The Silvertails Moniker debate

[Dan]

Well I see that the announcement that we are finally embracing the Silvertails moniker has sparked a few varying opinions, which is great.

My stance is obviously that I like it, hence why this site is called Silvertails and has been for the past 6 years. I don't mind the club leveraging off of us to a certain extent as well as we have built something great.

However there are positive and negative sides to the name and it needs to be marketed correctly in order to make it powerful for their brand recognition without having negative connotations.

Really I guess I would like to see some constructive debate and thoughts on the club taking this direction and whether you think it is the right move etc.

How do you associate with the name, do you find it positive or negative and how do you think the rest of the league will take it?

What would your ideas be for positively marketing that has part of the sea eagles brand?

Dan

 

[Matabele]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

I was going to start a similar thread Dan. 

I do however wonder if it wasn't just a throwaway line.  Because surely the starting point of travelling down that road would be a constructive dialogue with the supporters group already using the name, and having done so for a good length of time.  To the best of my knowledge this was lacking, possibly still is?

I'd rather the club does not use the tag at the moment, until it has it's crap together.  We're simply not silvertails at the moment, in a derelict stadium and without a sponsor, and a shambolic front office.  As many others have suggested, clubs that engender hate are ones who are successful to the point of throttling the rest of the competition.  At the moment we're so far away from that it is depressing.

All we can hark on with "silvertails" at the moment is a 30 year old class war engendered by a tired and bitter journalist who has seen far better days.  It is only history and geography that suggests we are silvertails.  Take that away and we're probably the 15th placed club in the league at present.  Harsh but true.

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And if it's going to do it properly, the club will have to engage with us at some point, and on our terms, regardless of how onerous they find our criticism. 

They may not understand internet, new media or social networking, but the unfortunate reality for them is we have a mortgage on the collateral associated with the silvertails name - Domain, Twitter and Facebook. 

 

[eagles2win]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

If done correctly it could be great for the club(marketing wise).

When about 7 of us went to the Allstars this year the first thing we were greeted with on the bus was "Silvertail!!"
It's happened at other games as well, whenever I've worn my jersey out so in fact "Silvertail" is a brand that could be potential bigger then the Rabbitoh.As in every other club's fans knows us from that.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

The Silvertails tag is most definitely the best way to build the brand. Marketing the Silvertails brand to organisations at the very top of their field such as Mercedes for luxury cars, Argyle diamonds, Dom Perignon champagne, Park Hyatt hotel, etc

I believe that the most hated team tag is a separate issue that should be delinked with what can be a positive brand building exercise. We only talk about ourselves as Silvertails and we leave the “hated” term as a one way street, used by those external to us and only then do we use it to our advantage on the field.

And purely from a marketing perspective I would respectively suggest that Matas defensive and negative outlook on this is counter productive. You dont start building a serious brand by taking steps backwards or focusing on internal business issues.

We need the owners combining with the right CEO to lead from the top and inspire the whole organisation to think “Silvertails” and to take that message to the those in the marketplace that will pay top dollar for the association.  

 

[Dan]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

AMWAY

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

I love the Silvertails "brand" but it is a throw back to the 70's......and we are far from Silvertails at present...in fact I don't think we'd even make Bronzetails at the current time.

 

[Dan]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

I love the Silvertails \"brand\" but it is a throw back to the 70's......and we are far from Silvertails at present...in fact I don't think we'd even make Bronzetails at the current time.

Sure but start thinking like Silvertails and you work towards restoring that. For mine that is the best way to go.

 

[Matabele]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

[quote author=Mark from Brisbane link=topic=186598.msg318837#msg318837 date=1298939982]
I love the Silvertails \"brand\" but it is a throw back to the 70's......and we are far from Silvertails at present...in fact I don't think we'd even make Bronzetails at the current time.

Sure but start thinking like Silvertails and you work towards restoring that. For mine that is the best way to go.


[/quote] Yeah, fair enough.  Assuming they're capable of reaching it.  I can't see it with Lowe in charge.

 

[ayjay007]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

I love the Silvertails \"brand\" but it is a throw back to the 70's......and we are far from Silvertails at present...in fact I don't think we'd even make Bronzetails at the current time.

Mark,at the moment we are just shirt-tails.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

[quote author=Dan link=topic=186598.msg318839#msg318839 date=1298940032]
[quote author=Mark from Brisbane link=topic=186598.msg318837#msg318837 date=1298939982]
I love the Silvertails \"brand\" but it is a throw back to the 70's......and we are far from Silvertails at present...in fact I don't think we'd even make Bronzetails at the current time.

Sure but start thinking like Silvertails and you work towards restoring that. For mine that is the best way to go.


[/quote] Yeah, fair enough.  Assuming they're capable of reaching it.  I can't see it with Lowe in charge.
[/quote]

Your right of course.

If we are to achieve a cultural shift that delivers a new brand then its imperative Penn & Quantum best flick Lowe and find a new CEO that believes in it.

 

[DSM5]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

Jatz, an applause for you.  Way to go.  Now all we have to do is get the owner, and his little stupid mate on board.

 

[lsz]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

Simply put silvertails is our unique selling point. Establishing a brand takes time and discpline

The question is does the club have ability to implement a strategic marketing plan

 

[Duff]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

Simply put silvertails is our unique selling point. Establishing a brand takes time and discpline

The question is does the club have ability to implement a strategic marketing plan

Unique is the the key word.

I've said it before but I'll repeat myself.
I don't think that the clubs should be trying to directly compete with each other. They should be looking to differentiate themselves from one another, create thei own niche.
Reality is that the majority of support is going to come from either geographic or family reasons. It's the small percentage that find their own way to a brand (this includes corporates) that will make their mind up due to, among other things, the persona of the club.

I don't think there is such thing as a negative persona. Just different ones.
The silvertails, arrogant, noone like us image is our persona. It appeals to some people and that is all any persona will. Parra has the Aussie Battler persona. This appeals to many people, maybe more than ours but it makes me almost revisit my lunch. That's just the way it is. Someone has to wear the black hat & why shouldn't it be us? We just need to make sure that the NRL realises that it makes us a vital part of their marketing. Something we can use to our benefit.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Re: The Silvertails Monicker debate

I'd rather the club does not use the tag at the moment, until it has it's crap together.  We're simply not silvertails at the moment, in a derelict stadium and without a sponsor, and a shambolic front office.  As many others have suggested, clubs that engender hate are ones who are successful to the point of throttling the rest of the competition.  At the moment we're so far away from that it is depressing.

All we can hark on with \"silvertails\" at the moment is a 30 year old class war engendered by a tired and bitter journalist who has seen far better days.  It is only history and geography that suggests we are silvertails.  Take that away and we're probably the 15th placed club in the league at present.  Harsh but true.

Agree. The Silvertails name sprung up from our success during the 80's when we were seen to be trying to buy premierships. That's an obsolete criticism in these modern salary capped times. We aren't a financially successfully club anymore so it seems ridiculous to identify with that name.

The Silvertails tag is most definitely the best way to build the brand. Marketing the Silvertails brand to organisations at the very top of their field such as Mercedes for luxury cars, Argyle diamonds, Dom Perignon champagne, Park Hyatt hotel, etc

Organisations like these aren't going to link with an NRL side because the demographic of your average RL supporter is so far removed from their target market its not funny. How many Mercs do you see at Brookie on game day ? how many Argyle diamonds flashing in the sun on the hill ? how much Dom being quaffed in the Jane Try stand ? We'd be better off targeting Holden, Goldmark, VB and Travelodge.

 

[Andrew..]

[quote author=Matabele link=topic=186598.msg318808#msg318808 date=1298936523]
I'd rather the club does not use the tag at the moment, until it has it's crap together.  We're simply not silvertails at the moment, in a derelict stadium and without a sponsor, and a shambolic front office.  As many others have suggested, clubs that engender hate are ones who are successful to the point of throttling the rest of the competition.  At the moment we're so far away from that it is depressing.

All we can hark on with \"silvertails\" at the moment is a 30 year old class war engendered by a tired and bitter journalist who has seen far better days.  It is only history and geography that suggests we are silvertails.  Take that away and we're probably the 15th placed club in the league at present.  Harsh but true.

Agree. The Silvertails name sprung up from our success during the 80's when we were seen to be trying to buy premierships. That's an obsolete criticism in these modern salary capped times. We aren't a financially successfully club anymore so it seems ridiculous to identify with that name.

The Silvertails tag is most definitely the best way to build the brand. Marketing the Silvertails brand to organisations at the very top of their field such as Mercedes for luxury cars, Argyle diamonds, Dom Perignon champagne, Park Hyatt hotel, etc

Organisations like these aren't going to link with an NRL side because the demographic of your average RL supporter is so far removed from their target market its not funny. How many Mercs do you see at Brookie on game day ? how many Argyle diamonds flashing in the sun on the hill ? how much Dom being quaffed in the Jane Try stand ? We'd be better off targeting Holden, Goldmark, VB and Travelodge.
[/quote]
Whilst I totally agree with your above post C&C... the truth is jealousy of our demographic is always going to taint us with a supposed elitist attitude. That combined with Australia's infamous "Tall Poppy Syndrome" makes for a hard sell in the....working mans game.

Perhaps would should take a leaf out of the Bulldogs marketing strategy and try to sell ourselves as a family club, with Silvertails standing for dignity as opposed to wealth.

 

[Duff]

But that's their angle. We already have ours & it won't change. We just have to find a way to spin it to make it appealing to a certain demographic.

We have to face it. We're the bad guys & we always will be.
We have to make the "dark side" seem powerful, interesting, rebellious. That'll appeal to a lot of people who think the Bulldogs family club line seems a bit hokey & folksy, especially given who that club really is.

 

[Andrew..]

But that's their angle. We already have ours & it won't change. We just have to find a way to spin it to make it appealing to a certain demographic.

We have to face it. We're the bad guys & we always will be.
We have to make the \"dark side\" seem powerful, interesting, rebellious. That'll appeal to a lot of people who think the Bulldogs family club line seems a bit hokey & folksy, especially given who that club really is.

Maybe we need to replace Igor with Darth Vader

 

[Duff]

[quote author=Duff link=topic=186598.msg318937#msg318937 date=1298958432]
But that's their angle. We already have ours & it won't change. We just have to find a way to spin it to make it appealing to a certain demographic.

We have to face it. We're the bad guys & we always will be.
We have to make the \"dark side\" seem powerful, interesting, rebellious. That'll appeal to a lot of people who think the Bulldogs family club line seems a bit hokey & folksy, especially given who that club really is.

Maybe we need to replace Igor with Darth Vader
[/quote]

I knew putting it that way was a mistake. But that really is how people see us. Any attempt for us to change would make us look like Freddy Kruger holding a puppy. We just have to run with it.

 

[DSM5]

Duff, I don't mind the darkside appeal, but if we're to grow the base, then being the elitist, 'winningest', most powerful team is certainly attractive.  Nothing breeds success like success.  There are potential sponsors out there with that aura.  European car manufacturers for example.  I like the silvertail aura, and I like the darkside stuff.  Both are not mutually exclusive, but I fear that the subtly of selling this  combination is beyond our present media manager or CEO.           

 

[lsz]

BTW i would not suggest this is the only strategy. For LAM (local area marketing) a tribal theme would be appropriate.