D Magazine Loves Pony Up!

[Quoner]

http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2007/08/2...ses/#more-11212

"Pony Up" Needed to Hold Its Horses

This morning I stumbled upon SMU football's new campaign. My simple question about a silly arrow led to much email, the majority of it agreeing with me that the Pony Up is confusing at best. And it's not one of those ad campaigns that fosters enjoyable confusion. In fact, as the anonymity-requesting SMU-affiliated FrontBurnervian writes after the jump, the Pony Up campaign is bad, bad, bad.

Here's what s/he had to say:

I'm a member of the SMU community and am embarrassed by the Pony Up campaign. I don’t even want to think about what they paid the Richards Group for that campaign – which is sticking an arrow pointing up next to the Mustang logo. I could have come up with that for a lot less than what they paid the Richards Group, I’m sure.

So, to recap on this campaign:

1. SMU has the perception of being elitist. Campaign message: “We don’t tailgate, we Boulevard.” Grade: FAIL

2. SMU is still overcoming the whole “pay to play” thing from 80s. Campaign message: “Pony up.” The phrase “pony up” is usually used in terms of money. Grade: FAIL

3. SMU has the perception of having crappy football. Campaign message: “Those days of being a darkhorse are over.” I beg to differ – if anything, this is the first year they’re a darkhorse, since they have some potential this year. I don’t think having six wins in one season is going to earn you the title of being something other than a darkhorse. Grade: FAIL

S/he isn't alone:

I agree. There's a small banner hanging over the intersection of Northwest Highway and Boedeker, of all places. The "Pony Up" arrow makes it look like they're selling Mustang tickets at NorthPark or something.

And this:

There are also banners hanging all over downtown with the same pony and arrow design. I was also thoroughly confused, although it did seem to be pointing to the entrance to the Tollway, which could get you to the stadium. The thing that really bugs me about this campaign, though is the design of the arrow. Have you noticed how oddly drawn it is? What’s wrong with straight lines? Am I missing something? To me, it says “Pony Weird Arrow-like shape.”

I noticed in the previously linked to story about the campaign that Richard Sweet, the athletic department's director of marketing responsible for Pony Up, returned to his job at Southwest Airlines "just as the rollout began." Smart move, Sweet.

posted by Adam McGill | August 22nd, 2007 12:37pm | filed under Sports, Advertising

[Quoner]

Oh and one more SMU alum weighs in:

I've Been Trying to Post All Day About that Billboard

http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2007/08/2...that-billboard/

But other SMU folks did it for me. The billboard has been a topic of discussion lately between me and my friends, most of whom are former Mustangs (like me). Consensus: It's terrible.

I hate "We don't tailgate. We boulevard." This implies "boulevarding" is better than tailgating, which if you've done it, you know it's not. (I know some people will disagree with this and I will concede that it is getting better. However there still aren't enough people doing it and it's still just a little too civilized to really be fun, IMO.)

On a side note, I was at a meeting at the Hilton Anatole yesterday where a conference for the 2007 Mustang football team was taking place. While seated at the Terrace restaurant, we had a good view of all the new players in their brand spankin' new jerseys. They all looked about 5-foot-5, maybe 165 pounds. Hopefully these were just the freshman? Go, Ponies.

posted by Sarah Eveans | August 22nd, 2007 1:08pm | filed under Local News

[meangreendork]

Waste of money. Waste of talent. Generally huge waste. It doesn't take a degree in advertising to know their campaign blows.

[NTPhiKap99]

Waste of money. Waste of talent. Generally huge waste. It doesn't take a degree in advertising to know their campaign blows.

I don't know much about the advertising or marketing end of things but who ever sold this campaign to the ponies deserves a huge bonus. I'm in sales and pretty damn good at it but I'm sure i'd get laughed out of the building with that one.

[greenminer]

I don't know much about the advertising or marketing end of things but who ever sold this campaign to the ponies deserves a huge bonus. I'm in sales and pretty damn good at it but I'm sure i'd get laughed out of the building with that one.

I almost feel sorry for those Pony fans.

almost.

[EagleD]

Hey Quoner,

Congrats on post # 1,000 . Minutes after mine!

GO MEAN GREEN !!!!!!!!!!

BEAT THE HELL OUT OF OU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[meangreendork]

I don't know much about the advertising or marketing end of things but who ever sold this campaign to the ponies deserves a huge bonus. I'm in sales and pretty damn good at it but I'm sure i'd get laughed out of the building with that one.

Depending on how the Richards Group does their process, you may be right. Usually, an agency throws 2 or 3 different ideas at their client, and they pick whichever they happen to like more. Mind you, that's not always the right or best decision. I'm betting that the Richards Group had to work with this idea and it was probably the worst one of their choices. There's this axiom..."the client almost always chooses what you think is the worst concept". That doesn't mean it's a bad idea, it's just one that's weaker.

OR.

They sold just this one to the SMU folks and they bought it wholesale. Awesome if the RG account folks sold this.

I'm betting that they didn't run any sort of tests on how much the SMU alums, community, and students would like this.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Depending on how the Richards Group does their process, you may be right. Usually, an agency throws 2 or 3 different ideas at their client, and they pick whichever they happen to like more. Mind you, that's not always the right or best decision. I'm betting that the Richards Group had to work with this idea and it was probably the worst one of their choices. There's this axiom..."the client almost always chooses what you think is the worst concept". That doesn't mean it's a bad idea, it's just one that's weaker.

OR.

They sold just this one to the SMU folks and they bought it wholesale. Awesome if the RG account folks sold this.

I'm betting that they didn't run any sort of tests on how much the SMU alums, community, and students would like this.

Sorta' like probably zero (0) of the over 2,700 registered on GMG.com were asked their opinion, ie, or likes and dis-likes from our recent crack UNT branding committee (of which FFR received an errnoneous sent email from one of that group saying "we don't have to answer to any of "THAT" group)?" Wonder if such an attitude is shared by many of our other various on-campus "Keepers of the UNT logos and brandings" is why we see Mean Green gear just about anywhere in Texas or even the USA? (To many of you new'bies on this board, that last sentence was being a bit facetious & even sarcastic, too)?

Edited August 22, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[Quoner]

Hey Quoner,

Congrats on post # 1,000 . Minutes after mine!

GO MEAN GREEN !!!!!!!!!!

BEAT THE HELL OUT OF OU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you sir - and the Texas committ in the other thread was 100% in jest. I bet FFR backs me up on it though.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---- “We don’t tailgate, we Boulevard

---These boys really need to go into rehab..... They want to be well accepted by Dallas and area but they continue to stick their noses into the air.

---They are their own worst enemies.

--- The continuation of this attitude really demonstrates just how brilliant these guys really are. They just don't get it. They remind me of the Infamous Marie Antoinette who supposedly stated "Let them eat cake!" when informed the people of Paris had no bread. They just live in their own world and regard every one else as the "Little People.

---For the younger members of the board.. this is why we older alums have no use for the SMU crowd... we have put up with this arrogance and disrespect for decades.

---That "Old Blue Mare" is exactly what she has always been in this regard....... dumb elitists... may they continue to be recognized for what they are and keep sinking in the respect levels from the rest of us.

__________________

Meanwhile we NT grads will continue to tailgate and have fun. Let us bar-B-que the pony and make dog-food of them.

[meangreendork]

Sorta' like probably zero (0) of the over 2,700 registered on GMG.com were asked their opinion, ie, or likes and dis-likes from our recent crack UNT branding committee (of which FFR received an errnoneous sent email from one of that group saying "we don't have to answer to any of "THAT" group)?" Wonder if such an attitude is shared by many of our other various on-campus "Keepers of the UNT logos and brandings" is why we see Mean Green gear just about anywhere in Texas or even the USA? (To many of you new'bies on this board, that last sentence was being a bit facetious & even sarcastic, too)?

Hahaha, seriously. I remember how they said they did a polling of students in the summer sessions of the year prior to the logos rollout. I took summer classes and worked on campus that summer...I heard nothing about it. Oh well. This is SMU, and they can make whatever dumb decisions they want. At least we got the Son of Worm out of the deal...they got "Boulevarding" out of theirs. I say we win bigtime.

[GMoney]

Maybe instead of making T-shirts with a pony and down arrow, it should be a pony with a question mark.

Edited August 23, 2007 by GMoney

[Boomer23]

As much as the campaign does suck, which I agree that it does. It did do the one thing it was supposed to. Get your attention and get people to talk about it. As bad as it is, everyone knows its the SMU Football campaign. Remember the old Quizno's commercials not too long back with the creepy singing rat/monkey thing?

[runt96]

You can't tailgate from a BMW. They know it, the rest of Dallas knows it, and we know it. That's why the elitism will backfire. Go Mean Green. We still tailgate and it doesn't cost a car payment to do it, so come to Denton to see DFW's team.

[Bryan316]

A guy in my mom's office had the same reaction to their "slogan" as some of the D people: "SMU straight ahead? But it's not..."

[meangreendork]

As much as the campaign does suck, which I agree that it does. It did do the one thing it was supposed to. Get your attention and get people to talk about it. As bad as it is, everyone knows its the SMU Football campaign. Remember the old Quizno's commercials not too long back with the creepy singing rat/monkey thing?

Yeah, but at least the Spongemonkeys were kinda funny, especially before they became a Quizno's commercial.

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

Not sure what this translates as, but it's a better message than 'Pony Up'. Since our eagle has an eye, I thought the horse should have one too.

[Cooley]

As much as the campaign does suck, which I agree that it does. It did do the one thing it was supposed to. Get your attention and get people to talk about it. As bad as it is, everyone knows its the SMU Football campaign. Remember the old Quizno's commercials not too long back with the creepy singing rat/monkey thing?

I think your post needs to be repeated. It's working! The billboard(s) and mostly the banner are getting the attention of the casual fan in Dallas. Maybe not the best campaign ever but it's getting attention. Like you Boomer23, I remember the bad commercials just as much as I remember the good ones.

[Quoner]

Not sure what this translates as, but it's a better message than 'Pony Up'. Since our eagle has an eye, I thought the horse should have one too.

We have an eagle eye for horse parts?

[GreenBlooded1]

Not sure what this translates as, but it's a better message than 'Pony Up'. Since our eagle has an eye, I thought the horse should have one too.

Man now that needs to be on a shirt!!! Awesome visualization!

[NT80]

Excellent! Someone needs to put that on the Phoney Board.

[mrsgreengoblin]

Depending on how the Richards Group does their process, you may be right. Usually, an agency throws 2 or 3 different ideas at their client, and they pick whichever they happen to like more. Mind you, that's not always the right or best decision. I'm betting that the Richards Group had to work with this idea and it was probably the worst one of their choices. There's this axiom..."the client almost always chooses what you think is the worst concept". That doesn't mean it's a bad idea, it's just one that's weaker.

OR.

They sold just this one to the SMU folks and they bought it wholesale. Awesome if the RG account folks sold this.

I'm betting that they didn't run any sort of tests on how much the SMU alums, community, and students would like this.

I AM in marketing and sales for a large hotel company and let me tell you...they got screwed royally. The tests you are talking about are called focus groups. That is usually what is done. Either they didn't do them or they didn't do them with the right spectrum of people. I almost feel bad for SMOO....almost.

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

Oh by the way, that image I put up makes a lovely desktop wallpaper if your display is 1024x768.

[the green rokemi]

It still looks like a pony about to run into a wall with barbed wire at the top...pony suicide?

I don't hate SmU, but when the NCAA gave them the death penalty they should have really given them the death penalty. I'm leaning toward the electric chair or a rope since we are in Texas.

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

Wow, man, pretty harsh stuff. And to think I was worried just cause I had the arrow going into the rear of the horse instead of the heart or something.

I would urge you to consider taking that down or modifying it. I have struggled to get to the point of saying that, because I realize that your point is that people want to sweep things under the rug when it gets personal, and removing your note would in fact be sweeping it under the rug. It is a sort of self-defending principle that you have. However, everyone has redeeming qualities and everyone has excesses. I think to attack the principle I would make it personal to you; that is, when you are dead, however that may occur, do you want someone publicly proclaiming your particular excesses for your family to see? Would their own excesses justify their being subjected to it? I don't know the family of that girl; do you know them well enough to judge them?