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The 'We R B1G' campaign

Ruthinking

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Aug 7, 2011
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I never gave this campaign a second thought......that is until I came across some people (OK, women) who didn't understand it. We all know what B1G stands for...and anyone who has read a sports page or watched a college football game knows also. But I think we're missing the boat with a significant part of the population...men and women.

It might make a little more sense if the word 'Ten' was in parentheses after B1G. But I think that a huge part of the NJ population needs to be 'taught' about what B1G and Big Ten stands for. Should the names of our conference members somehow be included on billboards?? We're running with a pretty good crowd and that needs to be communicated better. In our jubilation over joining the Big Ten I think we're forgetting to tell people what it's all about. So this is just an open letter to generate some ideas/thoughts.

If anyone has connections with our PR area, I'd love to hear their thoughts.
 
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I never gave this campaign a second thought......that is until I came across some people (OK, women) who didn't understand it. We all know what B1G stands for...and anyone who has read a sports page or watched a college football game knows also. But I think we're missing the boat with a significant part of the population...men and women.

It might make a little more sense if the word 'Ten' was in parentheses after B1G. But I think that a huge part of the NJ population needs to be 'taught' about what B1G and Big Ten stands for. Should the names of our conference members somehow be included on billboards?? We're running with a pretty good crowd and that needs to be communicated better. So this is just an open letter to generate some ideas/thoughts.

If anyone has connections with our PR area, I'd love to hear their thoughts.
No connections ...just a Jersey guy who live's in NYC and upstate for 35 yrs and I think it achieved its purpose. Sorta like a guy with a tattoo but to proud Jersey followers of our state U and alums announcing our arrival on the B1G stage!!.
 
Ok....Because of the overwhelming response, let me ask. "Does anyone disagree with my premise that we need to do better with the NJ non sports fans in telling our Big Ten story?"

You know those great B1G (I hate typing that on the iPad) commercials that are only shown during B1G football or basketball games??? Why don't we work a deal with the B1G to get them shown during regular TV? Showing them to football fans is preaching to the choir. Same with the Revolutionary War commercial. It was worth it to make it but we're the only ones who get to see it and we're already on board.

I know that we're getting into a money discussion now with commercials, so does anyone have any unique thoughts or cheap ideas?
 
I never gave this campaign a second thought......that is until I came across some people (OK, women) who didn't understand it. We all know what B1G stands for...and anyone who has read a sports page or watched a college football game knows also. But I think we're missing the boat with a significant part of the population...men and women.

It might make a little more sense if the word 'Ten' was in parentheses after B1G. But I think that a huge part of the NJ population needs to be 'taught' about what B1G and Big Ten stands for. Should the names of our conference members somehow be included on billboards?? We're running with a pretty good crowd and that needs to be communicated better. In our jubilation over joining the Big Ten I think we're forgetting to tell people what it's all about. So this is just an open letter to generate some ideas/thoughts.

If anyone has connections with our PR area, I'd love to hear their thoughts.

I voiced the same concern about the "We are B1G" billboards and was promptly shouted down. Yeah, sure, the average motorist driving by knows what it means. Yeah, sure.
 
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I completely agree that the "B1G" moniker is not recognized. In fact, one of the things I found funny was the fact that the moniker for our division: "B1G East" looks so much like the name "Big East". I always refer to us as being in the "Big Ten" as I think almost anyone will recognize that.
 
DJ...I never even thought about the Big East comparison. Yikes, now I hate it even more!
 
people who don't follow, understand, or care about sports don't care what B1G means. The billboards were designed to garner traction with casual sports fans who didn't know we were in a new conference.
 
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people who don't follow, understand, or care about sports don't care what B1G means. The billboards were designed to garner traction with casual sports fans who didn't know we were in a new conference.

That's exactly the problem. It does mean something academically and most people in NJ don't get it. Remember all the talk about the AAU designation and how proud the Big Ten schools are because of it? We need people in NJ to be proud of RU and they're not.
 
That's exactly the problem. It does mean something academically and most people in NJ don't get it. Remember all the talk about the AAU designation and how proud the Big Ten schools are because of it? We need people in NJ to be proud of RU and they're not.

Except it really doesn't. The B10 is really an athletic conference comprised of good academic schools. Being in the same athletic conference as other good schools might help Rutgers' self-esteem, but it doesn't make Rutgers a better school.

That said, the B10 is starting to do some things, like the B10 Cancer Research Consortium, that could have a significant impact on improving the academic and research profiles of member schools.
 
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Having grown up with strong family rooting interest in Ohio State, I will always favor the traditional "THE BIG TEN" - as time went by and it became eleven ... and then twelve ... it was still "The Big Ten" ... I recognize that change is inevitable and eventually I will adjust - but I am still not fully comfortable with the "Bee-One-Gee" ....
But Regardless - Might happy that RU is a member!!!
 
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If people don't know what the Big Ten means academically or athletically, then a billboard isn't going to solve that no matter what it says. In terms of the Revolutionary War commercial, that reaches a ton of people who otherwise don't know anything about Rutgers. Millions of people are watching Rutgers sporting events during the year who know nothing about the school, those 30 second commercials give a lot of info about the school that otherwise would have no clue.

The "We R B1G" billboards serve its purpose--to let casual sports fans know we are now in the Big Ten. In terms of reaching non-sports fans who don't know what "B1G" means? Look at it this way---there are a ton of people in NJ who don't know what the "R" means let alone the "B1G", should we put Rutgers in parenthesis to help them understand it too? It's just not feasible to educate everybody.
 
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"We R B1G (Ten)" reads too awkwardly.

The B1G logo itself is significantly better than the old Big Ten logo with the 11 in the negative space.
 
It's marketing and education. The logo is what it is and we're going to use it. Over time it will become ingrained. We don't have a choice to not use it when we're representing the conference and because people don't know it yet isn't a sound argument to not use it. We're going to embrace it and a real potential donor already gets it or will easily figure it out. It's not that frickin complicated.
 
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Except it really doesn't. The B10 is really an athletic conference comprised of good academic schools. Being in the same athletic conference as other good schools might help Rutgers' self-esteem, but it doesn't make Rutgers a better school.

That said, the B10 is starting to do some things, like the B10 Cancer Research Consortium, that could have a significant impact on improving the academic and research profiles of member schools.

I think for someone in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois etc., big ten academics do mean something. I'm not trying to elevate Rutgers to something it's not. I'm simply trying to figure out a way to convince the people of New Jersey that we fit perfically with the other big ten schools. I don't think people in NJ get that.
 
It's marketing and education. The logo is what it is and we're going to use it. Over time it will become ingrained. We don't have a choice to not use it when we're representing the conference and because people don't know it yet isn't a sound argument to not use it. We're going to embrace it and a real potential donor already gets it or will easily figure it out. It's not that frickin complicated.

Enough with the logo. I'm ok with the logo as long as we communicate to NJ residents what it stands for: some of the best public colleges in the land. And Rutgers belongs. NJ residents don't get it.
 
The billboard shouldn't say Big Ten as the primary focus, it should have the schedule with large logos for Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State. Those are brands and we want people to associate us with them.
 
I never gave this campaign a second thought......that is until I came across some people (OK, women) who didn't understand it. We all know what B1G stands for...and anyone who has read a sports page or watched a college football game knows also. But I think we're missing the boat with a significant part of the population...men and women.

It might make a little more sense if the word 'Ten' was in parentheses after B1G. But I think that a huge part of the NJ population needs to be 'taught' about what B1G and Big Ten stands for. Should the names of our conference members somehow be included on billboards?? We're running with a pretty good crowd and that needs to be communicated better. In our jubilation over joining the Big Ten I think we're forgetting to tell people what it's all about. So this is just an open letter to generate some ideas/thoughts.

If anyone has connections with our PR area, I'd love to hear their thoughts.


just use "Big 10" as the logo, problem solved.

Duh!
 
This discussion reminds me of the marketing back in the 80s
"Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey"
The problem with this you are marketing to idiots. Let the idiots be idiots and stop trying to market to the feeble minded. Our request for admissions give you your answer. Informed students applied to Rutgers in record numbers Jersey, Midwest and International students. If some uniformed "woman" as you say, does not know what B1G means do not worry about these people. They are not the people we are trying to get the attention of. And Big Ten, Big 10, B10. or B1G, will never get thru to all the people and your ignorance of not getting the B1G East to the Big East connection is just how marketing and advertising does not hit 100% of the population. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO!
 
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People vastly overrate the value of billboards. When this was brought up on premium a few months ago, I mentioned I pass 4 on my daily commute but only recall 2: the Mercer County one on the turnpike right by my exit & the NJ Cure one right by my office. The next day I counted how many billboards I pass and found there were TEN total. That's a lot of advertising dollars completely wasted.

Frankly, the athletic department shouldn't be doing the advertising anyway. A billboard stating Big Ten Academics, Big Ten Athletics should come out of the academic side. This is another example of the athletic department being treated as a piggy bank by the university who then condemns the department for running up 8 figure deficits.
 
People who don't know what B1G stands for are not going to care any more if Big Ten is spelled out. For those who know and care B1G is enough,
 
People vastly overrate the value of billboards. When this was brought up on premium a few months ago, I mentioned I pass 4 on my daily commute but only recall 2: the Mercer County one on the turnpike right by my exit & the NJ Cure one right by my office. The next day I counted how many billboards I pass and found there were TEN total. That's a lot of advertising dollars completely wasted.

Frankly, the athletic department shouldn't be doing the advertising anyway. A billboard stating Big Ten Academics, Big Ten Athletics should come out of the academic side. This is another example of the athletic department being treated as a piggy bank by the university who then condemns the department for running up 8 figure deficits.

Frankly RUJonny99 you miss the power of subliminal advertising whether you know it or not you were hit 20 times (back and forth to work) with Rutgers and the Big Ten. Now as for just who is paying for this advertising I would say it is Delany and Silverman money more than Rutgers. BUT yes if it is RU money shame on RU Athletic Department, as we could better spend that money on buying players and their families to send their star athletes to Rutgers
 
Thanks Imbazza...
This discussion reminds me of the marketing back in the 80s
"Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey"
The problem with this you are marketing to idiots. Let the idiots be idiots and stop trying to market to the feeble minded. Our request for admissions give you your answer. Informed students applied to Rutgers in record numbers Jersey, Midwest and International students. If some uniformed "woman" as you say, does not know what B1G means do not worry about these people. They are not the people we are trying to get the attention of. And Big Ten, Big 10, B10. or B1G, will never get thru to all the people and your ignorance of not getting the B1G East to the Big East connection is just how marketing and advertising does not hit 100% of the population. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO!

I agree that advertising is not meant to hit 100%. However, the uniformed woman that I mentioned was the mother of a high school senior trying to help him decide whether to attend Rutgers or someplace else. She didn't know that we are part of the Big Ten. It wasn't just that she didn't know the logo... She's an idiot of course but somehow I would think that our advertising would hit parents of high schoolers and applicants.
 
You were right at the outset. Sell the brands people will recognize.
Here is a billboard for you or Newspaper/ Magazine/ Internet ad
,
Playing in Piscataway This Fall:
Rutgers Power Football.
National Champion Ohio State....enter date.
Nebraska....enter date
Michigan State...enter date
etc.
Feel the Power See the Power
Rutgers Power
New Jersey Power, at the State Flagship University
 
Except it really doesn't. The B10 is really an athletic conference comprised of good academic schools. Being in the same athletic conference as other good schools might help Rutgers' self-esteem, but it doesn't make Rutgers a better school.

That said, the B10 is starting to do some things, like the B10 Cancer Research Consortium, that could have a significant impact on improving the academic and research profiles of member schools.

IMHO, Eventually being a member of the CIC will benefit RU academically down the road. Penn State's academic profile got better after they joined the conference. The B1G has been doing things that improve the academic profile of the schools for quite some time.
For those who may not be aware of the CIC, here is the link https://www.cic.net/home

I'm a NJ resident, alum of another B1G university and graduate alum of another CIC school (Univ of Chicago). It's been my experience that state schools do a poor job of marketing - period. Rutgers is no exception in marketing itself academically.
 
That's not marketing. That's the official name of the university from the 1956 Rutgers Act.
Yes in 1956 it was made the state school but some dumb politician was embarrassed when an idiot did not know that fact (late 70s early 80s) and he made Rutgers for use "Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey" put on everything even the helmets, I believe it was condensed to "Rutgers-New Jersey". I got a couple of shirts with it but with time that need to tell the world who we are faded. As this is the case with being in the Big Ten. It will be a slow process and using B1G or Big Ten or Big 10 or B10 it will slowly sink in, so they should use the logo B1G (national brand) and as for the minority who do not get it; uninformed woman who's son is a star athlete it will come over playing games and education the masses. Rutgers as a destination FB school has only started via Schiano 2005 and beyond so it has not taken off but look at all the local kids who are at least talking RU as a school to play it
Time little grasshopper...give it Time
By the way WHO IS PAYING FOR THE BILLBOARDS? Delany or RU?
 
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The B1G logo does not spell out BIG TEN because in marketing terms its "aspirational" marketing. When you see it you implicitly know what it stands for ie the Apple Mac logo or the Starbucks coffee cup green logo, or the AT&T Death Star Globe. Nowhere do you see Apple spelled out or Starbucks or AT&T. Its branding folks get used to it more and more companies are doing it
 
The B1G logo does not spell out BIG TEN because in marketing terms its "aspirational" marketing. When you see it you implicitly know what it stands for ie the Apple Mac logo or the Starbucks coffee cup green logo, or the AT&T Death Star Globe. Nowhere do you see Apple spelled out or Starbucks or AT&T. Its branding folks get used to it more and more companies are doing it


actually, you see Starbucks, AT&T, and Apple, spelled out all the time, way more than you see their logos, and the brand names are much more recognizable than their logos.

and many have no friggin idea what the heck B1G is.

marketers often like to think they are a lot more clever than they really are.

on a side note, was it Sean Parker who said, "drop the "the", just Big 10".
 
The B1G logo does not spell out BIG TEN because in marketing terms its "aspirational" marketing. When you see it you implicitly know what it stands for ie the Apple Mac logo or the Starbucks coffee cup green logo, or the AT&T Death Star Globe. Nowhere do you see Apple spelled out or Starbucks or AT&T. Its branding folks get used to it more and more companies are doing it

Hey fg!!! I had that avatar first. You're stealing my branding...
 
People who don't know what B1G stands for are not going to care any more if Big Ten is spelled out. For those who know and care B1G is enough,

"For those who know" a billboard isn't needed in the first place. The billboard is enticing the casual CF fan and the Sunday afternoon NFL fan.
 
Ok....Because of the overwhelming response, let me ask. "Does anyone disagree with my premise that we need to do better with the NJ non sports fans in telling our Big Ten story?"

You know those great B1G (I hate typing that on the iPad) commercials that are only shown during B1G football or basketball games??? Why don't we work a deal with the B1G to get them shown during regular TV? Showing them to football fans is preaching to the choir. Same with the Revolutionary War commercial. It was worth it to make it but we're the only ones who get to see it and we're already on board.

I know that we're getting into a money discussion now with commercials, so does anyone have any unique thoughts or cheap ideas?
Doing something to get the message across that RU is B1g Ten,is not a bad idea. Just because we understand it does not mean that everyone else does.
 
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There are times that the B1G logo reminds me of

prince-logo_1674037a.jpg
 
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