Ugh. This is a tough one. I was on my local online paper last week (The Minneapolis StarTribune) when I saw a banner ad for the Minnesota Lynx, the state’s professional WBNA team. For *years*, this team made its competition look ridiculous. The ad basically writes itself: “Watch us DOMINATE. EVERY. SINGLE. GAME.” That is a gutsy ad, but it’s true.
Was true.
As I read the ad, the story below it bemoaned the team sliding to 3-6 on the season…decidedly *not* a dominant performance. Here’s the thing: all great teams go through slumps. That’s just the nature of elite sports. The Lynx are a group of professionals with the talent and coaching to turn the season around at any point. They’re simply awesome. But what happens when the marketing doesn’t quite match the reality…especially during a tough stretch? This isn’t unique to the Lynx, of course. I saw similar ads in Cleveland for the NBA championship. And then the Cavaliers were swept in the finals. Honestly, I don’t know the answer, but I recognize the challenge marketing something you can’t predict.
#marketing #sportsmarketing #minnesotalynx
Photo credit: Pioneer Press, Lynx Media Day
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