Washington Redskins Rebrand Plan

Washington
Redskins
Rebrand

Kristin M. Oberlander
Georgetown University
Kristin M. Oberlander
Georgetown University

1
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
............................................................................................................
2

BACKGROUND
........................................................................................................................
3

SITUATION
ANALYSIS
..............................................................................................................
4

CORE
PROBLEM
......................................................................................................................
5

GOAL
......................................................................................................................................
5

OBJECTIVES
............................................................................................................................
5

KEY
PUBLICS
...........................................................................................................................
5

Gen
X
Blacks
.................................................................................................................................................................................
5

Diverse
Young
Do-‐Gooders
....................................................................................................................................................
6

The
Megaphones
........................................................................................................................................................................
6

BRAND
POSITIONING
..............................................................................................................
6

FRAMING
...............................................................................................................................
7

MESSAGES
..............................................................................................................................
8

STRATEGIES
............................................................................................................................
9

The
Apology
Tour
......................................................................................................................................................................
9

Urban
Educational
Event
.....................................................................................................................................................
10

Sports
Personality
Steak
and
Craft
Beer
Dinner
.......................................................................................................
11

Fan
Logo
Contest
.....................................................................................................................................................................
11

MEASUREMENT
.....................................................................................................................
12

ADDITIONAL
RESEARCH
.........................................................................................................
13

NEXT
STEPS
...........................................................................................................................
14

EVALUATION
.........................................................................................................................
15

APPENDICES
..........................................................................................................................
16

2
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY

In
1932
when
the
Washington
Redskins
were
founded,
no
one
would
have
thought
twice
about

calling
someone
“colored”
or
even
the
n-‐word.
Eighty-‐three
years
later
and
attitudes
are
quite

different.
We
would
never
say
it
and
would
rebuke
anyone
who
did.
Politically
sensitive
speech
is
not
just
a
passing
phase,
it
is
a
way
of
life
and
missteps
have

derailed
many
brands.
Take
for
instance
the
recent
Budweiser
tag
that
appeared
on
some

bottles,
“The
perfect
beer
for
removing
‘no’
from
your
vocabulary
for
the
night.”
After
public

pressure
citing
the
message
promoted
unsafe
partying
behavior,
the
company
removed
it.
If

history
is
any
indication,
this
controversy
will
barely
be
a
blip
in
Budweiser’s
history.
The
Redskins
name
controversy
is
not
going
to
go
away.
It
absolutely
will
not.
The
time
for

ignoring
the
issue
is
over,
and
this
plan
will
show
you
not
only
how
to
rebrand
the
team
with

the
public
on
your
side,
but
to
emerge
a
stronger
organization
afterwards
inside
and
out.
There
are
a
number
of
aspects
in
this
plan
that
set
the
team
up
for
success:
● This
is
a
two-‐part
plan.
Phase
1
is
a
12-‐month
public
support
campaign
and
it
follows

this
page.
Phase
2
is
a
12-‐18-‐month
logistics
plan.
The
transition
will
happen
gradually
to

maximize
fan
and
employee
acceptance.

● The
team
is
currently
looking
to
build
a
new
stadium,
one
that
could
host
a
Super
Bowl.

A
name
change
would
remove
any
roadblocks
to
licensing
and
sponsorship
agreements.

● The
Redskins,
the
District
of
Columbia’s
team,
will
embark
on
a
historical
event
by

changing
the
way
the
nation
talks
about
Native
American
mascots,
garnering
a

tremendous
goodwill
and
new
fans
as
a
result.

More
specifically,
Phase
1
of
this
plan
will
be
a
success
because
of
carefully
chosen
key
publics

(see
“Keys
to
the
Kingdom”
graphic
in
the
Appendix).
A
diverse
crowd
will
help
carry
the

message
of
inclusion
to
the
public,
as
many
have
felt
a
lifetime
of
discrimination.
Once
the

debate
is
framed
in
terms
of
“redskins”
being
no
different
than
the
n-‐word,
then
conversation

will
start
to
shift.
For
a
cost
of
approximately
$2
million
dollars,
the
public
support
campaign
can
start

immediately
with
daily
and
weekly
measurement
reports.
This
figure
includes
two
events,
a

national
contest,
and
a
cross-‐country
partnership
tour.
In
summary,
politically
sensitive
speech
is
the
cost
of
doing
business
in
a
modern
day
and
age,

the
benefits
of
a
rebrand
largely
outweigh
the
costs,
and
the
Redskins
would
be
making
history

(and
receiving
the
press
that
comes
with
it)
by
being
the
first
professional
sports
team
to

address
the
issue.

3
BACKGROUND

Countries
around
the
world,
from
the
United
States
to
Greece
to
Europe
to
Russia
are
either
in

the
midst
of
a
recession
or
trying
to
move
past
a
recession.
The
global
economy
is
shaky,
at

best.
More
than
ever,
people
turn
to
sports
for
a
break
from
the
stress
of
an
uncertain

economic
structure.
At
the
same
time,
the
past
two
decades
have
seen
a
growing
awareness
of

marginalized
and
underrepresented
groups
in
the
media,
causing
the
dialogue
to
shift
towards

more
sensitive
speech.
In
the
United
States,
the
National
Football
League
(NFL)
has
flourished.
It
is
currently
a
$10

billion
non-‐profit
organization
with
32
teams
split
between
two
conferences.
Compared
to

other
sports,
professional
football
is
America’s
favorite
sport
-‐
66%
of
the
public
is
a
fan.1

Yet,

the
NFL
has
come
under
fire
in
the
past
18
months
for
the
number
of
concussions
players
have

gotten
and
how
those
concussions
were
dealt
with
medically
(lawsuit
pending)
and
a
series
of

high-‐profile
domestic
violence
cases
involving
players.

Dan
Snyder
has
owned
the
Redskins
since
1999,
when
he
purchased
the
team
for
$750
million.

According
to
Forbes,
the
team
has
the
third
highest
valuation
in
the
NFL,
at
$2.4
billion2
.

However,
it
just
released
head
coach
Mike
Shanahan
after
a
number
of
losing
seasons
during

which
attendance
fell
to
around
2,400
per
game.
In
2014,
Dan
Snyder
came
under
attack
by

lawmakers,
including
President
Obama,
to
change
the
team
name.
Native
Americans
have

called
on
the
Redskins
to
change
their
name
to
avoid
racial
slur
since
1972.
In
June
2014,
the

U.S.
Patent
and
Trademark
Office
cancelled
the
team’s
trademark
due
to
the
name.
The
team
is

appealing
the
ruling
on
the
grounds
that
it
violates
free
speech.
The
Patent
and
Trademark

Office
has
counter
argued
that
they
may
keep
the
name,
but
will
lose
the
legal
protections
of
a

trademark.
However,
seventy
percent
of
fans
surveyed
nationally
don’t
think
the
name
should

be
changed3
,
with
observers
citing
entertainment
and
community
building
among
fans,
as
well

as
philanthropic
work
by
or
on
behalf
of
the
team.
The
Redskins
are
well
positioned
to
communicate
with
their
fans.
As
with
any
major

corporation,
the
team
is
on
every
popular
social
media
tool
-‐
not
a
small
feat.
All

communications
tools,
from
the
news
section
to
the
blog
on
the
website
to
social
media,
shy

away
from
addressing
the
name
change
controversy
or
advocating
for
Redskins
name
pride

among
fans.
Material
is
strictly
about
the
players
or
coaches,
and
recycled
from
one
outpost
to

the
next.
There
is
little
differentiating
each
tool,
with
the
exception
of
Pinterest.
1
Miller, Richard K., and Kelli Washington. "Chapter 11: Sports Fans." In Sports
2
"The Business Of Football." Forbes. August 1, 2014. http://www.forbes.com/nfl-
valuations/list/.
3
"Poll: 71 Percent Say Keep Redskins." ESPN. September 2, 2014.
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11451964/redskins-poll-most-favor-keeping
name-dissent-growing.

4
The
league
is
worth
about
$10
billion4
,
with
Roger
Goodell
stating
he
hopes
to
triple
that

number
in
the
next
two
decades.
Across
all
sports,
such
as
baseball,
soccer,
and
basketball,

football
remains
the
most
valuable
sports
franchise.
As
for
the
Redskins,
their
biggest
regional

rivals
are
the
New
York
Giants
and
the
Philadelphia
Eagles.
The
Dallas
Cowboys
are
also
a

significant
competitor,
with
a
team
value
well
over
the
Redskins.
A
more
thorough
account
is

listed
below.
Redskins
Estimated
Resources
● Revenue:
$395
million

● Operating
Income:
$143.4
million

● Player
Expenses:
$118
million

● Gate
Receipts:
$82
million

● Average
Ticket
Price:
$95.00

● Revenue
per
Fan:
$38.00

● Wins-‐to-‐Player
Cost
Ratio:
44

(According
to
Forbes,
this
compares
the
number
of
wins

per
player
payroll
relative
to
the
rest
of
the
NFL.
Playoff
wins
count
twice
as
much
as

regular
season
wins.
A
score
of
120
means
that
the
team
achieved
20%
more
victories

per
dollar
of
payroll
compared
with
the
league
average
during
the
2013
season.)

● Brand
Value:
$214
million

● Stadium
Value:
$511
million

● Owner
Value:
Dan
Snyder
has
a
net
worth
of
approximately
$1
billion.

SITUATION
ANALYSIS

The
Washington
Redskins
are
the
third
most
valuable
team
in
the
league
and,
perhaps
because

of
this,
the
owner
Dan
Snyder
has
been
highly
maligned.
It
does
not
help
that
the
team
has
had

a
losing
record
for
the
past
five
out
of
six
seasons.
Much
to
his
chagrin,
the
U.S.
Patent
and

Trademark
Office
recently
revoked
the
team
trademark
after
finding
it
defamatory
to
Native

Americans.
Dan
Snyder
has
adamantly
and
publicly
denied
a
name
change
and
currently
the

team
lawyers
are
arguing
the
federal
ruling
prohibits
free
speech.
The
team
has
an
astounding

number
of
social
media
outposts,
but
they
have
stayed
away
from
the
topic.
The
mounting
pressure
to
change
the
team’s
name
and
mascot
gets
harder
to
ignore
as
the

team
continues
to
perform
poorly.
The
Redskins
are
ranked
near
the
bottom
of
the
list
of
teams

using
player
analytics
in
the
draft,
a
longstanding
practice
that
gained
widespread
attention
in

the
movie,
Moneyball5
.
Further,
the
team
needs
a
better
return
on
investment
for
their
highest-‐
4
valuations/list/.
5
Allen, Scott. "ESPN Explains Why Redskins Rank 120th out of 122 Teams in Use of
Analytics." Washington Post. February 24, 2015.

5
paid
draft
picks,
which
have
been
an
expensive
disappointment
on
the
field.
If
the
team
is

looking
to
build
a
new
stadium,
one
that
has
the
potential
to
host
a
Super
Bowl,
a
rebrand

could
go
hand-‐in-‐hand
with
it.
The
Redskins
could
set
the
standard
for
how
professional
teams

move
away
from
Native
American
mascots.
CORE
PROBLEM

The
nation’s
capitol
hosts
a
football
team
whose
racial
slur
as
a
mascot
will,
if
attitudes
are
not

changed,
characterize
Redskins
fans
as
ignorant
of
the
lessons
of
the
1960s
Civil
Rights

movement.

GOAL:
To
increase
fan
adoption
of
a
rebranding
effort,
including
a
name
change,
of
the

Washington
Redskins
OBJECTIVES

1. Recognize
past
team
leadership
mistakes
and
build
partnerships
with
at
least
three

Native
American
and
First
Nations
organizations
in
12
months.

2. Change
attitudes
of
at
least
20%
of
fans
surveyed
nationwide
in
the
next
12
months
to

support
the
idea
of
a
new
name.

3. Enlist
1,000
African-‐Americans,
age
30-‐49,
to
speak
out
on
Facebook
regarding
how
the

term
“redskins”
is
no
different
than
the
n-‐word.

KEY
PUBLICS

Gen
X
Blacks
This
group
only
accounts
for
11%
of
the
total
NFL
fans6
,
but
they
are
a
core
part
of
the
strategy.

This
plan
would
target
those
age
30-‐49
who
are
educated
and
have
disposable
income
to
spend

on
football.
They
can
be
established
fans
or
not
fans
at
all,
as
long
as
they
are
sympathetic
to

other
minority
groups
faced
with
ethnic
slurs
by
predominantly
white
leadership7
.
Thought

leaders
in
this
group
include
Barack
Obama,
Jay
Z,
the
stars
of
the
TV
show
Empire,
and
Kerry

Washington.
They
will
accomplish
objectives
1,
2,
and
3.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/02/24/espn-explains-why-
redskins-rank-120th-out-of-122-teams-in-use-of-analytics/.
6
Marketing, 65-74.
7

Kim-Prieto, Chu, Lizabeth A. Goldstein, Sumie Okazaki, and Blake Kirschner. "Effect
Of Exposure To An American Indian Mascot On The Tendency To Stereotype A
Different Minority Group." Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2010, 534-53.

6
Diverse
Young
Do-‐Gooders
This
group
is
one-‐quarter
non-‐White,
making
them
the
most
diverse
generation
and
this
plan

targets
those
age
23-‐33.
Though
not
the
largest
group
of
NFL
fans
(at
20%
0f
fans),
they
are
the

future
of
the
sport.
They
are
most
likely
to
say
that
the
mental
health
and
equal
rights
for

underserved
groups
and
minorities
is
a
main
priority
in
their
decision-‐making.
Motivating
self-‐
Interests
include
technologies
that
shape
the
way
they
communicate
(apps,
websites,

smartphones),
concerns
about
mass
violence
(September
11th,
Columbine
shootings),
concerns

about
the
uncertain
economy
and
how
it
has
affected
their
employment
status
and
potential

income.
Third-‐party
influentials
and
other
thought
leaders
include
Beyoncé,
Katy
Perry,
Taylor

Swift,
Mark
Zuckerburg,
Lebron
James,
and
Lena
Dunham.
They
will
accomplish
objectives
1,
2,

and
3.
The
Megaphones
This
group
focuses
on
anchors
on
ESPN,
CBS,
Fox,
NBC,
and
Sports
Illustrated.

Sports

personalities
are
critical
to
spreading
the
message
nationwide
because
they
control
so
much
of

the
football
conversation.
If
they
accept
and
talk
about
the
new
name,
then
fans
will
follow

suit.
Motivating
self-‐Interests
of
this
group
include
staying
on
top
of
facts,
throwing
their
hat
in

the
ring
to
talk
about
newsworthy
events,
and
adding
insight
on
leadership
personnel
and

player
decisions.
They
will
accomplish
objective
2,
3.
BRAND
POSITIONING

The
Redskins
are
based
in
a
region
with
many
of
the
wealthiest
counties
in
the
nation.8

Local

fans
have
the
disposable
income
to
attend
games
but
need
motivation
to
do
so
when
the
team

is
performing
badly.
The
team
needs
a
way
to
engage
fans
beyond
attending
games
and

positioning
itself
as
the
creator
of
a
fan-‐generated
name
and
logo
contest
would
do
that,

shifting
the
team
from
being
on
the
defense
regarding
the
name
controversy
to
controlling
the

message.
The
overwhelming
majority
of
fans
across
the
nation
oppose
a
name
change9
,
but
in
the
region

the
picture
is
different.
Sixty-‐six
percent
of
D.C.
area
residents
say
the
name
should
stay,
but

8
Van Riper, Tom. "America's Richest Counties 2014." Forbes. April 1, 2014. Accessed
May 1, 2015. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomvanriper/2014/04/01/americas-richest-
counties-2014/.
9
"Poll: 71 Percent Say Keep Redskins." ESPN. September 2, 2014. Accessed May 1,
2015. http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/11451964/redskins-poll-most-favor-keeping-
name-dissent-growing.

7
nearly
30
percent
said
it
should
be
changed10
.
The
Redskins
need
to
position
themselves
as

caring
about
what
the
local
supporters
of
the
team
believe.
The
Redskins
are
the
third
most
valuable
team
in
the
franchise
and
have
the
money
to
handle
a

long
and
complicated
rebrand
effort.
The
team
needs
to
position
itself
as
willing
to
put
the

effort
in
for
the
purposes
of
being
sensitive
to
Native
Americans.
FRAMING

The
Washington
Redskins
need
to
emerge
as
the
industry
leader
in
sensitivity
to
Native

Americans,
use
their
new
coach
to
show
change
in
operations,
and
take
responsibility
and

apologize
for
their
actions.
Issues
Controversy
surrounding
the
use
of
Native
American
mascots
for
sports
teams
has
existed
for

decades.
The
Cleveland
Indians
and
the
Atlanta
Braves
are
some
of
the
most
popular
teams

that
use
one.
To
date,
few
high-‐profile
teams
have
taken
a
stance
on
addressing
the
slur.
The

Washington
Redskins
need
to
set
the
tone
for
how
professional
sports
should
handle
this
issue

going
forward,
and
they
can
be
the
leaders
in
the
nation
by
being
the
first
professional
team
to

change
their
mascot
for
this
reason.
President
Obama
has
designated
November
as
National

Native
American
Month,
and
this
provides
an
opportunity
that
the
team
may
leverage
when

introducing
the
rebrand.

Choices

The
Redskins
have
been
a
losing
team
for
the
past
several
years
and
they
recently
hired
a
new

head
coach,
Jay
Gruden.
The
team
should
capitalize
on
the
leadership
change
as
another

demonstration
of
the
team’s
wish
to
change
perception.
If
fans
are
given
a
new
opportunity
to

have
fun
with
the
team
again,
ticket
sales
will
rise
again
and
a
name
change
may
seem
like
the

logical
next
step.

News

While
other
team
leadership
personnel
remain
largely
silent
on
the
topic,
owner
Dan
Snyder

has
been
vocal,
even
confrontational
in
his
opposition.
His
most
famous
statement
on
the
topic

10
"Poll: Redskins Name Change Wouldn't Bother Fans." Time, October 13, 2013.

8
was
aggressive:
“We'll
never
change
the
name.
It's
that
simple.
NEVER
—
you
can
use
caps.”11

He
needs
to
publicly
change
course
by
taking
responsibility
for
the
controversial
name
and
his

personal
comments
about
it.
In
order
to
repair
his
and
the
team’s
image,
he
needs
to
apologize.

Relationships
with
high-‐profile
name
opponents,
like
the
Oneida
Nation
tribe,
ESPN
announcer

Bob
Costas,
President
Obama
and
Congress
need
to
be
repaired,
also
publicly,
in
order
to
move

forward.

MESSAGES

Primary
Public:
Gen
X
Blacks
(30-‐49
Years
Old)
● Primary
Message
1:
Redskins
is
no
different
than
the
n-‐word,
and
its
use
as
a
sports

mascot
must
be
stopped.

○ Secondary
Message
1:
Since
1972,
Native
Americans
have
called
on
the
Redskins

to
change
their
name
to
avoid
the
racial
slur.

○ Secondary
Message
2:
It’s
okay
for
Native
Americans
to
use
it
with
each
other

casually,
like
we
use
the
n-‐word,
but
not
for
whites
to
use
it
toward
us.

○ Secondary
Message
3:
President
Obama
has
said
the
name
should
be
changed.12

● Primary
Message
2:
Redskins
fans
have
a
long
history
of
support
for
the
team
and
its

players,
and
a
new
name
won’t
change
their
love
of
the
game.

○ Secondary
Message
1:

Professional
football
is
America’s
favorite
sport
-‐
66%
of

the
public
is
a
fan.13

○ Secondary
Message
2:
The
team
is
active
on
all
the
major
social
channels
and

hosts
its
own
message
boards
online,
and
fans
flock
to
these
outlets.

○ Secondary
Message
3:
The
team
is
profitable,
with
an
average
ticket
price
of

$95.00
and
average
revenue
per
fan
at
$38.00.14

11
Brady, Erik. "Daniel Snyder Says Redskins Will Never Change Name." USA Today.
May 10, 2013.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/redskins/2013/05/09/washington-redskins-
daniel-snyder/2148127/.
12
Vargas, Theresa, and Annys Shin. "President Obama Says, 'I'd Think about
Changing' Name of Washington Redskins." Washington Post. October 5, 2013.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/president-obama-says-id-think-about-changing-
name-of-washington-redskins/2013/10/05/e170b914-2b70-11e3-8ade-
a1f23cda135e_story.html.
13
Marketing, 65-74.
14
valuations/list/.

9
● Primary
Message
3:
The
central
passion
of
the
organization
is
to
bring
fans
a
team
they

can
always
be
proud
of.

○ Secondary
Message
1:

For
the
last
two
decades,
a
growing
awareness
of

marginalized
and
underrepresented
groups
has
shifted
the
public
dialogue

towards
more
sensitive
speech.

○ Secondary
Message
2:
The
highly
maligned
Dan
Snyder
recognizes
that
he
is
not

the
right
person
to
lead
this
charge
and
has
handed
the
reigns
to
another

spokesperson.

○ Secondary
Message
3:
The
team
is
working
on
a
broad
improvement
plan,

recently
appointing
new
head
coach
Jay
Gruden
to
help
curb
disappointment
on

the
field.

● Primary
Message
4:
The
Redskins
will
lead
the
sport
in
the
discussion
on
Native

American
sports
mascots
by
changing
theirs.

○ Secondary
Message
1:
Daily
discrimination
makes
minorities
less
colorblind
than

White
fans,
and
more
likely
to
welcome
a
new
name
and
logo.15

○ Secondary
Message
2:
The
Cleveland
Indians
and
the
Atlanta
Braves
are
among

the
most
popular
teams
that
use
a
Native
American
mascot.
The
Redskins
would

be
the
first
high-‐profile
one
to
take
a
stance
on
addressing
the
slur.

○ Secondary
Message
3:
Other
teams
have
kept
their
name
but
used
a
non-‐specific

logo
(like
a
letter).
This
method
will
not
be
applicable
to
“redskins.”

Messages
will
be
tweaked
per
public
as
follows:
-‐ Diverse
Young
Do-‐Gooders
(23-‐33)
-‐
many
different
messages
of
inclusion,
short
in

length
and
should
use
abbreviations

-‐ The
Megaphones
-‐
messages
appeal
to
ego
of
sportscasters,
but
also
to
getting
inside

access
to
team

STRATEGIES

The
Apology
Tour

Objective:
Recognize
past
team
leadership
mistakes
and
build
partnerships
with
at
least
three

Native
American
and
First
Nations
organizations
in
12
months.

Strategy:
Dan
Snyder
will
repair
and
strengthen
relationships
with
tribe
leaders
and
the
public

by
expressing
regret
over
his
past
actions
regarding
the
name.
He
will
also
undergo
some
image

15
Leak, Roland L. "Non-Native American Minority Reaction to Use of Native American
Iconography in Branding." Proceedings - Society for Marketing Advances 25, no. 11
(2013): 76-77.

10
and
reputation-‐building
activities
to
associate
his
name
with
positive
images,
rather
than
his

caustic
comments
to
the
press.
The
feelings
each
tactic
is
meant
to
evoke
with
key
publics
are

listed
in
bold.
-‐ Tactic
1:
Visit
reservations
for
tours
with
a
3-‐person
entourage
at
most
(respect)

-‐ Tactic
2:
Public
apology
regarding
missteps
(contrition)

-‐ Tactic
3:
Communicate
commitment
to
keep
OAF
after
rebrand,
but
change
the
name

(transparency)

-‐ Tactic
4:
Public
announcement
of
name
and
logo
change
(change
in
behavior)

-‐ Tactic
5:

Dan
Snyder
introduces
telegenic
minority
spokesperson
of
rebrand
(respect)

-‐ Tactic
6:
Ask
for
their
expertise
in
designing
a
website
that
would
be
useful
to
tribe

members
and
First
Nation
peoples
(solicit
advice)

-‐ Tactic
7:
Share
his
personal
cell
phone
number
to
call
with
questions
(build
trust)

-‐ Tactic
8:
Paparazzi
photos
of
Dan
Snyder
walking
his
dog(s),
picnicking
with
his
family,

date
night
with
wife
(image
rehab)

-‐ Tactic
9:
Pitch
a
Dan
Snyder/wife
or
photogenic
family
member
human
interest
piece
to

Washingtonian,
Washington
Post
Lifestyle
Section
(image
rehab)

Urban
Educational
Event
Objective:
Enlist
1,000
age
30-‐49,
to
speak
out
on
Facebook
regarding
how

the
term
“redskins”
is
no
different
than
the
n-‐word.
Strategy:
African-‐Americans
have
been
passionate
about
working
to
obliterate
the
usage
of

race-‐specific
slurs
like
the
n-‐word
ever
since
and
can
be
instrumental
in
helping
to
frame
the

Redskins
name
change.
Host
educational
outreach
events
in
DC-‐metro
area
where
key
publics

are
likely
to
live
and/or
work.
The
measurement
will
include
the
number
of
flyers
and

promotional
materials
handed
out
at
the
event,
but
specifically,
the
number
of
visits
to
the

event
landing
page
to
sign
up
for
more
information.
Later,
the
communications
team
will
enlist

these
folks
to
help
us
smooth
over
fan
anxiety
about
the
rebrand.
The
feelings
each
tactic
is

meant
to
evoke
are
listed
in
bold.
-‐ Tactic
1:
You
Tube
video
by
Kerry
Washington
or
Taraji
P.
Hansen*
announcing
event

and
discussing
how
“redskins”
is
a
racial
epithet
(excitement)

-‐ Tactic
2:
Flyers
in
local
coffee
shops,
Things
To
Do
DC,
Washington
Post
events,

Facebook
and
Twitter
ads
(The
Original
Americans
Foundation
sponsors).
The
tone
of

the
program
materials
is
social
change,
activism.
(excitement)

-‐ Tactic
3:
Website
for
the
effort:
RespectEachOther.com,
etc.
(appropriate
tone)

-‐ Tactic
4:
Event
held
in
a
National
Park,
a
leave
no
trace
event
(eco-‐friendly)

-‐ Tactic
5:
Entertainment:
Food
Trucks,
fire
spinners,
giant
slip
‘n’
slide
or
ice
slide

(weather
depending),
flower/produce
seed
exchange
(eco-‐friendly)

11
-‐ Tactic
6:
Short
presentation
at
event
on
topic,
encourage
visit
to
website
(curiosity)

-‐ Tactic
7:
Email
capture
and
follow
up
from
website
(grassroots
support
of
a
cause)

*Note:
The
network
of
whichever
can
participate
will
get
an
exclusive
unveiling
of
the
logo
and

discussion
with
team
personnel
on
this
historic
event
before
other
networks.
Sports
Personality
Steak
and
Craft
Beer
Dinner
Objective
1:
Enlist
1,000
age
30-‐49,
to
speak
out
on
Facebook
regarding

how
the
term
“redskins”
is
no
different
than
the
n-‐word.

Objective
2:
Change
attitudes
of
at
least
20%
of
fans
surveyed
nationwide
in
the
next
12

months
to
support
the
idea
of
a
new
name.

Strategy:
Sportscasters,
many
of
whom
are
African-‐American,
are
a
primary
medium
for

promoting
the
rebrand
across
the
country.
We
want
to
get
them
on
board
with
the
idea
behind

the
change,
so
that
they
are
more
likely
to
talk
about
it
on
air,
and
more
likely
to
publicize
the

contest
in
months
to
come.
The
theme
of
the
event
is
“A
new
Washington
team
is
coming.”
The

feelings
each
tactic
is
meant
to
evoke
are
listed
in
bold.
-‐ Tactic
1:
Dinner
(relaxation,
contentment)

-‐ Tactic
2:
Presentation
(excitement)

-‐ Explain
the
change
and
how
long
we
expect
the
transition
to
take

-‐ Explain
the
contest

-‐ Questions
with
team
personnel

-‐ Share
Kristin
Oberlander’s
cell
phone
number
for
any
questions
along
the
way

-‐ Tactic
3:
Cigars
and
Scotch
pairing
(appreciation)

-‐ Tactic
4:
Wrap
up

Fan
Logo
Contest
Objective:
Change
attitudes
of
at
least
20%
of
fans
surveyed
nationwide
in
the
next
12
months

to
support
the
idea
of
a
new
name.

Strategy:
Participants
will
have
three
months
to
submit
a
logo
of
their
own
design.
Judges
will

select
twenty
finalists,
then
narrow
those
down
to
five.
Fans
will
have
the
final
say
on
the

winner
with
a
nationwide
online
vote.
A
$25,000
prize
will
be
awarded
to
the
grand
prize
logo.

The
feelings
each
tactic
is
meant
to
evoke
are
listed
in
bold.
-‐ Tactic
1:
Build
webpage
with
voting
functionality
and
make
sure
it
has
a
simple
URL,
like

Redskins.com/logocontest

-‐ Tactic
2:
Reach
out
to
target
city
design
schools
for
judge
applications
(relationship

building)

-‐ Tactic
3:
Press
release
to
announce
contest,
include
rules

12
-‐ Tactic
4:
Promote
on
Facebook,
Instagram,
Pinterest,
Twitter
(excitement,
curiosity)

-‐ Tactic
5:
Select
judges
from
design
schools
in
target
cities
(grateful,
likely
to
tell

students
about
contest)

-‐ Tactic
6:
Press
release
to
announce
which
instructors
have
been
selected
as
judges,
send

personalized
press
release
to
the
school
(relationship
building)

-‐ Tactic
7:
Judges
select
20
finalists
from
submissions,
finalists
posted
to
website,

comments
on
this
post
are
enabled,
shared
on
social
media
channels,
and
national

sports
network
allies
and
DC
news
media
alerted
(excitement,
curiosity)

-‐ Tactic
8:
Judges
select
5
finalists,
finalists
posted
to
website,
voting
functionality
turned

on,
social
media,
and
national
sports
network
allies
and
DC
news
media
alerted

(excitement,
curiosity)

-‐ Tactic
9:
Profile
of
winner
posted
on
website

-‐ Tactic
10:
Awards
ceremony
and
photos
with
the
team
(out
of
uniform)

-‐ Tactic
11:
Book
morning
talk
shows
and
evening
news
program

MEASUREMENT

An
organization
the
size
of
a
professional
football
team
has
all
of
the
following
tools
at
its

disposal.
This
list
serves
to
show
for
which
parts
of
the
plan
each
tool
will
be
used
to
measure

and
track
communications
efforts.
-‐ Cision
-‐
Close
contact
with
the
media
is
essential
for
the
Phase
1
public
support

campaign
to
take
hold.
Cision
provides
not
only
up-‐to-‐date
emails
and
phone
numbers

for
reporters
who
would
cover
our
local
events,
but
also
addresses.
In
particular
when

planning
the
Steak
and
Craft
Beer
Dinner
with
the
Megaphones,
addresses
will
be

important
when
sending
promotional
packages.

-‐ Wire
Releases
-‐
The
team
will
be
making
a
number
of
major
announcements
within
12

months,
from
Dan
Snyder’s
apology,
to
the
name
change,
to
the
star
power
of
the

educational
event,
to
the
multiple
announcements
for
the
contest.
It
will
be
important

to
keep
a
record
for
the
team
as
well
as
the
media.

-‐ Hootsuite

-‐
This
tool
will
be
used
for
regular
monitoring
of
conversations
and

scheduling
tweets;
however,
during
event
and
contest
promotion
it
will
be
particularly

helpful
to
keep
content
rolling
out
and
to
search
for
specific
keywords.

-‐ Buzzsumo
-‐
This
tool
will
be
helpful
in
monitoring
discussions
on
the
rebrand,
as
it

gauges
influencers.
Those
with
positive
views
can
become
our
partners
and
champions.

Those
with
negative
views
may
provide
a
glimpse
into
possible
roadblocks
in
the
future.

-‐ Email
Marketing
Program
-‐
Email
collection
will
be
one
of
the
key
tools
in
building
a

grassroots
effort
to
encourage
Diverse
Young
Do-‐Gooders,
Gen
X
Blacks,
and
The

Megaphones
to
speak
out
about
the
racism
of
“redskins.”
The
promotion
surrounding

13
the
Urban
Educational
Event
and
its
landing
page
will
jumpstart
the
conversation
and

email
collection.

-‐ Website
Analytics
-‐
Tracking
who
is
coming
to
the
logo
contest
page
and
the
event

landing
page,
from
what
source,
and
what
they
are
doing
upon
arrival
is
critical
to

understanding
if
the
sites
are
being
used
in
the
ways
intended.
Analytics
will
point
out

trouble
spots
that
need
to
be
fixed
by
the
IT
team
and
whether
copy
written
by

Marketing/PR
needs
to
be
tweaked.

-‐ Google
Ad
Words
-‐
For
both
the
event
and
contest,
the
team
will
want
to
have
a
paid

search
strategy
to
direct
users
to
appropriate
pages
on
our
web
properties.
All
ads
will

use
A-‐B
testing,
wherein
both
ads
will
run
and
then
the
one
that
is
performing
at
a
lower

rate
will
be
terminated
and
funds
shifted
to
the
successful
ad.

-‐ Facebook
and
Twitter
Ads
-‐
The
event
and
contest
will
be
promoted
on
social
media

and
the
analytics
on
both
platforms
will
inform
our
efforts
as
we
get
closer
to
the
event.

-‐ Instagram
Sponsored
Content
Analytics
-‐
The
event
will
be
advertised,
in
part,
by

sponsored
content
on
Instagram.
Unlike
Facebook
and
Twitter,
which
will
run
ads
over
a

period
of
time,
this
ad
occurs
within
a
shorter
timeframe
and
cannot
be
tweaked.

However,
the
platform
is
perfect
for
telling
a
story
to
Diverse
Young
Do-‐Gooders
and

worth
the
risk
for
the
amount
of
exposure
the
campaign
will
receive.

-‐ Hulu
Analytics
-‐
After
the
Hulu
event
ad
airs,
the
analytics
will
tell
us
who
to
further

target
because
we
will
be
able
to
measure
who
came
to
the
landing
page
from
Hulu.

More
likely,
we’ll
have
data
on
those
who
chose
to
see
the
whole
ad.

ADDITIONAL
RESEARCH

Ideally,
this
plan
will
rely
on
original
research
to
target
messaging.
These
methods
are
not

reflected
in
the
budget
or
calendar,
but
are
highly
recommended
to
make
sure
our
efforts
get

the
most
bang
for
their
buck.
-‐ Survey
of
Native
American
attitudes
by
OAF
-‐
The
method
would
be
Survey
Monkey
or

in
partnership
with
reservations.

There
has
been
no
national
survey
of
Native
American

and
First
Nation
communities
on
Native
American
sports
mascots.
The
foundation
has

the
opportunity
to
position
itself
as
the
leader
in
this
study
and
others
in
the
future.

Although
the
Redskins
are
already
heading
toward
a
rebrand,
this
research
could
prove

why
it
was
the
right
choice.

-‐ National
fan
survey
each
quarter
of
campaign
-‐
The
method
would
be
social
media
and

with
a
silent
partnership
of
the
NFL’s
web
properties.
The
results
of
these
will
allow
the

campaign
to
take
a
temperature
of
our
efforts
to
gain
support.
By
conducting
one
every

three
months,
we’ll
be
able
to
adjust
the
campaign
as
needed.

-‐ Focus
groups
to
determine
effective
event
and
contest
messaging
-‐
The
first
event
is

key
to
mobilizing
grassroots
support
for
the
rebrand.
The
contest
is
essential
in
bringing

14
skeptical
fans
on
board
with
the
name
change.
Both
involve
a
lot
of
interactions
with

key
publics
or
opposing
publics
and
we
want
to
ensure
the
best
possible
outcome
for

the
rebrand.

NEXT
STEPS

The
second
half
of
this
rebrand,
Phase
2,
will
be
a
separate
document.
It
will
take
at
least
an

additional
12
months
and
would
overlap
with
Phase
1.
Where
Phase
1
gets
fans
talking
about

the
issue
and
excited
about
the
logo,
Phase
2
deals
with
logistics.
It
is
still
important
to
keep
the

conversation
going
with
fans
throughout
Phase
2,
or
they
will
forget
the
buzz
garnered
in
the

previous
12
months.

Phase
1
will
also
be
the
least
expensive
part
of
the
plan,
as
it
deals
primarily
with
creative

decisions
and
building
buzz.
The
real
expense,
estimated
around
$10-‐$15
million
will
be

rebranding
both
FedEx
Field
and
the
administration
headquarters.16

Below
is
a
laundry
list
of
some
of
the
key
areas
that
will
need
to
be
addressed
in
Phase
2,

including
those
mentioned
above:
Phase
2
Planning
Considerations:
● Employees/Players

○ Original
research
regarding
employee
and
team
perceptions
of
the
name
change

○ Employee
engagement
and
transition
assistance

○ Player
engagement
and
transition
assistance

● Sellers

○ Distributors/sellers
of
apparel
will
need
updated
merchandise;
how
will
they
be

reimbursed
for
old
logo
merchandise
if
at
all?

○ Knick-‐knacks
–
stress
balls,
pens,
magnets,
etc.

● Consumers
of
Redskins
Goods/Services

○ Charity
events

○ Paid
speaking
engagements

● Legal

○ New
copyrights,
trademark

○ Contracts

16
McCarthy, Michael. "Redskins Rebrand Would Cost $15 Million." Advertising Age.
September 23, 2013.
http://proxy.library.georgetown.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?dir
ect=true&AuthType=ip,uid&db=bth&AN=90458415&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

15
○ New
articles
of
incorporation?

● Stadium

○ New
signage
at
Fed
Ex
Field

○ New
logo
on
field

○ Team
locker
rooms
and
practice
rooms

○ Licensed
distributors
in
stadium

○ Food/merchandise
vendors

○ Redskins
administration

● Official
Office
Paper
Goods

○ New
letterhead

○ Business
cards

○ Knick-‐knacks
–
stress
balls,
pens,
magnets,
etc.

● Team
Clothing

○ New
uniforms
for
players,
sportswear
and
accessories
off
the
field

○ New
casual
wear
for
administration,
both
on
and
off
the
field

● Communications/Marketing

○ Continue
communication
with
sportscasters
from
Phase
1

○ New
social
media
handles

○ New
web
URL,
special
page
to
download
logos
and
branded
content

○ Media
tour
for
12+
months
to
keep
the
conversation
positive
and
productive

○ Email
signatures

EVALUATION

The table above serves as a last check across all portions of the plan that each key public is
addressed throughout all stages. Influencers for The Megaphones are too diverse to name
across networks and media properties and, thus, were not included.

16
References

Allen,
Scott.
"ESPN
Explains
Why
Redskins
Rank
120th
out
of
122
Teams
in
Use
of
Analytics."

Washington
Post.
February
24,
2015.
Accessed
May
1,
2015.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-‐sports-‐bog/wp/2015/02/24/espn-‐explains-‐
why-‐redskins-‐rank-‐120th-‐out-‐of-‐122-‐teams-‐in-‐use-‐of-‐analytics/.

Here's
a
great
new
name
for
the
Washington
Redskins.
2014.
Fortune.Com
(06/27):
11-‐,

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,uid&db=bth&AN=9686
2515&site=ehost-‐live&scope=site.

Chapter
9:
Sports
fans.
In
2008.
,
31-‐35.
Richard
K.
Miller
&
Associates,

0125&site=ehost-‐live&scope=site
.

Alter,
Charlotte.
2013.
NFL
will
meet
with
Indian
tribe
about
redskins
name.
Time.Com
(10/09):

1-‐,


Beene,
Francesca,
Beron,
Andrea,
Murshed,
Ali,
Valverde,
Karina.
"Budget
and
Work

Breakdown
Structure
for
a
Single-‐Day
Event."
Lecture,,
Washington,
DC,
April
13,
2015.

Bercovici,
Jeff.
2013.
New
York
Times,
AP
will
keep
using
'redskins'
name,
for
now.
Forbes.Com

(09/04):
22-‐,


Boudway,
Ira.
2014.
A
bill:
Renaming
the
Redskins.
Bloomberg
Businessweek
(4404)
(11/24):
32-‐
,


Brady,
Erik.
"Daniel
Snyder
Says
Redskins
Will
Never
Change
Name."
USA
Today.
May
10,
2013.

Accessed
May
2,
2015.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/redskins/2013/05/09/washington-‐redskins-‐
daniel-‐snyder/2148127/.

Brannon,
Ike.
2013.
Could
Dan
Snyder
end
publicly
financed
stadiums?
Regulation
36
(2)

(Summer2013):
18-‐22,


17
Burke,
Monte.
2013.
The
terrible,
horrible,
no
good,
very
bad
year
of
Washington
Redskins

owner
Dan
Snyder.
Forbes.Com
(12/09):
22-‐,


Cannata,
Michael
C.
2014.
Trademark
trial
and
appeal
board
cancels
six
trademark
registrations

owned
by
the
Washington
redskins.
Intellectual
Property
&
Technology
Law
Journal
26
(10)

(10):
25-‐7,


Dockterman,
Eliana.
2014.
Matthew
McConaughey
hopes
the
redskins
don't
change
their
name.

Time.Com
(10/22):
1-‐,


———.
2014.
Redskins
seek
to
overturn
trademark
decision,
keep
name.
Time.Com
(08/15):
1-‐,


Feeney,
Nolan.
2014.
Redskins
to
Reid:
Come
catch
a
game,
harry.
Time.Com
(05/28):
1-‐,


"Forbes
Announces
17th
Annual
NFL
Team
Valuations."
Forbes.Com
(August
20,
2014):

8.
Business
Source
Complete,
EBSCOhost
(accessed
May
1,
2015).

———.
2014.
Thousands
protest
Washington
Redskins
name
in
Minneapolis.
Time.Com
(11/03):

N.PAG,


Green,
Joshua.
2014.
Congress
goes
after
the
Washington
Redskins
for
'racist'
name.

BusinessWeek.Com
(02/11):
4-‐,


Gregory,
Sean.
2013.
A
mysterious
defense
of
the
Washington
Redskins
name.
Time.Com

(10/15):
1-‐,


Kedmey,
Dan.
2014.
Hillary
Clinton:
Redskins
should
change
'insensitive'
name.
Time.Com

(07/31):
1-‐,

18

Leak,
Roland
L.
"Non-‐Native
American
Minority
Reaction
to
Use
of
Native
American

Iconography
in
Branding."
Proceedings
-‐
Society
for
Marketing
Advances
25,
no.
11
(2013):

76-‐77.

McCarthy,
Michael.
2013.
Redskins
rebrand
would
cost
$15
million.
Advertising
Age
84
(33)

(09/23):
12-‐,


Miller,
Richard
K.,
and
Kelli
Washington.
2014.
Chapter
11:
Sports
fans.
Sports
Marketing

(2014):
65-‐74,


Murphy,
Tim.
2014.
Smokey
and
the
bandit.
Washington
Monthly
46
(1)
(Jan):
23-‐7,


Nesbit,
Todd
M.,
and
Kerry
A.
King.
2010.
The
impact
of
fantasy
football
participation
on
NFL

attendance.
Atlantic
Economic
Journal
38
(1)
(03):
95-‐108,


Nicks,
Denver.
2014.
Daily
show
airs
segment
that
infuriated
Redskins
fans
before
it
even

broadcast.
Time.Com
(09/27):
1-‐,


Ozanian,
Mike.
2014.
Loss
of
redskins'
trademark
would
not
result
in
economic
harm
to
Dan

Snyder.
Forbes.Com
(06/20):
10-‐,


———.
2014.
Why
I
think
Dan
Snyder
wants
a
new
stadium.
Forbes.Com
(08/29):
1-‐,


Pulley,
Brett.
2004.
The
$1
billion
team.
Forbes
174
(5)
(09/20):
134-‐40,


19
Rawlings,
Nate.
2013.
What
controversy?
Washington
Redskins
honor
Native
Americans
during

game.
Time.Com
(11/26):
1-‐,


Rhodan,
Maya.
2014.
FCC
chair:
Redskins
name
'offensive
and
derogatory'.
Time.Com
(09/13):

1-‐,


———.
2014.
Senator
seeks
to
cancel
NFL
tax-‐exempt
status
because
of
Redskins
name.

Time.Com
(09/18):
N.PAG,


———.
2013.
Native
Americans
tackle
redskins
at
press
conference.
Time.Com
(10/09):
1-‐,


———.
2013.
Poll:
Redskins
name
change
wouldn't
bother
fans.
Time.Com
(10/16):
1-‐,


Rogers,
Alex.
2014.
Redskins
controversy
'not
high'
on
Native
American
agenda,
says
interior

secretary.
Time.Com
(09/08):
1-‐,


Stampler,
Laura.
2014.
This
powerful
anti-‐redskins
ad
will
play
during
the
NBA
finals.
Time.Com

(06/11):
1-‐,


———.
2014.
Washington
Redskins
defend
name
with
help
from
Native
Americans.
Time.Com

(08/14):
1-‐,


Uberti,
David.
2014.
Journalism
says
goodbye
to
‘Redskins’.
Columbia
Journalism
Review
53
(4)

(Nov):
13-‐,


20
Van
Riper,
Tom.
"America's
Richest
Counties
2014."
Forbes.
April
1,
2014.
Accessed
May
1,

2015.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomvanriper/2014/04/01/americas-‐richest-‐counties-‐
2014/.

Washington Redskins Rebrand Plan

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Washington Redskins Rebrand Plan

Similar to Washington Redskins Rebrand Plan (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Washington Redskins Rebrand Plan