emotional relationship with the brand has to come with a serious health warning.
However, the question is in the run up to Christmas will sportsdirect.com see a surge in sales as the site receives international TV coverage in light of the controversial decision?
What do you think?