If you could Redesign the Cardinals brand

[syros]

I am currently working on a sports marketing package for a graduate design school project. I have been tasked to redesign the cardinals and present a cohesive branding strategy for them. As Cardinals fans, what would you like to see done. It could be anything from the name of the team, (does a Cardinal have anything to do with Arizona?), to the logo, colors, uniforms, publications, anything.

I really would like to hear the opinions of the people like you who are involved with them day in and day out. Other than players and actual team strategy, what would you like to see the franchise do. What are they doing wrong, what are they doing right. By the way, the new stadium looks amazing, seems like a good start to reinvent the Cardinals image and exposure.

 

[azmike74]

In all honesty, I am done with wanting a uniform/name change. All I want is a change (for the positive) in the team's record and a start to a positive tradition in Arizona.

Just curious, were others tasked to redesign the other NFL teams? Even ones that don't need to be redesigned?

 

[azdad1978]

Cardinals are never going to change their name.

 

[syros]

In all honesty, I am done with wanting a uniform/name change. All I want is a change (for the positive) in the team's record and a start to a positive tradition in Arizona.

Just curious, were others tasked to redesign the other NFL teams? Even ones that don't need to be redesigned?

Others were assigned, MLB (can't remember), and NHL (New York Islanders), all teams seem to ones that could benefit from a good design/branding stategy. Some teams have done a great job with their marketing, others have done it through a good scoring record or star player. And some teams have "inherited" their value with their history, like the NY Yankees.

Think about this as a "perfect world scenario" with any suggestions or ideas, regardless of what the franchise has done in the past. If you could change something, no questions asked, what would it be.

 

[azmike74]

Others were assigned, MLB (can't remember), and NHL (New York Islanders), all teams seem to ones that could benifit from a good design/braning stategy.

Just to help you with an idea, I am a big fan of the colors of the Arizona Rattlers. Black, Copper, and Turquoise. The colors of their unis are representative of Arizona. Alternate colors I could suggest would be sage and sand for a color scheme.
There is a member of the board, and I will screw up his name, but it starts with PANTONE, is really good with graphics and could help you out quite a bit I believe.

 

[jw7]

There is a member of the board, and I will screw up his name, but it starts with PANTONE, is really good with graphics and could help you out quite a bit I believe.

That would be PANTONE194C. He runs a website on sports uniforms. Check his profile with his website link.

 

[jefftheshark]

In a perfect world I would start by getting rid of the random gray seats in the new stadium. I mean what's up with that?

(countdown to Pantone's coming unhinged: 4...3...2...)

Of course, there is always the "Big Angry Red Duck" Helmet change:

JTS

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

In a perfect world I would start by getting rid of the random gray seats in the new stadium. I mean what's up with that?

(countdown to Pantone's coming unhinged: 4...3...2...)

Of course, there is always the "Big Angry Red Duck" Helmet change:

JTS

love the big angry red duck helmet. love it!

i would rename the cardinals the "rhinos" and make the team colors grey and an orange-yellow. just b/c it's fantasy land.

 

[BigCountryPope82]

In a perfect world I would start by getting rid of the random gray seats in the new stadium. I mean what's up with that?

(countdown to Pantone's coming unhinged: 4...3...2...)

Of course, there is always the "Big Angry Red Duck" Helmet change:

JTS

haha that looks like a great helmet

 

[TruColor]

That would be PANTONE194C. He runs a website on sports uniforms. Check his profile with his website link.

I suggest that you go over to Chris Creamer's forum at http://boards.sportslogos.net/. This is the kind of thing that we discuss at length over there. He's got about 10,000 members - which includes pretty much every sports logo designer in the business.

 

[JeffGollin]

No more tinkering with the Cardinal logo and unis please.

That said - since it is a college project based on hypotheticals - a few thoughts:

1. Go back to basics and re-think things like Historical Background, Situation, Positioning, Marketing Region (size, composisiton, demographics, psychographics), Competitive Context Within That Region, Financial Resources, Human Resources, Challenges, Opportunities, Goals, Strategies and all that good old fashioned marketing stuff.

2. From there start to figure out what you want the personality of the "product" to be within the context of its primary and secondary niche audiences. (i.e. do you want it to appeal to children - like the Anaheim Mighty Ducks? Do you want it to be badass - like the Raiders? Do you want it to be high-powered and technical - like the "greatest show on turf?")

3. From there, develop overall positioning, strategy, marketing/communications strategies.

4. Now you're ready to translate all that good info and thinking into what you want the logo and uniform to look like, what you want to say to the fans and how you want to say it.

(Note - One thing that's bothered me a bit about the team's current marketing posture has been its use of the semi-animated Big Red mascot morphed into a Madden 2008 player running for a TD. While it's a nice niche strategy for attracting younger fans, it kind of runs counter to the "fierce bird" branding image that was part of the latest strategy overhaul).

(Note #2 - "Bonding the team to the Community" seems to be part of the Cardinal branding strategy - players visiting hospitals, outreach to various areas of the community etc. That I like - a lot).

 

[CardLogic]

I have always liked this uniform design:

 

[SuperSpck]

Offensive uniforms made of pure Crisco would allow for better scoring (and more delicious snacks after the game).

On defense I'd say replacing the numbers on jerseys with very pretty flowers would be a good idea. It'd work on 2 levels.

1) You are now one of a handful of NFL employee with a Daisy on your chest, the rest of the league is laughing at you. Your desire to hit someone just got a + 5 bonus.

2) You're an offensive player in the NFL who just got his backside whipped by a dude with a Daisy on his chest, your confidence level just plummeted.

 

[Lloydian]

How about hiring actors to pretend to be Cardinals fans since they were kids who just can't get enough of the team. Oh, wait, the Knicks have already done that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlS6QlX2pAM
http://www.nypress.com/21/2/news&columns/feature2.cfm

 

[Pariah]

(does a Cardinal have anything to do with Arizona?),

There are cardinals in Arizona.

 

[abomb]

I have always liked this uniform design:

An interesting spin on your project might be taking the Cardinals away from the bird and back to the color (check out the wiki for Chicago Maroons and Chicago Cardinals).

I think that has some "Hmmm, I didnt know that" factor with your professor if you throw it back to the original name (Cardinals, like the color) and scheme.

 

[Gee!]

How about hiring actors to pretend to be Cardinals fans since they were kids who just can't get enough of the team. Oh, wait, the Knicks have already done that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlS6QlX2pAM
http://www.nypress.com/21/2/news&columns/feature2.cfm

Ok, whoever thought Clyyyyyde actually played basketball once in his life? I knew right away, just look at his appearence then the way he acted (body language)..

 

[TheCardFan]

(does a Cardinal have anything to do with Arizona?),

I haven't seen any Bears in Chicago or Bengals roaming around Ohio except for the zoo.

 

[abomb]

(does a Cardinal have anything to do with Arizona?),

And yes, we do have cardinals in Arizona.

 

[Team G]

An interesting spin on your project might be taking the Cardinals away from the bird and back to the color (check out the wiki for Chicago Maroons and Chicago Cardinals).

I think that has some "Hmmm, I didnt know that" factor with your professor if you throw it back to the original name (Cardinals, like the color) and scheme.

I'd rather keep the Bird than be named after a color!
(There are Cardinals throughout year in Fountain Hills)

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'd rather keep the Bird than be named after a color!
(There are Cardinals throughout year in Fountain Hills)

You mean that you don't like the Arizona Turquoise?

 

[CardLogic]

You mean that you don't like the Arizona Turquoise?

I hear that they have a lot of talent that just needs to be brought to the surface and polished up.

 

[Skkorpion]

Replace the Cardinal with a native southwestern bird:

1. Phainopepla. A male tyrant flycatcher that has the same shape and size but is black with a red eye. The early prospectors named it the black cardinal of the desert.

2. Pyrrhuloxia. The female looks almost exactly like a female cardinal but has a slightly yellower hooked beak.
I've had both the cardinal and pyrrhuloxia on my feeder at the same time and took a picture and sent it to the local audubon guy. He was stunned because pyrrhuloxias are rarely seen north of Tucson.

Sorry. I'm a nerdy birder.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Replace the Cardinal with a native southwestern bird:

1. Phainopepla. A male tyrant flycatcher that has the same shape and size but is black with a red eye. The early prospectors named it the black cardinal of the desert.

Sorry. I'm a nerdy birder.

A black Cardinal. Now that would be kind of cool:

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Wild Card]

I am currently working on a sports marketing package for a graduate design school project. I have been tasked to redesign the cardinals and present a cohesive branding strategy for them. As Cardinals fans, what would you like to see done. It could be anything from the name of the team, (does a Cardinal have anything to do with Arizona?), to the logo, colors, uniforms, publications, anything.

I really would like to hear the opinions of the people like you who are involved with them day in and day out. Other than players and actual team strategy, what would you like to see the franchise do. What are they doing wrong, what are they doing right. By the way, the new stadium looks amazing, seems like a good start to reinvent the Cardinals image and exposure.

Syros:

I agree with others that the current family ownership will never change the name of their franchise. It'd be like Billy Ford waking up one morning and deciding to get rid of the blue oval. Ain't gonna happen. But I'll give the Bidwills credit for making legitimate efforts to reboot their brand marketing since moving into the new stadium (e.g., logo, unis).

If it were my project, I'd be designing a presentation for the Arizona Scorpions. You should avoid red-and-sand color schemes, since the Diamondbacks and Coyotes have that combo pretty well covered with their current unis. And whatever else you do, get rid of the grey facemasks.

Hope you'll post the results. Good luck!

WC