Jason W. Lee

Click clack: examining the strategic and entrepreneurial brand vision of Under Armour

Using non-traditional brand strategy and innovative techniques, Under Armour quickly established a dominant presence in the sport performance apparel market as a newcomer in its product category. It established strong brand equity among consumers through its messaging and authentic relationship with target consumers. Utilising marketing and brand management theories, this study analysed the entrepreneurial strategies implemented by Under Armour in establishing the companys current positioning in the sport performance apparel marketplace. Using Aakers (2005) strategic market management theory and Porters (1980) competitive forces model as a framework, this study analysed the different marketing methods utilised to develop, maintain, and sustain the Under Armour brand.

A Happy Marriage: The Union of Online Instruction and Community-Based Learning.

This article explores the opportunities and challenges that university instructors and students have when completing course assignments that merge community-based learning (CBL) and online learning (OL) in sport management and athletic administration pedagogy. As online instruction continues to increase, instructors and students need to be equipped to handle its challenges while at the same time seeking to maximize the opportunities that result from the flexibility and versatility of online instructional methods. While both OL and CBL are popular pedagogical activities, strategic efforts need to be utilized to make these methods can compatible. This article identifies two sample projects that show how online instruction and community-based learning can be “married” in a joint union that will be beneficial for all involved.

Self-Branding Reflection Through the Use of Infographic Résumés

Infographics can add a resource for today’s competitive marketplace, helping differentiate individuals in a visually effective way. This can be a reflective education strategy for students to gain an understanding of who they are. This includes having a better understanding of their personal strengths and areas for personal improvement. This pedagogical approach for self-analysis and self-branding uses infographic resumes, where visual images such as diagrams, charts, and graphs are used to represent personal information or data. The students acquire new knowledge and technology skills in the course of designing, planning, and producing their own personal infographics. The process of creating infographics can be a valuable tool for self-promotional, reflection, and its integration into appropriate course curriculum (i.e., sport marketing) is addressed.

Blazing a Trail…or Blazing Saddles: A Case Study of Players’ Social Media Response to the Decision to Drop UAB Blazer Football

In 2014, the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) elected to eliminate its football team, citing rising costs. This case study examines how the players on that team used Twitter as a tool for crisis communication, specifically the #FreeUAB hashtag, in order to demonstrate their opposition to that decision. An analysis of over 1300 tweets from 44 players revealed that while players primarily used the hashtag when discussing the team, they also utilized it in a variety of other tweet topics. Additionally, the majority of the tweets posted to the players’ accounts were retweets from other accounts, demonstrating that the players preferred to show the support from others instead of voicing their own opinions. Implications regarding stakeholder social media communication during a crisis are discussed.

A Cause without a Rebel: The Rebranding of Forrest High School

The public perception of academic institutions and their athletic programs are generally considered a prime factor in building their brand image. Maintaining a favorable institutional brand image can have a meaningful effect when conveying messages to key organizational stakeholders. Schools are to seek strategies aimed at generating positive exposure and conveying compelling messages that instill confidence in institutional stakeholders. For secondary schools, the ability to build and maintain a favorable brand image can be quite challenging. Accordingly, various factors can come into play regarding opportunities for building positive institutional brand associations and alleviating negative brand associations. This article addresses branding challenges that were experienced when a divisive school name and visible identity elements proved to be a contentious issue impacting the community. The process leading up to an institutional rebranding is presented, with specific attention to the significance of the strategic visual-identity planning process, including the implementation of the CHANGE model.

Cock-a-Doodle-U: Examining University Brand Personality and Visual Identity at Coastal Carolina University

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to extend previous literature on brand personality and visual brand identity through exploring the constructs at a unique intercollegiate athletic department [i.e., Coastal Carolina University (CCU)]. To meet these goals branding constructs were deconstructed and a three- part Likert-type survey was created to measure brand personality and visual identity. Upon completion, the survey was distributed and completed by 319 fans attending a CCU football game. Examination of the respondents summated averages showed fans identified CCU as a family friendly brand that represented success and fun. Fans were found to like images of the team mascot, football stadium, and football team celebrating and found them to represent CCU athletics well. Furthermore, analysis of variance revealed minor differences in brand perceptions existed between students and non-students. Such findings do well to add to the literature on branding in sport and provide insight for scholars and practitioners alike.

Communicating Brand Identity on Social Media: A Case Study of the Use of Instagram and Twitter for Collegiate Athletic Branding

This case study examined how a large university in the southern U.S. incorporated branding strategies into its social-media content. Specifically, the strategies for using text-based social media (Twitter) and visual-based social media (Instagram) to communicate brand identity through brand associations and brand personality were investigated. To do this, the authors conducted a 2-part study. The first, a content analysis of social-media content, revealed how the athletic department communicated the football team’s brand identity through brand associations and brand personality. Second, a survey assessed the perceived brand personality of the football program through social-media content to determine external perceptions of the team. Results support the use of Instagram as a branding strategy. Instagram was used more than Twitter to communicate brand associations and brand-personality cues, while survey results indicated that respondents exposed to Instagram content reported higher perceptions of brand pe...

Purposeful pedaling: analyzing MS 150 participant behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore factors affecting participant awareness, attraction, and attachment to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s (NMSS) MS 150 PGA Tour Cycle to the Shore charitable bike ride utilizing the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) developed by Funk and James. In addition, the authors sought to outline variables sport organizations can use to predict donor behavior. Design/methodology/approach – Data for this project were derived from an electronic survey distributed to race participants and was analyzed in SPSS® software. Regression analysis was employed. Findings – The findings support previous research employing the PCM; wherein social situational variables have the greatest influence on the relational significance of hedonic and dispositional needs in attraction and attachment to sporting events. The work supports the inclusion of communities as an additional attachment outcome. Practical implications – In all, 92 percent of riders were informed about the ev...