Unt Launching "branding Initiative"

FirefightnRick · February 26, 2011

Some of you are totally on the ball. It's basically getting UNT representatives out into the area to get involved in their communities so that way, UNT becomes the college of choice for our nearby surrounding areas, then DFW, then Texas, then the US. It's hard to say "we're the University of North Texas" when a high percentage of DFW area college students end up going someplace else. It's not really about sports (though that helps, but because winning isn't always a sure thing), it's about making UNT a household name for the area, then the state.

And for those of you who apparently live your life as a series of TL;DR based actions, you should probably stop.

Also, this is a really poorly termed RFP. It is branding in that branding is a combo of an image and name and then experiences and impressions of the name and image, but it's more branding in the experiences associated with that name. To clarify - it's not branding as in "let's make a picture" and more about, "let's make UNT a household name."

Too bad some of you don't get that. Pepsi does. Nike does. Nintendo does. Chevrolet does.

Well when you explain it like that I now understand. It's taken me 4 pages, but I get it.

Thank you.

Rick

GoMeanGreen1999 · February 26, 2011

I complained to the Wal-Mart in Highland Village about the lack of NT gear. Wow, I was surprized to see that they stocked it. I bought 3 hoodies and 4 tee shirts. When they were gone, they never came back. I again pointed out to the mgnr about the lack of NT gear pointing to several costumers wearing NT shirts and saying this is Denton County, come on. I hope to see and new stock some time soon. How hard can it be to get the gear? I hope whatever they are doing will help in this matter.

The new Walmart on University Drive in Denton has some pretty nice UNT stuff...I was actually shocked to see it. I would take photos and post them if I could ever figure out how.

greenminer · February 26, 2011

The new Walmart on University Drive in Denton has some pretty nice UNT stuff...I was actually shocked to see it. I would take photos and post them if I could ever figure out how.

You know what else I can't figure out? Denton development.

Someone justify how 380 underwent all that recent change (I was there last week for the first time in a while), while 288 is still like driving through a circle in Dante's Inferno after > 10 years?

TheTastyGreek · February 26, 2011

When I was a kid, I outgrew a pair of sneakers at age 5. But my parents had a philosophy that we shouldn't waste money on shoes as long as we kept needing haircuts.

It wasn't particularly fun walking around barefoot for 13 years, especially when we lived up north and the winters got cold.

But the whole experience did give me thick skin, if only on the soles of my feet. And it taught me how to get by with less (in this specific case, 7 toes instead of a full set of 10).

Side note: Most people know the trivia that Hitler was originally a failed artist before getting into politics. Far fewer people know that John Geoghan and Osama Bin Laden ran a boutique PR firm back in the early 1980's. Their horrible experience handling the Tylenol/cyanide scare for Johnson and Johnson made them decide to shut down the shop and turn to religion.

wardly · February 26, 2011

Keep winning and we'll achieve tier 1 status. A chant would help.

how about one from the 60's;"hell no, we won't go!"

Aquila_Viridis · February 27, 2011

I think some are missing Rick's point about the chant. It is a great example of one of the small things that when combined with a series of other small things make a big difference. These things have to be coordinated and if they are it makes a great impression. UNT has not demonstrated great ability to coordinate such things to a collective dramatic result. I do believe someone at the U should take responsibility for it.

wardly · February 27, 2011

I think some are missing Rick's point about the chant. It is a great example of one of the small things that when combined with a series of other small things make a big difference. These things have to be coordinated and if they are it makes a great impression. UNT has not demonstrated great ability to coordinate such things to a collective dramatic result. I do believe someone at the U should take responsibility for it.

i went to texas/n.texas bb game in austin a few years ago. they have same problem. one side yells "texas", other

"longhorns", and then it just peters out like our "north-texas" chant . i understand the problem, but don't know the answer.

UNT 90 Grad · February 27, 2011

I'd like it if we could coordinate the chant part of the UNT fight song outside of the fight song. Most fans already know it. If done with the hand motions, it could look cool with a lot of participation. Synchronization may be a challenge, but I'm generally surprised at how synchronized other schools are with their chants.

UNTLifer · February 27, 2011

I think some are missing Rick's point about the chant. It is a great example of one of the small things that when combined with a series of other small things make a big difference. These things have to be coordinated and if they are it makes a great impression. UNT has not demonstrated great ability to coordinate such things to a collective dramatic result. I do believe someone at the U should take responsibility for it.

I understood the point and a chant has nothing to do with branding.

FirefightnRick, on 25 February 2011 - 04:39 PM, said:

We have gone the third party route before, but I may be insane because I'm here arguing about it all over again.

But hey, as long as we have extra money laying around....?

Rick

We have gone the "hire a new coach route" before, so why hire McCarney? Let's just quit and free up a lot of our time to pursue other things instead of trying to get it right.

FirefightnRick · February 27, 2011

I understood the point and a chant has nothing to do with branding.

We have gone the "hire a new coach route" before, so why hire McCarney? Let's just quit and free up a lot of our time to pursue other things instead of trying to get it right.

I was referring to the first time. Hiring to fill an open position is one thing, paying a third party without even putting it out to bid is another.

Rick

Edited February 27, 2011 by FirefightnRick

FirefightnRick · February 27, 2011

I think some are missing Rick's point about the chant. It is a great example of one of the small things that when combined with a series of other small things make a big difference. These things have to be coordinated and if they are it makes a great impression. UNT has not demonstrated great ability to coordinate such things to a collective dramatic result. I do believe someone at the U should take responsibility for it.

When I spoke with the spirit committee in '07 they seemed to be relying on a plan they had with the Green Brigade giving the signal through some tune? But the band isn't always there as I tried to explain to them, and later the attempts at this failed.

In talking with one official at the AD dept about this three Friday's ago who also wishes something of this kind could be worked out, he remembered what Memphis did, and that was to simply have their cheerleaders roll their hands and yell as an attention getter to the crowd. Over time, this has been done so many times by their students and alumni that most in attendance see and hear this and know what is coming next, then the cheerleaders pump their fist and the "T-I-G-E-R-S-TIGERS!" chant is done. K State uses their mascot. We could do something very similar if someone in charge would simply put forth the effort?

We have one recognized yell that seems to get thrown at you wherever you go. "Go Mean Green!". Somehow that is what needs to be worked into a unified chant that is signaled for all to do, with a beginning and an end.

Rick

SilverEagle · February 27, 2011

When I spoke with the spirit committee in '07 they seemed to be relying on a plan they had with the Green Brigade giving the signal through some tune? But the band isn't always there as I tried to explain to them, and later the attempts at this failed.

In talking with one official at the AD dept about this three Friday's ago who also wishes something of this kind could be worked out, he remembered what Memphis did, and that was to simply have their cheerleaders roll their hands and yell as an attention getter to the crowd. Over time, this has been done so many times by their students and alumni that most in attendance see and hear this and know what is coming next, then the cheerleaders pump their fist and the "T-I-G-E-R-S-TIGERS!" chant is done. K State uses their mascot. We could do something very similar if someone in charge would simply put forth the effort?

We have one recognized yell that seems to get thrown at you wherever you go. "Go Mean Green!". Somehow that is what needs to be worked into a unified chant that is signaled for all to do, with a beginning and an end.

Rick

Spirit committee? Really? That has to be one of the biggest committee failures in the History of just about any school.

I certainly hope that no one on the committee is getting paid.....

Edited February 27, 2011 by SilverEagle

mrsgreengoblin · February 28, 2011

Ok, back to the initial post. I looked over some of the questions/proposals on the RFP. Who will be carrying these out exactly? I've completed quite a few RFP's in my life, all of which include loyalty marketing for a hotel company or a hotel and restaurant company. One of which sponsored a particular bowl game for a few years that we went to. If these guys don't do it right the University will be wasting a phenomenal opportunity! Huge. I just hope that I see something different in the next coming months compared to what they have shown us before.

Edited February 28, 2011 by mrsgreengoblin

TheTastyGreek · February 28, 2011

Ok, back to the initial post. I looked over some of the questions/proposals on the RFP. Who will be carrying these out exactly? I've completed quite a few RFP's in my life, all of which include loyalty marketing for a hotel company or a hotel and restaurant company. One of which sponsored a particular bowl game for a few years that we went to. If these guys don't do it right the University will be wasting a phenomenal opportunity! Huge. I just hope that I see something different in the next coming months compared to what they have shown us before.

Hopefully, we wind up with a firm that has a proven track record of positive results for DFW universities, both athletically and otherwise.

Fingers crossed.

mrsgreengoblin · February 28, 2011

Hopefully, we wind up with a firm that has a proven track record of positive results for DFW universities, both athletically and otherwise.

Fingers crossed.

Exactly. I'm not going to hold my breath (I will cross my fingers) because I need to see it happen.

ColoradoEagle · April 14, 2011

Wonder whatever happened with this. I'm expecting the branding to really emphasize the name and take ownership of the area. Something along the lines of "This is North Texas." would do fine.

Anyone know who was picked?

eppy4life · April 14, 2011

A chant would've been easier to coordinate had the scoreboard been placed on the other side.

Zeke · April 14, 2011

I'm already seeing billboards bringing back the wretched slogan "the leading university of the DFW metroplex" or something close to that. I hope this has nothing to do with the new branding initiative. Also, who thinks that is a good slogan?

Travis · April 14, 2011

Wonder whatever happened with this. I'm expecting the branding to really emphasize the name and take ownership of the area. Something along the lines of "This is North Texas." would do fine.

Anyone know who was picked?

I would rather us continue to brag about how we are the leading campus of a 25 mile radius around our campus.