For Super Bowl XLVIII (that's 48 for those who don't know roman numerals) the NFL has partnered with Bloomingdales and the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) to commission 48 couture helmets from designers such as Alice+Olivia, Donna Karan and Kenneth Cole.
Now this wasn't some small publicity stunt. It has true merit as it's part of a continued push by the NFL to be more inclusive and reach a more feminine audience. As one NFL marketing executive said "It gives the NFL a softer touch." This goal of reaching more women has been one that previously the NFL has been very successful at. From their newly designed more feminine fitted jerseys to the adoption of breast cancer awareness month covering the field and players in pink, the NFL has garnered more attention from an audience that previously saw the sport as grotesk and barbaric.
What the NFL has done here with the fashion helmets may garner them more attention in the short term and some guaranteed publicity. I mean look at me, I'm no where near the target audience for these helmets and I'm writing about them on my blog.
BUT
I don't see this stunt working in the long term to deliver a new set of passionate fans to the NFL. The game is still a sport dominated by men with extreme strength and skill where brute force wins the day. That just isn't inherently a game or event that high fashion and style conscious people are looking to gravitate towards. You won't ever see women in fur coats and high heels tailgating in the parking lot, slamming vodka martini's and then heading into the stadium to cheer with a foam finger. It's just not their style and that is perfectly fine.
These helmets are very cool and unique for sure. I definitely applaud the NFL for going outside the box trying to garner attention from a new audience. But if they really want to bring in a more feminine fan base they need to focus on creating more experiences surrounding the game that align with the desires and motivations of these fashionistas.
My wife came home one night with a great idea her and a co-worker came up with. And I think it just might work. It's fantasy football for females. This is not the fantasy football that most people think of. Gone are the points for TD's, yards, and field goals. In this league fantasy players get points based on a different criteria. This is how you bring in a new audience who has different motivations for watching the game. Points will be awarded for:
- How the athlete fills in his uniform - the tighter the better
- Size of muscles - the more ripped the better
- Post game attire - suit and skinny tie are a plus
- Sportsmanship - negative points for taunting
- The rhythm of his TD dance - more points for slow jams and hip circles
- Good job butt slaps - big point getters
Well I've ended on a random note. But seriously, this was a really interesting idea that was pulled off well by the NFL. I can't wait to see what I find tomorrow. Let me know your thoughts, do you think this will be successful in attracting a more feminine audience or was it just a stunt?
Here are a couple other unique helmets. They are all on showcase at Bloomindales till Feb 4th and then will be sold at auction. Would you bid on one?
No comments:
Post a Comment