Love Them Boys in the Black & Gold

Like many people living in a large city, we like our sports team, but here in New Orleans it’s a bit more than that. All around New Orleans you see signs & hear people saying Bless You Boys and references to the Boys in Black & Gold referring to our dear New Orleans Saints. The Saints are more than just a team, they are part of New Orleans and after a certain hurricane and Super Bowl victory, they are part of New Orleans’ heart.

Image from Zimbio.com

After reading a recent article on ESPN.com about the Saints, my love for the Saints grew almost as much as the long awaited (and something never thought possible) Super Bowl win. As a marketer, I enjoy looking at the big brands to see what they are doing (right or wrong) and how they communicate their brand. I’m not talking about what the Saints did with their brand, but what one player said recently.

In an interview about the retooling of the Saints defense, middle linebacker and defensive captian Jonathan Vilma said, “You think of McDonald’s and you think of Burger King, you know what you’re going to get across the world. So we want people to think of Saints defense, you know what you’re going to get. You’re going to get takeaways, hitting, relentlessness, running to the ball. I think we’re starting to build that brand, we are still working toward it, and one thing we won’t do is take a step back.”

HE GETS IT! Vilma gets that the team’s brand isn’t the logo on their helmets, but the experience and the perception people have to the team, in this case the defense which he leads.