We Are All Canucks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4BNZdGovkk
I’ve been noticing many ads for the Vancouver Canucks, and their powerfully emotive tagline “We Are All Canucks”. Personally, I’m not a huge hockey fan, but I found it impressive how effective their marketing strategy is – to the point where they are such a big part of local identity and culture that it doesn’t matter if they win or lose. One of my classmates even blogged that “It’s not always about the win“. She cites the positive fan experiences provided and the charity work by the team as reasons that they appeal to consumers. Another blog by a Sauder student mentions how they have strategically signed players that are fan favourites and used social validation by “boasting consecutive attendance-sellouts”.
Other businesses use the Canucks’ powerful brand to stregthen their own marketing too. For example, the law firm Fasken Martineau used Canucks sponsorship to increase brand awareness, increase media exposure, and give their clients and lawyers a unique place to network and increase revenue. They wanted to associate their brand with the Canucks’ “teamwork, excellence, community involvement and community service”.
If you look at hockey team as a firm in the entertainment industry, their main revenue streams are from tickets sales, merchandise sales, sponsorship and broadcasting rights. These heavily rely on the support of fans, so it makes sense that the Canucks would invest extensively in their marketing. They’ve managed to capture a huge range of demographics as their consumers because their marketing is very broad and inclusive. Even though I don’t really like hockey, I still identify with the Canucks as “MY team” and I can definitely appreciate the skillful strategy behind their marketing.