MEMO to the AD and Marketing Department

[newshound]

Folks, admit it, the SMU marks were LONG overdue for an update. There is no question about that. In fact, the new marks are very nice looking and modern and pretty slick. Change can be good, you know.

The choice of merchandise is significantly greater than it has been. Hopefully, we can see some of this stuff on shelves in area stores, too.

The ONLY question I have is that while the new marks are a nice update and an alternative to the classic Pony, why would SMU de-emphasize one of the most recognized logos on PLANET EARTH? Incorporate the two and market them both. Look at all of the variations of the Mavericks and Rangers logos, for example on their merchandise.

And, I do agree with the incredible oversight of not having ONE Pony logo on the masthead of the new website. SMU IS THE PONY. Just as UT is the LONGHORN.

Hopefully, there will be some greater integration in the future. That means, and I am begging for this one, a new paint job for the floor at Moody! I mean, the colors aren't even the right ones!

But, Give Shawn H. and his gang credit for spending the money and the time to get SMU moving in a new marketing direction with the new marks. Just waiting for some more hype to surround it.

Now, let's go kick some tail in C-USA.

[giacfsp]

Everyone should bombard Copeland or whomever is responsible for screwing w/ the logo. It made a difference when OU tried to change their logo to look like Houston's current logo.

Definitely let Jim Copeland know, but you might want to cc: your e-mails to him. Associate AD John Koerner is the guy in charge of financial decisions, I believe.

And, to be fair, the new website for the athletic department is a format adopted (or at least soon to be adopted) by all C-USA teams. I CAN NOT believe, however, that the conference has any say in scrapping the best logo in the conference, and one of the best in the nation. I was planning to withold comment, thinking maybe some folks were just getting overly sentimental, etc., but the skeptics here were right. The new logo, and the apparel that carries it, looks like garbage. This just makes me glad I have 20 different SMU hats and god-knows-how-many T-shirts with the REAL logo.

Look at the bright side: the new on-line store might be soaking us for $60 for a generic golf shirt, but at least they offer a candy/ tin with the silly new logo on it. That thing will really be a hot seller.

This kind of cr*p would be akin to Texas swapping their silhouetted longhorn for one resembling the Chicago Bulls logo.

Very well said, my friend. Then again, we're getting pseudo-Broncos uniforms, so why not? Maybe we can completely whore out to anything horse-related, and abandon the traditional SMU colors in favor of whatever the old Birmingham Stallions (of the USFL) wore.

One of the few things this athletic department had was a fantastic, readily identifiable logo. For god's sake, don't screw that up, too.

[KnuckleStang]

And here's another statement from Mr. Koerner:

If our change is not successful or is not embraced by our fans, we will look for another change. We are not satisfied with standing still. We want to improve and make things better and we will not be satisfied with just leaving things as they were.

By far the most distressing passage. Distressing because it betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what the problem is. He honestly thinks the reason students aren't buying SMU stuff is because they think it's ugly. Apparently 16 yrs. of LOSING has nothing to do with it. So why fix the team? It's so much easier to "fix" the logo. This guy is basically a full-blown idiot. A full-blown idiot who thinks he's really smart, which is the worst kind.

Anyway, it sure is nice to know that when we all complain enough to get rid of this monstrosity, there will be another "new improved" monstrosity on the horizon. Remember, he will not be "satisfied with just leaving things as they were."

Note to marketing dept: There is this thing in college sports called "tradition." Look it up. Please.

[giacfsp]

Folks, admit it, the SMU marks were LONG overdue for an update. There is no question about that. In fact, the new marks are very nice looking and modern and pretty slick. Change can be good, you know.

Yes, change can be good. But we'll agree to disagree on this one. The athletic department has a laundry list a mile long of things that need to be updated before the logo.

The choice of merchandise is significantly greater than it has been. Hopefully, we can see some of this stuff on shelves in area stores, too.

OK, I'll agree with you there. That would be nice. Although the fact that all of the hats look like they should be in a truck stop some place is a little disconcerting. There are no normal looking ones there.

The ONLY question I have is that while the new marks are a nice update and an alternative to the classic Pony, why would SMU de-emphasize one of the most recognized logos on PLANET EARTH? Incorporate the two and market them both. Look at all of the variations of the Mavericks and Rangers logos, for example on their merchandise.

Maybe you're right, if they made the traditional pony the DOMINANT image on the merchandise, maybe the goofy new lettering would be more tolerable.

And, I do agree with the incredible oversight of not having ONE Pony logo on the masthead of the new website. SMU IS THE PONY. Just as UT is the LONGHORN.

Amen, brother.

Hopefully, there will be some greater integration in the future. That means, and I am begging for this one, a new paint job for the floor at Moody! I mean, the colors aren't even the right ones!

Personally, I think new lights in the arena would help the look of the floor immensely (not to mention the quality of photographs .... and maybe shooting percentages). But you're right, Hound, a new look on the floor is due.

But, Give Shawn H. and his gang credit for spending the money and the time to get SMU moving in a new marketing direction with the new marks. Just waiting for some more hype to surround it.

Sorry, I've got to disagree with you there. He works his tail off, as does his staff. But rather than hiring a hotshot advertising firm to suggest "italicize the letters -- that'll really sell," they should have gotten Dr Pepper or someone to print up a few thousand shirts to GIVE OUT to students, alumni, and kids in the community. As I see it, every dime not spent to keep the lights on in the office should be spent saturating the community with the SMU name .... and the TRADITIONAL pony logo.

Now, let's go kick some tail in C-USA.

There you go. Deep down, we agree on what's really important.

GO MUSTANGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PK]

It ain't the logo that sells the merchandize...it's the winning! That's why UT crap sells like mad...it ain't the burnt orange...it's that they win...and win alot. Let the coaches recruit the same players everyone else recruits and we will start winning and we will sell our traditonal logo merchandize like hot cakes! This is sooo fundamental it is scary that they don't see it.

[CalallenStang]

Give me a red Mustang any day of the year.

If you don't like that new logo, just don't buy it! I'm not going to!

[giacfsp]

.... If our change is not successful or is not embraced by our fans, we will look for another change.... [/b]

By far the most distressing passage....

I agree, although for a different reason. I translate Mr. Koerner's statement here to mean "we're trying something here, but we have no idea if it works. By sounding receptive to customer feedback, we allow ourselves a Get Out Of Jail card."

The look of the traditional merchandise was never the problem. That stuff sold. And it should have been insignificant, anyway. What are they doing, hoping the sale of T-shirts will become a revenue stream large enough to overhaul Moody Coliseum? If the football team wins C-USA and makes a bowl game, or if the men's basketball team emerges into a regional power, the sale of merchandise will take care of itself. Hell, even this new crap will sell. Even the recruiting field. Update facilities. Triple the marketing budget. Quit screwing with the window dressing like the logo on hats or the uniforms.

What's the phrase? "It's like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole."

[KnuckleStang]

What's the phrase? "It's like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole."

Or "putting perfume on a hog." Except in this case, we just downgraded our perfume from Chanel No. 5 to Deep-Woods Off!

[CalallenStang]

What's the phrase? "It's like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole."

Or "putting perfume on a hog." Except in this case, we just downgraded our perfume from Chanel No. 5 to Deep-Woods Off!

No. We downgraded to SKUNK, because the new logo STINKS!

[couch 'em]

I still dont' understand why SMU doesn't give every incoming student a free Tshirt. The dorms don't have a problem printing up shirts for their residents. Just stop spending money on "Virginia-Snider" tshirts and give out SMU ones.

[PK]

Time for an e-mail assualt. E-mail the AD, the Marketing Department and the Mustang Club. Let them know that we have had our own focus group disussion and we disagree adamantly on the direction they are trying to take us.

[CalallenStang]

Time for an e-mail assualt. E-mail the AD, the Marketing Department and the Mustang Club. Let them know that we have had our own focus group disussion and we disagree adamantly on the direction they are trying to take us.

Also, direct them to the threads on here that will give them more information.

PK, I will email on Tuesday...my email server is down right now and I will be leaving soon.

[LA_Mustang]

Please stop all of this garbage. Just put a product on the field/court that can win some damn games. Hell, a winning record, or a bowl game or a ticket to the big dance might help us sell a few shirts.....dont you think? geez.

[giacfsp]

What's the phrase? "It's like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole."

Or "putting perfume on a hog." Except in this case, we just downgraded our perfume from Chanel No. 5 to Deep-Woods Off!

No. We downgraded to SKUNK, because the new logo STINKS!

Pretty good stuff, CS and KS.
No mention of Lysol?

[Mustangs35SMU]

I must agree with you guys.

The new logos are horrible.

On NCAAbbs.com they have that freakin horse head as our logo. I hate it Definately not buying any of the new stuff unless it has our REAL logo on it.