Bat Parrot Blog

Melbourne half-Hearted

With the new Hyundai A-League franchise, Melbourne Heart, stepping out for its first high profile hit-out last night against Everton, there seems to be a lot of groundswell behind the new team.

Just short of 20,000 people turned up at Etihad Stadium, midweek, on a wet and rainy night to see the practice match - which by all accounts is a very positive crowd figure. Sure, there would have been a lot of free tickets given away, as Heart have been visiting a lot of schools and local soccer clubs the past few months. And yes, the majority of the crowd was there to see Everton star, and national hero, Tim Cahill.

So, how will Melbourne sports fans embrace the Melbourne Heart?

I attended a corporate luncheon prior to the FIFA World Cup in Melbourne, The Irvine Club - a male dominated business networking group who are passionate about sports, and raising funds for charity. Representatives from the Heart were there, and a quick straw poll of over 400 guests taken.

Who follows the Victory? Hands go up.

Who will follow the Melbourne Heart? More hands go up. Very interesting. I'd say the split was 60/40 in favour of Melbourne Heart.

A radio poll taken last night on sports broadcaster, SEN, confirmed as much. 50% of callers will barrack for the Heart.

Why is Melbourne Heart such a credible alternative to the well-established, popular and very successful Melbourne Victory?

Victory have done such a great job in creating a powerful brand. It's supporters are enthusiastic, some fanatical, certainly soccer-mad, and very parochial. It should be noted, Victory have also done a great job encouraging families and women to their audience too.

I think given Victory's level of parochialism, it has in a sense made it a barrier for the 'general sports' fan, who enjoys soccer, to enter the realm of the Victory. So Victory may indeed 'own' the avid football fan, but the door is certainly open for the hearts (excuse pun) and minds of many other Melburnians, crazy about sport.

Melbourne Heart brings a certain level of nicety to its brand. It's possibly less intimidating, possibly more family-oriented, and represents an entry point for those fans wishing to now join in. Which is great.

Who will own the corporate audience?

Victory has done a great job in building it's corporate network, through a special business group called 'Victory in Business'. Traditionally, soccer is a very hard 'sell' to Australian corporate organisations wanting to entertain clients and guests. Unless Australia is playing Uruguay in a World Cup Qualifier. So it will be interesting to see whether the Heart can crack this nut. Having Westpac as a major sponsor is a great start.

So I watch with interest how the Club continues to unfold, and whether the early interest in Melbourne Heart will translate into memberships, strong attendances and corporate support.

And I can't wait for the 'derby'.

BAT PARROT DELIVER COMPETITIVE EDGE ON SYDNEY HARBOUR!

Bat Parrot Corporate Hospitality & Events Division delivered a knock-out event for senior Hyder executives and their top-level clients and partners.

 
  
Guests took to the waters of beautiful Sydney Harbour in two Volvo 60 Ocean Racing Yachts, steered by world champion skippers for a match racing series like no other.

Divided into three teams, two team raced each other (fiercely!) up the harbour at any one time, whilst the resting team enjoyed a beautiful lunch and beverages aboard the luxury 'mothership' catamaran, Morpheus.

 
The crews were put to the absolute test throughout, working hard on the 'coffee grinders', hoisting sails, managing the spinnaker and much more. I've never seen guests reach for such a well-earned drink when boarding the 'mothership' following their race! Guests were exhillirated.

After 3 races, a champion team had emerged. Some bruised and battered, but all completely elated and enthused for having the opportunity to actually race such magnificent high-powered yachts as these!

The event was an absolute winner. Guests had an experience of a lifetime, they immersed themselves into the racing, and forgot about work completely...all whilst engaging with the client brand, working in a team environment, and forging strong and lasting relationships. Plus, all guests have a sure-fire story to tell at Christmas time, and for long after I suspect!

Bat Parrot 'CH&E' division manage and deliver client hospitality programs nationally, specifically targted to achieve your specific business objectives, to budget and designed to deliver uniqueness and memorability.

Etihad Stadium Style Guide. "Brilliant."

I love a good style guide, to be honest I kind of find them exciting...is that wierd?!!

Anyhoo, I like Etihad Stadium's Style Guide. In a word its "Brilliant".

Etihad Airlines have assumed naming rights of the previously named Telstra Dome, a 55,000-seat boutique sports / entertainment stadium in Melbourne, with a retractable roof and located on the Docklands, right next to the city. Naming rights for Etihad kicked in on the 1st March.

Before being known as Telstra Dome, it was Colonial Stadium. It's sometimes difficult to effectively re-brand a stadium, but it's a high-power 'awareness' strategy if done well. This begins with first defining your objectives, your positioning and brand strategy. It's from there that you can build a meaningful, thorough and effective Style Guide. It's 'change management' on a very large scale...and brand is just so so important. Everything must be "singing from the same songbook"!

The new logo and it's tagline reinforce a clever new positioning strategy. "Get inside the experience. Brilliant." Come to think of it...what was the positioning of 'Telstra Dome'? Not sure there was one.

I like this. Instantly we think of the stadium's key points of difference....it's an 'indoor' stadium, it's more than just a sports venue, and it's "brilliant" - helping to reinforce the heightened atmosphere inside the venue, the faster speed of play, and the closer view of the action on-field.

There is no other product or service that I can think of using the word "brilliant" in Australia. So that's a good find. It's a word that has a broad degree of appeal.

The arch on the logo also reinforces the shape of the venue, a depiction of the arch of the roof at Etihad Stadium, a unique feature. Again, a direct association to the venue.

So what goes into a good style guide? It's actually termed a "Brand Identity Guide", such is the importance of first defining brand and positioning strategy. The welcome page states: 

"These guidelines control the tangible aspects of the Etihad Stadium brand, reflecting its objectives and enabling the consistent and accurate application of the Etihad Stadium brand logos, graphic devices, typefaces and colours on all brand collateral."

The guide covers: What creates a brilliant experience; Brand essence and positioning; Venue strategic business plan; Brand essence chart; Brand loyalty pyramid; Marketing slogan; Tone of voice; Power words and phrases; Visual identity; Brand marks; Clearspace; Embroidery; Minimum size; Colour palette; Correct use; Incorrect use; Brand typefaces; Visual brand graphics and devices; Uniforms; Signage system; Accessing files; File naming convention. 

As you would expect, a range of logos have been created for all uses and membership types in the guide (eg: Medallion Club). It extends further to all signage, and to include primary colours, secondary colours and even "Tone of Voice" and "Power words and phrases".

Here are some of the "Power words and phrases" you can expect to hear in the promotion of Etihad Stadium: Brilliant; exciting; close to the action; friendly, fund and safe; spectacular playing surface; under one roof; dynamic; one of the world's great stadiums. 

The strategy of Etihad to use stadia (worldwide) as a key brand awareness strategy in its new travel markets is reinforced with other integrated promotion. Here's a tram spotted running alongside the stadium in the lead up to the 1st March. I have also since heard radio ads, seen TV ads, a billboard on the way to the airport, and received a direct email. Nothing..eh-hem...NOTHING beats an integrated marketing campaign in building a better brand.

 

Time will be the judge of how effective the campaign has been, but it is off to a good start! Look out for the new '2009 Etihad Stadium e-diary' we will be launching soon too!!