Robbie Williams & Bristol City!

[wayne allisons tongues]

For those not sure what our Community team do this is a must read. They interact with over 50,000 local kids every year. Of course we can always do more, and Amy and her team have ambitious plans to grow their work even further http://www.football-league.co.uk/features/20120918/real-football-the-crucial-role-of-a-community-trust_2293307_2921204

Thanks for the reply Dave, have family and friends in Bristol who say they never see anything regards the club coaching wise in schools.

When you live in Manchester and lived in Wigan and see all the after school training given, it's frustrating to see kids support there local team and wear their shirts and hear stories about city and non participation.

Do you know what the commercial dept. do to attract new fans?

Are the club allowed to advertise on radio, local paper, billboards.

Any links with local soccer leagues as like here in Manchester and Wigan to attract youngsters.

[real_bristol]

There may be thousands of students in Bristol, but the fact is, even when the club were doing massive discounts in the past, they didn't come.

They are not, and never were, interested in changing teams at that stage in their lives, a handful may turn up half a dozen times over the period of their course, why persist with them? I would much rather the club give free tickets to local schools every week, that will get them waching live football in their home City, more chance of getting them to come back.

The future of the clubs support is in the schools. Bristolian kids are worth targetting, that is where our fans will come from, Jules from Buckinghamshire isn't.

Thats a good point but to write them all off completely is probably premature, especially cos of the amount of students in the city. I know people who have soft spots for other teams cos they went to uni there, admitedly smaller teams where tickets are probably cheaper. But there must me a way to reach the students fairly cheaply. Imagine if one student visits has a great times and ends up living and working in Bristol for the rest of his/her days. Even if they only attend a few games, if they end up taking their kids its got to be worthwhile.

I also think the club should get behind the potential new station at ashton gate, if its easier to get to people will come.

[Red Knowle]

I think the club have been reasonably clever with this ad campaign, the basic message "let us entertain you" is appropriate for our current team and performances and is clearly a plea to fans who have, so far, stayed away.

The fact is that we are fortunate enough at BCFC to have fans who create events like the flag day, produce merchandise, arrange funds for giant surfers etc. that separate our club from any other in the region. In comparison to the Tobacco factory surfer any official advertising from the club is going to look a bit unoriginal.

No way are fans going to sing lets entetain you. pack the gatee or take on this robbie williams look. its poor. something that did seperate the club from others is falling away because the club are going down a very different road.

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

No way are fans going to sing lets entetain you.

I would hope not, anyway, no one is asking us to.

'Let us entertain you' is just a marketing slogan that, coincidentally, happens to be quite close to the title of a Robbie Williams song....That's all.

[Andy Horsman]

That is so awful and outdated, Robby Williams is history, come on Brainstormers I would think you could come up with something a bit more in the moment.

Albert as Flo Rida or Wooly as Lady GaGa?!!!!!!

[cider head]

I think the club have been reasonably clever with this ad campaign, the basic message "let us entertain you" is appropriate for our current team and performances and is clearly a plea to fans who have, so far, stayed away.

The fact is that we are fortunate enough at BCFC to have fans who create events like the flag day, produce merchandise, arrange funds for giant surfers etc. that separate our club from any other in the region. In comparison to the Tobacco factory surfer any official advertising from the club is going to look a bit unoriginal.

The Eastend flag days look to have ceased, and the Eastend is the least colourful it has been for seasons. What you think separate City from other clubs is now happening slower than before because the club is starting to leave its traditions behind. To be fair Robbie Williams "let us entertain you" has nothing to do with Bristol City.

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

The Eastend flag days look to have ceased, and the Eastend is the least colourful it has been for seasons. What you think separate City from other clubs is now happening slower than before because the club is starting to leave its traditions behind..

I see your point but I was merely saying that due to the excellent activities of sections of our support any official advertising by the club is not going to be as impressive as something like the Surfer Flag at the Tobacco Factory.

I only mentioned the Flag Days, Ernie clothing/merchandise, stickers, Artwork and flags in the Eastend as examples of things that our fans have done that other clubs fans in the region don't do. For what

it's worth, I think the club should be openly embracing these activities, however I fully appreciate that you know far more about the politics between club and fans than I do. In my opinion the activities of some of our fans are more of an impressive advert for the club than any poster.

Re. The point about Robbie Williams, I know he has nothing to do with BCFC but I can see what they are trying to say with the advert.

[Cowshed]

And that has what to do with my post ? I was talking about the clubs effort on ticket sales not our fans paying tribute to a city legend ( which I think is great by the way )

Read the opening post again.I suggested using the acumen of fans would be of benefit.

The whole point of advertising is to get people to talk about the product (which will hopefully lead to sales) as we are all talking about it in this thread its obviously working.

Advertising can have different aims. Here the clubs reach is so narrow they will hit:

• People who know where Ashton Gate is
  
• People who know the club exist
  
• Fans who know the game is on anyway.
  

It is hardly broad, or widescale.

.

[cider head]

I see your point but I was merely saying that due to the excellent activities of sections of our support any official advertising by the club is not going to be as impressive as something like the Surfer Flag at the Tobacco Factory.

I only mentioned the Flag Days, Ernie clothing/merchandise, stickers, Artwork and flags in the Eastend as examples of things that our fans have done that other clubs fans in the region don't do. For what

it's worth, I think the club should be openly embracing these activities, however I fully appreciate that you know far more about the politics between club and fans than I do. In my opinion the activities of some of our fans are more of an impressive advert for the club than any poster.

Re. The point about Robbie Williams, I know he has nothing to do with BCFC but I can see what they are trying to say with the advert.

The idea about posters is more than that. People were surprised that the Tobacco Factory could be used as a banner drop. The Tobacco Factory has been up for a lot more than banner drops for some time. Thing is nobody is asking them or other businesses in the area. We have found there are loads of places that will do things for BCFC. So the poster thing is just an idea about building up a network – alliance of businesses that could help out with raising the clubs almost invisible feel. We think there may be hundreds of places out there just waiting to be asked. Add fans homes and that is how many sites?

The clubs is so low profile because of the way It promotes itself. That could be changed if BCFC wanted it. What you mention was in part happening because there is so little out there fans can see in in BS3 – south Bristol. The club is failing to make use of what it has in tradition and goodwill of fans. Pic of robbie williams in a kit our grandparents would not recognise is only getting to those already going and hardly any further.

[Cliftonville]

BS3 could be a backdrop of support. Gloomily I think that the club would seek to attach an official sponsor if it was considered.

[Dave L]

In a week that saw City fans drop a huge banner off a building in BS3, couldn't an element of brainstorming between fans and club find more effective ways of promoting BCFC than the clubs latest gimmick?

Great idea. When are you free for a brainstorm? I really liked the Scott Murray banner, and I also liked the pack the gate video. Surely there’s room for both? Drop me an email and we’ll set something up.

Forget tradition face painting will be a big part of the clubs future.

We will never forget the traditions of the club. And if some kids want to get their faces painted as well, then where’s the problem?

I think the club have been reasonably clever with this ad campaign, the basic message "let us entertain you" is appropriate for our current team and performances and is clearly a plea to fans who have, so far, stayed away. The fact is that we are fortunate enough at BCFC to have fans who create events like the flag day, produce merchandise, arrange funds for giant surfers etc. that separate our club from any other in the region.

I agree 100% with this

Put the latter together with the former and free expertise of the wider fanbase. Would that not be of more wide ranging benefit?

Definitely. Let’s meet and discuss! Drop me an email at david.lloyd@bcfc.co.uk

It's an advertising campaign by the Commercial wing of the club, got nowt to do with Del, you obviously no nothing about how a football club is really run

Hmmm. Everyone who works for the club works as a team. The manager is very supportive of the commercial side of things and recognises that it’s a very important part of promoting our club.

There may be thousands of students in Bristol, but the fact is, even when the club were doing massive discounts in the past, they didn't come.

I would much rather the club give free tickets to local schools every week, that will get them waching live football in their home City, more chance of getting them to come back.

The future of the clubs support is in the schools. Bristolian kids are worth targetting, that is where our fans will come from,

Absolutely right. That’s why the work of the Community Trust is vital to the development of our club. Buy your cash takeaway ticket every game and support their work.

The whole point of advertising is to get people to talk about the product (which will hopefully lead to sales) as we are all talking about it in this thread its obviously working.

Seems that way!

I have never seen Bristol City targetting my sons school or football team.

I can certainly check that for you. Which school and which team?

Not sure what are community team does but maybe we should go along these lines. Can't cost that much and brings club to the forefront.

I’ve already answered this, but it’s worth a repeat.

For those not sure what our Community team do this is a must read. They interact with over 50,000 local kids every year. Of course we can always do more, and Amy and her team have ambitious plans to grow their work even further http://www.football-...2293307_2921204

Do you know what the commercial dept. do to attract new fans?

Are the club allowed to advertise on radio, local paper, billboards.

Any links with local soccer leagues as like here in Manchester and Wigan to attract youngsters.

See my replies on the Bristol City / Bristol thread

No way are fans going to sing lets entetain you. pack the gatee or take on this robbie williams look.

And nobody expects you to. It’s just a striking visual image to get people talking, that’s all. And in that sense it seems to have worked. Similarly the ‘pack the gate’ video had over 6,000 views in its first week. How can that possibly do any harm?

The Eastend flag days look to have ceased, and the Eastend is the least colourful it has been for seasons.

That’s because of decisions taken by fans in the stand, not because of any change in policy. We have consistently backed fan led initiative around flags and art in that stand, and I think it’s a real shame that some fans don’t want to do that any more.

What you think separate City from other clubs is now happening slower than before because the club is starting to leave its traditions behind.

Which traditions do you mean?

The clubs is so low profile because of the way It promotes itself. That could be changed if BCFC wanted it. What you mention was in part happening because there is so little out there fans can see in in BS3 – south Bristol. The club is failing to make use of what it has in tradition and goodwill of fans.

We want exactly what you want. Let’s talk

S3 could be a backdrop of support. Gloomily I think that the club would seek to attach an official sponsor if it was considered.

Forgive me, but I’m not sure what you mean by this. But we’re happy to look at any low cost ideas that might help promote the club.

[cider head]

Dave thanks for the answer.

End of last season the Eastend after years of effort and a lot of money was turning into one of the most colourful stands in the UK. Now it isn’t, that is because of the commercial dept and new advertising. This was as you know all in depth on another website now closed again due to the above. The points made were left unanswered months ago. The person who made that decision re advertising did not ever contact directly fans to discuss it. Think it is best left there.

Last seasons away kit had blue in it and this seasons shirt looks like no other. Hundred years of tradition gone. Fans had no say again .

All had an effect.

Instead of dumbing down the clubs identity it should be highlighted. This packthegate does not do that. Its spearhead looks like Robbie Williams. West Country influences? The phrase packthegate includes gate and that is it. It appears to be totally internet based. Is there any intent to broaden it out? Are there promotions and hands out etc? Are the club putting a lot of time and money into this? Is this a long term campaign? Would the club consider somethinmg more fan based/grass roots?

I know there could be plans for a survey with the supporters club and trust which a lot of points raised in these threads i hope could be taken in to account.

[Ron]

Last seasons away kit had blue in it

I don't know about you but I'm outraged.

[Red Knowle]

Which traditions do you mean?

Dave it feels as if the club is going through a rebrand. traditions take decades to form. the club shirt was changed even the traditional music looks to have been binned in favour of commercial pop music or whatever it wolves or who ever it is do. fans flags were booted out of stand for tv adverts. marketing tells the fans how to support their club. The tradition of the club is now chosen by directors fans are nowhere in it.

[Sixtyseconds]

Might have been a crap joke but my pop that face painting will be a big part of the clubs future was meant. Thats is the way football is going Dave isn't it?

Two new kits a season, they are just kits after all and lots of gimmicks ahoy. Big push on families and a matchday that is being re-invented. Ashton gate was free of all this plastic crap infesting the game, but now the game is on pushed by non City supporting directors that have been here a fraction of the time the fans have.

[UREDS_91]

Dave it feels as if the club is going through a rebrand. traditions take decades to form. the club shirt was changed even the traditional music looks to have been binned in favour of commercial pop music or whatever it wolves or who ever it is do. fans flags were booted out of stand for tv adverts. marketing tells the fans how to support their club. The tradition of the club is now chosen by directors fans are nowhere in it.

The club shirt has gone back to what colours it traditionally used to be Red White & Black...

Agree with the pop music though.

[Jordan Tansley]

I wonder how many will actually take Dave up on his offer of a discussion...

I can't help but find most of the replies on this thread petulant. It's a promotional campaign using imagery that even the most reclusive of people will understand to try encourage people to come to the gate and promote the entertainment on offer.

Why anyone has a problem with that is beyond anything I can comprehend. Moving away from tradition my arse.

[cider head]

I wonder how many will actually take Dave up on his offer of a discussion...

I can't help but find most of the replies on this thread petulant. It's a promotional campaign using imagery that even the most reclusive of people will understand to try encourage people to come to the gate and promote the entertainment on offer.

Why anyone has a problem with that is beyond anything I can comprehend. Moving away from tradition my arse.

I will at some point about flyers, stickers or some sort of fan based club promotion around BS3 as i've been to some supporters trust meetings

of late and DL often attends so i will catch up then and avoid threads like this going all school play ground.

[NickJ]

I think the club have been reasonably clever with this ad campaign, the basic message "let us entertain you" is appropriate for our current team and performances and is clearly a plea to fans who have, so far, stayed away. The fact is that we are fortunate enough at BCFC to have fans who create events like the flag day, produce merchandise, arrange funds for giant surfers etc. that separate our club from any other in the region.

I agree 100% with this

Dave, disagree 100%. Why is it necessary to have a so-called Port Vale supporting Chelsea season ticket holder used as a marketing tool for anything connected with Bristol City.

Furthermore, the fact that the campaign has been so far as I am aware entirely on the website and therefore, as someone else has already pointed out, a likely case of preaching to the converted, I fail to see its relevance.

I do have one suggestion, it's connected with the flag days, which is, why is it not possible for there to be a space around the perimeter of the ground for flags, so that every game could be a flag day. Obviously that means less advertising hoardings, but in the overall scheme of things the relatively small loss of revenue would be a small price to pay for the goodwill generated by the club towards fans that want to make the ground a more colourful vibrant place. It isnt necessary to squeeze every last penny out of advertising. I think many fans would agree with my opinion that if BCFC have say £50k less per annum to spend on players fees and wages, it isnt going to have much of a direct negative impact on the playing side, but might have a very positive impact on the support and therefore a positive indirect effect on the playing side.

[Jordan Tansley]

Dave, disagree 100%. Why is it necessary to have a so-called Port Vale supporting Chelsea season ticket holder used as a marketing tool for anything connected with Bristol City.

Furthermore, the fact that the campaign has been so far as I am aware entirely on the website and therefore, as someone else has already pointed out, a likely case of preaching to the converted, I fail to see its relevance.

I do have one suggestion, it's connected with the flag days, which is, why is it not possible for there to be a space around the perimeter of the ground for flags, so that every game could be a flag day. Obviously that means less advertising hoardings, but in the overall scheme of things the relatively small loss of revenue would be a small price to pay for the goodwill generated by the club towards fans that want to make the ground a more colourful vibrant place. It isnt necessary to squeeze every last penny out of advertising. I think many fans would agree with my opinion that if BCFC have say £50k less per annum to spend on players fees and wages, it isnt going to have much of a direct negative impact on the playing side, but might have a very positive impact on the support and therefore a positive indirect effect on the playing side.

Again, someone else missing the point completely. It has nothing to do with Robbie Williams at all, nothing to do with who he is, what he stands for and who he supports. It has EVERYTHING to do with the song lyric/title used in the poster. We are playing an entertaining brand of football and that slogan is a popular, well known and easily recalled for the vast majority of people.

I do agree regarding the 'preaching to the converted' line though, It would be awesome to see a little money spent by the club in physically promoting itself throughout the area of Bristol and even in the surrounding areas in north somerset, but that's another argument for another day.

I'd tend to agree about the advertising in the east-end too, but then I don't have any access to the accounts or any real understanding of them either.

[cider head]

Forms of promoting BCFC. Some very simple to do and cheap.

[Ron]

Furthermore, the fact that the campaign has been so far as I am aware entirely on the website and therefore, as someone else has already pointed out, a likely case of preaching to the converted, I fail to see its relevance.

You also failed to do anything research-wise to back up your moaning. At last count (almost a year out of date, admittedly) the City site got 118,000 unique users a month (source).

[Cowshed]

In a week that saw City fans drop a huge banner off a building in BS3, couldn't an element of brainstorming between fans and club find more effective ways of promoting BCFC than the clubs latest gimmick?

Great idea. When are you free for a brainstorm? I really liked the Scott Murray banner, and I also liked the pack the gate video. Surely there’s room for both? Drop me an email and we’ll set something up.

Forget tradition face painting will be a big part of the clubs future.

We will never forget the traditions of the club. And if some kids want to get their faces painted as well, then where’s the problem?

I think the club have been reasonably clever with this ad campaign, the basic message "let us entertain you" is appropriate for our current team and performances and is clearly a plea to fans who have, so far, stayed away. The fact is that we are fortunate enough at BCFC to have fans who create events like the flag day, produce merchandise, arrange funds for giant surfers etc. that separate our club from any other in the region.

I agree 100% with this

Put the latter together with the former and free expertise of the wider fanbase. Would that not be of more wide ranging benefit?

Definitely. Let’s meet and discuss! Drop me an email at david.lloyd@bcfc.co.uk

It's an advertising campaign by the Commercial wing of the club, got nowt to do with Del, you obviously no nothing about how a football club is really run

Hmmm. Everyone who works for the club works as a team. The manager is very supportive of the commercial side of things and recognises that it’s a very important part of promoting our club.

There may be thousands of students in Bristol, but the fact is, even when the club were doing massive discounts in the past, they didn't come.

I would much rather the club give free tickets to local schools every week, that will get them waching live football in their home City, more chance of getting them to come back.

The future of the clubs support is in the schools. Bristolian kids are worth targetting, that is where our fans will come from,

Absolutely right. That’s why the work of the Community Trust is vital to the development of our club. Buy your cash takeaway ticket every game and support their work.

The whole point of advertising is to get people to talk about the product (which will hopefully lead to sales) as we are all talking about it in this thread its obviously working.

Seems that way!

I have never seen Bristol City targetting my sons school or football team.

I can certainly check that for you. Which school and which team?

Not sure what are community team does but maybe we should go along these lines. Can't cost that much and brings club to the forefront.

I’ve already answered this, but it’s worth a repeat.

For those not sure what our Community team do this is a must read. They interact with over 50,000 local kids every year. Of course we can always do more, and Amy and her team have ambitious plans to grow their work even further http://www.football-...2293307_2921204

Do you know what the commercial dept. do to attract new fans?

Are the club allowed to advertise on radio, local paper, billboards.

Any links with local soccer leagues as like here in Manchester and Wigan to attract youngsters.

See my replies on the Bristol City / Bristol thread

No way are fans going to sing lets entetain you. pack the gatee or take on this robbie williams look.

And nobody expects you to. It’s just a striking visual image to get people talking, that’s all. And in that sense it seems to have worked. Similarly the ‘pack the gate’ video had over 6,000 views in its first week. How can that possibly do any harm?

The Eastend flag days look to have ceased, and the Eastend is the least colourful it has been for seasons.

That’s because of decisions taken by fans in the stand, not because of any change in policy. We have consistently backed fan led initiative around flags and art in that stand, and I think it’s a real shame that some fans don’t want to do that any more.

What you think separate City from other clubs is now happening slower than before because the club is starting to leave its traditions behind.

Which traditions do you mean?

The clubs is so low profile because of the way It promotes itself. That could be changed if BCFC wanted it. What you mention was in part happening because there is so little out there fans can see in in BS3 – south Bristol. The club is failing to make use of what it has in tradition and goodwill of fans.

We want exactly what you want. Let’s talk

S3 could be a backdrop of support. Gloomily I think that the club would seek to attach an official sponsor if it was considered.

Forgive me, but I’m not sure what you mean by this. But we’re happy to look at any low cost ideas that might help promote the club.

If there was a Q&A session in the DEH I would be interested in hearing the directors views on promotional activities and increasing the clubs profile. In the face of Ciderheads posts pictorially highlighting all the different means City could employ, I would look bashfully humble mumbling, "I agree, do that!"

It appears to me that if resource is so scarce, more exposure could be gained via using fans skills.

[Red Knowle]

The club shirt has gone back to what colours it traditionally used to be Red White & Black...

Agree with the pop music though.

Club shirt apart from some spiderman lines which I think was around 92 has been red and white for a century.