Identity_Handout

The Spokane Club OR

The Spokane Athletic Club?

An Identity Crisis

Presented by Robin Fontaine, Communications Director

June 26, 2007

What is a “brand” identity?Think of it this way — a brand is like a person. We relate to brands much the same way we relate to people…

People have names; so do brands.

People present a certain style and image; have unique personalities and physical characteristics. So do brands.

You can tell a person by their friends and associates; so too with brands.

People experience a life cycle. So do brands.

Our perception of a person is determined by our interaction with them, and their attitude and behaviors toward us affects ours toward them. So it is with brands.

Our relationships with people are built on integrity, respect, kindness and reliability. So, too, with brands.

The essence of a person’s character is displayed by the values they choose to cherish or ignore. These values guide and determine their behavior. So it is with a brand.

A person’s signature is their promise — a contract — to honor an agreement.

A company’s name and logo represent this same promise.

circa 1921

A brand is…

… a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer. It is interpreted as a promise of what they’ll get. Every product and service has a brand identity (whether you want one or not).

Much like raising a person, if a brand is not carefully raised and nurtured, the marketplace will do it for you and you may not like the end result. Every brand needs “brand” parents.

(Thanks to Dennis Magner of MagnerSanborn Advertising for his concept, “A brand is like a person…”)

A Brief History of Club Names and Logos1890: Founded as the Spokane Club1926: Became the Spokane City Club (to distinguish from the Spokane Country Club)1936: Became the Spokane City and University Club after merging w/ the U Club.1946: Reverted back to the Spokane Club2004: Board vote to change to The Spokane Athletic Club

Club Media Coverage and AdvertisingPost WWII through the 1970s:

News of the Club and its members regularly filled the newspaper’s “Society Pages” with reports of business events, lectures, family parties, fitness trends, fashions, art shows, debutante balls, etc. (The scrapbooks of these archival clippings are quite entertaining; visit the Publications office on the 2nd floor if you’d like to see them!)

From 1980 through 2000:A series of image ads with a campaign theme of “The Spokane Club salutes…” were published in the Journal of Business. Over the last 20 years, the Club’s parking struggles have garnered the most media coverage (attempts to build on the shoreline and inquiries about paving over the Fox prior to the Symphony’s acquisition), followed by the aborted purchase of the BOF.

Since the Millenium:Local news reports covered the purchase of Central Park Racquet Club in 2000, and the Club placed a series of ads in the Valley and South Hill sections of the Spokesman.One press release announcing the name change was given token coverage by local print media in September 2004.Over the past 7 years, print ads have been limited almost exclusively to trade-outs that are part of our lease agreement with the Inlander.

Tales from the TrenchesToday, our Club Services Representative, Curtis Kile, solicits magazine ads, hotel rooms, catering referrals and membership recommendations from members and affiliated businesses and organizations. After a year of selling “The Spokane Athletic Club,” he gave up. He no longer attempts to represent the new name — there is no recognition in our marketplace. Our heritage brand, however, opens doors every time. Catering clients and community events also prefer the cache of our well-known name. For instance, Get Lit!, presented by EWU Press specifically asked to use the SC name — their Board rejected the original event proposal from “The Spokane Athletic Club” (didn’t recognize the organization or location), but was eager to have the event here once they connected with the heritage name.

Reasons Behind the Name ChangeAccording to Sharleen Breshears, the Club’s Membership Director in 2004:

Statistics on prospective members showed a primary interest in fitness solutions, and The new name was also an effort to raise awareness of the expanded athletic choices following the purchase of Fourth Avenue.

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Inventories and InvestmentsFor “The Spokane Athletic Club” brand:Limited financial investment has been made in materials with the new name:

stationery ($1000 for 10,000 sheets of letterhead printed by Lawton in January with ____ still in inventory; business cards; some envelopes), bar napkins ($800 for a year’s supply just rec’d), martini menu covers (which were free), and membership brochures and presentation folders (reprint scheduled for early ’08)logo apparel (which has not been embraced by members, evidenced by the amount of unsold “SAC” merchandise and the number of requests for items with the heritage brand).

For the “Spokane Club” brand:Signage and hardscapes have not been updated, still reflecting our heritage identity:

All exterior signage (Downtown Athletic facility, Fourth Avenue, South Garage, awnings and original Cutter architecture), restaurant menu covers, brass plaques outside banquet rooms,inlaid in the Downtown gym floor, painted on racquetball courts and brick wall above conditioning room at Fourth,many staff name tags, etc. According to the IRS and the Secretary of State’s office, we are the “Spokane Club dba …” And, emotionally, in the hearts and minds of both members and the community, we are still the Spokane Club.

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Puff Daddy, P Diddy, or Sean Coombs?Prince or TAFKAP (The Artist Formerly Known As Prince)?Chamber of Commerce, the EDC or Greater Spokane, Inc?

The Spokane Athletic Club, the SAC or the Spokane Club?

OptionsRetain the name change and continue SLOWLY funding and implementing the new brand. Spreads financial costs out — but dilutes overall value of the change, fractures the overall brand and prolongs consumer/community confusion.

Retain the name change but invest the dollars to comprehensively implement the new identity throughout both facilities, inside and out. (Ballpark costs of $50,000 minimum.) Intensifies the cost timeline — but allows both the name and the CHANGE to be better leveraged.

Quietly revert to the known name but engage in an active marketing/PR plan to highlight athletics (without marginalizing our other brand assets) using methods that are as economical as possible (a presentation for another day...)

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