profitgoblue

December 2nd, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^

Is the AD sure he wants to advertise that Mr. Lochmann was most recently with the recent celler-dwelling Knicks?  I can't believe that their brand is very valuable right now . . .

/teasing

BlockM

December 2nd, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^

I'm all for marketing Michigan. I don't want Michigan marketing other products to me if it can be avoided. As long as we focus on the former and not the latter, I'm all for this.

Blue in Seattle

December 2nd, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^

MGoShoe, I'm a little disappointed on your spin of this information.

The only experience I see in regards to Sponsorship was Hunter Lochmann's time with Sprint, which is at least three jobs ago.

The goal of Marketing is to communicate the value of your Product, frequently through the image of the Brand.  It is not normally responsible for selling sponsorships, which is a Sales function and while closely related to the Marketing Teams and skill sets is not the same thing as Marketing.

I do agree with you and Brian that having to endure the presence of OTHER brands intermixed with the Michigan brand would be irritating and also make us rather common in the University Athletic Market.  But nothing I read here says that Brandon wants to crank up sponsorship as a way to boost revenue, essentially adding an additional sales input alongside ticket sales and TV broadcast revenue.  Instead all the goals and tasks I'm reading about list the communication and promotion of the Michigan Athletic Brand outword to the Athletic Consumers, which in part include Fans, Student Athletes, Recruits, other sports coaches at all levels of competition, etc.

To jump to a conclusion that this means seeing other brands plastered all over really is creating something that isn't there.  At least from the items you have presented here.  Please let me know if there was an unpublished conversation you had in addition to the articles already published that you have collected here.

Have faith people, David is going to keep it classy.  Have you seen the lights?  How much more classy and understated could those lights BE?  Yet incredibly effective and a critical item to providing the Big Chill in the first place.

Which is yet another sales channel for tickets, i.e. revenue, which David is focused on.

 

MGoShoe

December 2nd, 2010 at 10:19 PM ^

...you're naive if you think that "sports marketing" doesn't mean "marketing plus sales". There's no doubt that Michigan has dramatically ramped up its use of corporate sponsors in the recent past as a means to increasing its revenue. 

Here's what the release said about his Knicks position:

He was responsible for leading all marketing, advertising, promotional and branding efforts for the Knicks, with the primary objectives of customer acquisition and retention, brand engagement and promotion activation.

Lochmann created and executed sales and marketing programs for ticket sales, including season subscriptions, partial plans, group sales and individual tickets. He managed all internal digital assets, including website, social media, mobile and e-mail, and incorporated them all into the overall marketing and communications plan. Lochmann also developed and implemented go-to-market media and marketing plans for sales and branding encompassing all media channels, including online (display and search), TV, print, out-of-home and radio.

What I said in my piece was that the CMO's role could conceivably be focused on continuing the trend we've seen of the marriage of Michigan sports and corporate promotions, or it could be focused on a more nuanced campaign to grow the Michigan brand that focuses more on tradition.  As I said, we shall see. Let's just say I'm not so sanguine about the latter being the the ultimate outcome.

2014

December 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 PM ^

Nothing in the highlighted areas above says anything about corporate partnership sales. Everything listed above is about ticket sales.

That being said, I was hoping for more of a brand management background from the CMO. He could be the right guy, but his background says more used car salesman vs. brand manager. Pretty good chance we're going to see a lot of corporate sponsorships showing up in annoying fashion with this guy.

Plus, the Knicks have been an absolute PR/branding disaster the last few years, so that's also a little troubling.

Pea-Tear Gryphon

December 2nd, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^

Is this the guy I complain about RAWK music in the Big House to? It's always nice to put a face with the name I type my email to.

Seriously though, I can't like this move enough. The better our brand is perceived locally and around the country the better. Not everyone knows how awesome we are (pity), so we need to do a better job to enlighten them. Go get 'em Colt McCoy-looking Marketing Guy! Your clean look and icey blue eyes will get into many a marketing meeting. Godspeed.

bringthewood

December 2nd, 2010 at 6:11 PM ^

What no degree from here?  He never lived with Bo?  He does not bleed maize and blue!  I'm astonished, there is no way he can understand Michigan and craft a winning marketing program!  I hope the Crain's folks look closely into his background and do an expose on his lack of family values.  Another freaking outsider!

integritymeans…

December 11th, 2010 at 2:33 AM ^

Hi Folks!  I'm a huge Michigan fan, the Fab 5 etc.. In fact, my brother-in-law also graduated from Michigan University from its prestigious MBA program, which from my understanding, was ranked the number #1 business school in America over Harvard by the Wall Street Journal not too long ago! 

Truth is, I worked with Hunter, and in all my professional years, I have never met a more upstanding, caring, and intelligent person.  The announcement of his departure was devasting news and echoed through many corners of our company.  His passion and relentless commitment towards excellence and tradition will be surely missed.

I ask, give him a chance and get to know him, and in time, I am certain you will embrace him as a brother as we did.  He bled orange and blue for years, and I'm sure he'll bleed Michigan's colors real soon.

BostonWolverine

December 2nd, 2010 at 7:50 PM ^

He looks like Colt McCoy and Thomas Lennon (from The State and Reno 911) had a baby.

Also, I agree with the sentiment that I don't want Michigan advertising other products to me, but I think it's naive. The age of the Rose Bowl Game Presented by AT&T has shown that everything is a brand, and synergy and integration (along with several other buzzwords) are hallmarks of corporate culture. And now, college football teams are a part of that. A pretty major one, actually.

Then again, perhaps Hunter will step up like Thomas Lennon and say, "I remember when football games were true tests of athleticism and ability without getting bogged down in the money of it all. Besides, I thought football was just an excuse for guys to smack each other on the ass without fear of being social outcasts. But, then again, maybe I'm just old-fashioned."

tybert

December 2nd, 2010 at 9:04 PM ^

I have a HUGE collection of UM FB programs (including the 1947's team Rose Bowl appearance), and will always remember (nay...REVERE!!!!) our own Don Canham for how he marketed UM throughout the 1970's.

That man knew that UM FB could be a PRODUCT to the masses and had the right attitude to market the program.

Long Live David Brandon, our best AD since Don!!!!

SysMark

December 4th, 2010 at 12:00 AM ^

I apologize in advance for my cynicism regarding this announcement.  The CMO designation is a relatively new one in the corporate world.  By most people's estimate it is simply the elevation of your main BS artist to the upper echelon of the corporate structure.  Sign of the times?  Yes.  Right or wrong?  No idea.  It is what it is.

Oh yeah and this kind of jumped out at me.  The woman Isiah Thomas had his little imbroglio with at Madison Square Garden was in charge of something in marketing.  Let's hope this guy knew neither of them