The 'League of Ireland brand report' has been published. The report was produced by award winning brand consultant and author Jonathan Gabay. The man himself gave a presentation on his findings for the benefit of the football media this afternoon.
For those present, this appears to have been an unforgettable experience. Or, as Dan McDonnell put it, "extraordinary, just extraordinary."
First, who is Mr. Gabay? According to his website, he is a brand consutlant who blends marketing experience with psychology. He has published a book entitled 'Brand Psychology'.
Through the blended use of marketing and psychology, he says he has "devised an approach for brands which addressed cynics intelligently and authentically."
He was invited to analyse the marketing of the League of Ireland and to suggest innovative ways of marketing the League.
He made a promising beginning - at least in the eyes of those who commissioned the report.
PHASE 1: The opening
'Under John Delaney it's been amazing' and so the presentation of the independent review by Jonathan Gabay is underway.
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
PHASE 2: The FAI = brilliant, the clubs = not so much
It would appear that John Delaney and the FAI's near blamelessness for any of the problems of the League might be facing was a common motif throughout the presentation.
The clubs and fans, on the other hand, were taken to task constantly.
Already this is beginning to sound like an assault on clubs - and they are far from paragons - while lauding the FAI.
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
Next part of presentation focusing on how flares and supporter behaviour has been bad for the brand. I cannot believe this is a key point
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
Hmmm. pic.twitter.com/w3K4sZYGv7
— David Sneyd (@DavidSneydIDM) December 15, 2016
Independent expert irked by those who criticised FAI's €5,000 offer to clubs. "We've got to grow up irrespective of whose right or wrong'
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
PHASE 3. Affirmation
The FAI duly praised for their efforts, and the fans duly chastised for their attachment to flares, it was time to move onto the real positives that do exist.
"The League is not that bleak," according to Gabay. In fact, it "is cool".
Cork City receive kudos for their top notch curry chips which will please those at Turner's Cross.
#IsCool
Good brand strategy for next season pic.twitter.com/imKwS3SovQ
— Darren Cleary (@RadioCleary) December 15, 2016
Not only is it not that bleak, it's cool pic.twitter.com/T4DDCx2UYT
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
Pretty special on the one slide to spell it "Saint Pats"; "St Pat's" and "St. Pats" pic.twitter.com/ohwknSskFX
— aidan o'hara (@oharaa) December 15, 2016
'Cork City's curry chips were scrummy.'
— David Sneyd (@DavidSneydIDM) December 15, 2016
PHASE 4: Sponsorship
It is essential here that the FAI keep their cards close to their chest. He also invented a very interesting new concept - "confidential transparency."
'You don't tell the entire world everything. It doesn't make sense.'
— David Sneyd (@DavidSneydIDM) December 15, 2016
'There should be confidential transparency' he says in relationship to FAI sponsorship deals.
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
He's having an imaginary phone conversation on stage with a company called Joe's Pork Sausages.
— David Sneyd (@DavidSneydIDM) December 15, 2016
PHASE 5: Ideas section
Then came the ideas section. By some distance, this was the most memorable section. Gabay tossed out a range of new ideas, which might charitably be described as "left-field"
Proposals included.
- LOI scores displayed on bus stops
- Hollywood walk of fame containing the faces of ex-greats decorating the pathway up to the ground
- Painting the bus stops near the ground in the club colours
- Regional Heritage incorporated into the club brand - illustrated with the example of Sligo Rovers harnessing the power of WB Yeats (slouching towards the Showgrounds penalty box to score?)
- Games with MLS sides to promote among US audiences
- Half-time EA Sports tournaments broadcast on (which?) giant screens
'Let's make it showbiz.' pic.twitter.com/J48sjmusCK
— David Sneyd (@DavidSneydIDM) December 15, 2016
A live half-time EA Sports tournament broadcast on giant screens is another idea. Which begs the question...what giant screens?
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
'Why not paint the bus stops around grounds in club colours?'
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
@noriordan Sligo are miles ahead on this one. pic.twitter.com/zjDPkytxCT
— David Goulden (@DavidGoulden5) December 15, 2016
Gabay talks about heritage in the areas of each club. He asks why the poetry of Yeats is not painted on a mural in The Showgrounds?
— Daniel Kelly (@IsMiseDaniel) December 15, 2016
W.B. Yeats is the man to save the League of Ireland pic.twitter.com/fDAYusAiET
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
A Hollywood walk of fame leading up to grounds of local club has been recommended. Just saw a slide of a star with Pat Byrne's name on it.
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
'League of Ireland scores could be displayed on the electronic signs at bus stops'
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
Bank Holiday games with sides from the MLS or NASL another suggestion. Good grief. Dismissing real issues & raising nonsensical ideas. Help
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
PHASE 6: Taking on the TV guys
RTE Sport and Eir Sport took a kicking on account of their allegedly boring TV camera angles. Of course, the clubs don't want their games on TV. Shamrock Rovers wrote to RTE asking them not to come to Tallaght at one stage in 2015 season.
Onto TV coverage now, slaughtering the camera angles. "Some of the angles made the games look boring, dreary, dull."
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
PHASE 7: The logo
One of the tangible things to emerge from the report. A new logo was unveiled.
The new LOI logo appears to be three dog tails #confused pic.twitter.com/kIcZkaN5YT
— Mark McCadden (@markmccadden) December 15, 2016
The logo's not bad to be fair pic.twitter.com/6CgxMvy9FL
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
Here's the new logo on a bus pic.twitter.com/pr0AvDcmKX
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
PHASE 8: The end
And then, it was over. The verdict from the Irish football writers community would appear to be uniformly negative. Some had aged quite a considerable bit in the previous hour.
This is simultaneously the greatest day of my journalistic life and the most worrying as a League of Ireland fan.
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) December 15, 2016
It's over now. I know FAI will think some of these tweets are just typical media moaning but that was extraordinary, just extraordinary.
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 15, 2016
FAI's branding guru Jonathan Gabay earns £7k per speech....so think of how much he's earned to "consult"on League of Ireland
— Dave Hannigan (@daveyhannigan) December 15, 2016
As for Gabay, here he is outlining he is discussing "brand marketing and subliminal advertising" on RT last year. His headline comment is that "one of the most powerful brands today is ISIS".
We hasten to add that he does not support or admire ISIS whatsoever.
