Learning from Orwell:How History Can Enhance Your Club’s Brand

Donny BaarnsDirector of Broadcasting, Visalia Rawhide

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”

-George Orwell

Why Should You Care?

2010 MIT Study

"Ultimately, great brand equity is about having an emotional connection to a brand. Just being aware of the brand is inadequate because real equity is based on a response such as 'I feel it and am inherently aware of it because the brand is myself'. A company has achieved genuine equity when the pronoun shifts from a company-centric 'it' to 'me' and 'us' (the brand as reflecting one's own values and vision of self within one's desired peer group)." (DigitalMarketing.com)

“All politics is local.” –Tip O’Neill

Show…Don’t Just Tell!

Why Did We Do This?

Goshen & Giddings: 65 Years of Visalia Professional Baseball

How You Can Do This…

Don’t wait for someone else to do it…

YOU control it!

If We Can Do It, You Can Too

• 2 Championships in 60 seasons

• 1 Hall of Fame alumnus

• 1 Cy Young

• 0 MVPs

• Club folded, went dark…twice

Assess the situation

Has your town had…

• Major League alumni?

Has your town had…

• Major League alumni?

• Great high school teams?

Has your town had…

• Major League alumni?

• Great high school teams?

• Little League champions?

Has your town had…

• Major League alumni?

• Great high school teams?

• Little League champions?

• Past Minor League or pro teams?

What You Will Need…

What You Will Need…

1. The Catalyst

What You Will Need…

1. The Catalyst

2. The Community

What You Will Need…

1. The Catalyst

2. The Community

3. The Interns

Practical Uses

Practical Uses

1. Service Club Presentations

Teams

Teams

Practical Uses

1. Service Club Presentations

2. Ballpark eyesores/dead spots

Teams

Practical Uses

1. Service Club Presentations

2. Ballpark Eyesores/Dead Spots

3. Marketing Materials/Proposals

Practical Uses

Practical Uses

1. Service Club Presentations

2. Ballpark Eyesores/Dead Spots

3. Marketing Materials/Proposals

4. Offseason Blogs/Website Articles

Practical Uses

1. Service Club Presentations

2. Ballpark Eyesores/Dead Spots

3. Marketing Materials/Proposals

4. Offseason Blogs/Website Articles

5. Additional Branding for Hot Stove Banquets