TicketsJune 7, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The second open forum for fans to give their opinions on a series of projects, ranging from the consolidation of the Bearcat image to activities to be included in UC athletics marketing and promotional plans for the 2006-07 academic year, is being held on Wednesday, June 21.
The meetings, to be held on June 14, 21 and 27, will take place in the auditorium of the newly opened Richard E. Lindner Center. Attendance is open to the public, but will be limited to 100 persons per session. Each session will last from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. To reserve a spot please contact Bearcat Sports Marketing at 513-556-0838.
Each session will begin with a power point presentation of CATAPULT, Cincinnati athletics' drive for excellence plan. Members of the UC athletics senior administrative staff will be on hand to answer questions and take down feedback.
"Having our fans play a role in the direction of our department is a point of emphasis with our CATAPULT plan" stated director of athletics Mike Thomas. "Our hope is that over the next month that we will be able to get some great feedback from our stakeholders as well as answer any and all questions about the direction that our department is headed. If people have opinions on UC Athletics, now is the time to be a part of the process and let your voice be heard."
| Image B |
Currently there are two distinctly different images of the Bearcat; the costumed mascot that is seen on the sidelines and courtside at UC athletics events, and a caricature that is used in licensed merchandise and in print applications (Image B). The goal of the process is to determine which image has the most equity with the public and how the Bearcat brand may be unified for future use. Selecting one image will allow the university to maximize the leverage of the Bearcat image and help lead to increased spirit, consistency, and revenue.
Feedback from these sessions will be shared with the newly-formed Athletics Branding Task Force, which features representatives from the UC athletics department, season ticket patrons, UCATS members, the UC Alumni Association, UC faculty and staff, plus the UC undergraduate and graduate student populations. The Athletics Branding Task Force will also be working with students from UC's nationally renowned DAAP program and with the international design firm LPK on crafting this unified image over the next few months.
Howard McIlvain, UC Class of '67, is one of the leaders of the Athletics Branding Task Force. The executive vice president and chief creative officer of Cincinnati-based agency LPK, McIlvain said that "the Bearcat image is an essential element of the overall Bearcat Brand, a part of the Bearcat Experience. We are going to carefully consider the personality and attitude of this character before we design the visual expression. By doing this we plan to expand his marketing potential while exercising much better control over all applications."
"College fans want to buy merchandise that accurately resembles on-field icons and trademarks," says John Christie, Vice President of University Services for The Collegiate Licensing Company, the university's licensing agent. "We look forward to participating in Cincinnati's efforts to reinforce its Bearcat brand."
Senior associate director of athletics Mike Waddell stated that de-fragmenting the image of the Bearcat will help UC maximize its potential for additional licensing royalties. "Cincinnati has had one version of the mascot on the field and another completely different look which has been used in merchandising. Having the public forums to help gauge opinions from a variety of stakeholders gives everyone a chance to voice their opinion in determining the look of Bearcat. We feel the task force's charge to determine one unified look will help increase sales of licensed product and enhance our revenue streams that fund our 18-sport program."
For more information on these sessions, or to review feedback from each of the weekly events, please click on the OPEN FORUMS icon on the main page of UCBEARCATS.com, the official web site of UC Athletics.
To reserve a spot at one of the future sessions please contact Bearcat Sports Marketing at 513-556-0838.