OT: The brand is strong...even in South America
I'm currently in Santiago, Chile for work and for some play. (No, not banished to Bolivia).
Today, while walking around town, I twice saw people wearing Michigan gear. One guy had on an authentic basketball jersey and when I said "Go Blue" to him, he gave me a funny look. I'm fluent in Spanish and after talking briefly with him, he is a fan of the Fab Five, which is why he wears the jersey. I also saw a girl with a Michigan sweatshirt and she appeared to be a local, although it wasn't licensed apparel. I saw no other college stuff today.
Santiago is 5275 miles from Ann Arbor. Pretty good distance.
It seems to me that the brand is still pretty strong if you see it at the other end of the world.
Anyone else seen Michigan apparel a long way from home? Where?
January 26th, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
I spent a week in LV earlier this month and wore a lot of Michigan gear while out -n-about. Not only did I get quite a few "Go Blue" hails, but I saw a fair amount of other folks rockin' the Maize n Blue around town. On a side note, I also saw a ton of very despondent Clemson-clad fans at the airport, after the NC game.
January 26th, 2016 at 11:14 AM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 11:43 AM ^
I was in Africa a few weeks back and saw a kid wearing a 2015-16 Michigan State Football National Champions shirt. They must have had a few extras.
January 26th, 2016 at 11:53 AM ^
Saw all kinds of college apparel in India a couple of years ago. Was there for 4 months and saw many Michigan hats, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. Was really proud that I didn't see anything with osu on it for quite some time, until I finally saw a hat in my last month. Was pretty pissed about that.
But they had no idea what the logos meant. They were just clothes to them. Though I did work with one teacher who did his undergrad in TN and his masters in FL and knew about the rivalry, so I had that at least.
January 26th, 2016 at 12:13 PM ^
One of my Tanzanian guides on Mt. Kilimanjaro wore a Michigan T-shirt on the climb. Pretty cool and VERY far from AA.
January 26th, 2016 at 12:24 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^
May I ask how you came to learn Spanish? Are you a native speaker, or did you learn Spanish at Michigan?
I learned it via the intensive Spanish class in the Residential College in East Quad (just a few years b/f the earth cooled), and I'm wondering if you may have passed through there as well.
Best class and best teachers I've ever had, totally changed the course of my life.
¡¡Viva azul!!
January 26th, 2016 at 4:52 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 6:09 PM ^
At least you know what your German co-workers are saying about you when they talk about you...
January 26th, 2016 at 6:44 PM ^
They are cool so I doubt they are saying anything behind my back, but you never know.
The company is really international. We have people from pretty much everywhere, and until a week ago, I was the only American.
First foreign company I've worked for...so far, so good. They work hard and play hard.
January 26th, 2016 at 12:56 PM ^
I have seen Michigan gear in various places in Europe (including a Michigan flag hanging from a balcony in Paris), South Korea, Australia, and Tanzania. In addition, I have gotten "Go Blue!"s from people in Buenos Aires, Sydney, and Europe.
January 26th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^
And I follow Michigan closely. Already gave some gear to some friends and encouraged them to make the leap from NFL to college too.
January 26th, 2016 at 1:37 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 4:18 PM ^
I have not seen any Michigan stuff, but I did see a "MICHIGAN STATE 2015 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS" T-shirt on a child in Somalia.
January 26th, 2016 at 8:43 PM ^
of course the brand is strong.. it takes much more than 10 years of mediocrity for a brand to diminish significantly in value. Let's hope Jim H sticks around for a long time.