Designing an Identity

Why is designing an identity important? 1 Designing an identity is one of the fundamental tasks for a sports organization. If done successfully, it will inform key decisions across your organization on any number of issues, and help guard against the inevitable peaks and valleys of winning and losing.

Designing an Identity Agenda Competitive advantages of a clear identity How to build an identity for a sports organization How to implement and maintain an identity 2

Competitive advantages of a clear identity Identity helps protect against the unpredictability of winning. Identity can foster stronger emotional connections with sports fans –Functional benefits – tangible value a product delivers to consumers –Emotional benefits – a consumer’s psychological wants and needs Identity helps athletes and organizations achieve brand differentiation 3

How to build an identity? Examine three main sources 4 The Audience Fans, media, and sponsors The Individual Players, coaches, and administrators The Collective Attributes shared by organization These sources are not mutually exclusive. Some of the most effective identities combine elements of all three.

Building the Identity: The Audience Analyzing the target audience and their unique characteristics can inform identity design. Two strategies to consider: –Market Image – borrow your identity from the identity of your hometown market Example: Chicago Bears have taken on the tough, gritty, hard- working ethos of the city of broad shoulders. –Audience Compatibility – design your identity based on a specific target audience and its characteristics Example: The Red Bull Racing team in Formula One seeks to connect with adrenaline seeking fans 5

Building the Identity: The Individual Design an organization’s identity around the characteristics of an athlete, coach, owner, alumni, etc. –Example: Coach Mike Krzyzewski personifies Duke basketball The Rewards: –The organization’s identity is unique –Audiences may relate better to the individual than a brand name The Risks: –The individual will not stay with the organization forever –Poor behavior can cast a shadow on the entire organization –May tie organization’s fortunes too closely to individual’s on-field performance 6

Building the Identity: The Collective Create an identity from characteristics possessed by the organization as a whole. Potential organizational assets include: –Playing style – signature game strategies Example: Grinnell College’s men’s basketball team and its high- scoring, frenetic style –Heritage – an organization’s history and traditions Example: Notre Dame football’s iconic symbols such as Touchdown Jesus –Environment – the home of the organization Example: Penn State University’s Pegula Ice Arena’s approach to connecting with the community 7

How to implement and maintain the identity? Developing Institutional Rhetoric – using language, signs, and symbols to communicate the organization’s identity internally and externally Fostering Cross-Departmental Collaboration – aligning the team/player operations and business operations teams under a consistent identity Maintaining Consistency – using the identity to guide decisions on a wide-range of topics, including the hiring of athletic and business talent 8

Designing an Identity Conclusion A clear and strong identity can –Guard against inevitable periods of winning and losing, –Forge strong emotional connections with your audiences, and –Guide the decision-making process across your organization. To build an identity, consider three different approaches: an audience-driven, individual-driven, or collective-driven approach. Designing the identity is one challenge. Implementing and maintaining it is another. –Institutional rhetoric, cross-departmental collaboration, and maintaining consistency can help. 9