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After finishing the 2005 season with an 11-16-5 record and failing to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Columbus Crew were in desperate need for a makeover. The winter months have definitely seen the club live up to its moniker as 'America's Hardest Working Team.'
But it's not just on the field and on the sidelines that the Crew have stepped up their efforts. With the hiring of reinforcements off the field as well, namely in the form of marketing and public relations agencies, the Columbus Crew are smack dab in the middle of a complete transformation.
Evidence of that can be clearly seen in downtown Columbus, as the finishing touches have been installed on a giant 'wallscape' on the side of the Brunson building. The 40-foot high soccer ball, which is 25 feet in diamater and constructed of aluminum, chicken wire and foam, was the brainchild of the Crew and Ryan Partnership.
A pair of deals announced in recent months has seen the Crew team up with Ryan Partnership, a marketing agency, and Fahlgren Mortine, which specializes in public relations. Both organizations have proven records for bettering such nationally recognized brands as JP Morgan Chase, Nestle USA, McDonald's and Cooper Tires. As they enter their second decade in Columbus, the Crew decided it was time to reach out and reconnect with their fan base.
"I think that after being in the market for 10 years and with a lot of the changes that are going on with the organization both on the field and off the field, we said now's a good time to really evaluate everything that we're doing and how we're doing it," said Crew general manager Mark McCullers. "We opened Crew Stadium in 1999 and frankly, we haven't done anything really compelling since then. So we're looking to do bold things, to do innovating things.
"In that regard we're not too different from other businesses in other industries. We're trying to break through the advertising clutter and gain mind share with the market and get them to notice us and pay attention."
One of the first ideas conceived with the help of these outside sources was the massive mural of sorts in downtown Columbus. The giant wallscape is sure to be noticed, as a massive 3-D soccer ball appeals to be smashed into the side of the building, no doubt put there after a full-force shot from either the Jolly Green Giant or King Kong.
"The wallscape idea is not original in itself. Even last year we had talked about the idea of doing a wallscape or some kind of innovating, creative Crew program in downtown Columbus," said McCullers. "The idea to have a 3-D soccer balls that appears to have embedded itself in the side of a building - that was a collaborative effort with Ryan Partnership and our marketing staff.
"We've gotten front-page coverage in The Columbus Dispatch and numerous television interviews. It has probably paid for itself in terms of its general news coverage already. I think it makes a statement about the type of presence we want to have in this marketing, the type of brand that we want to be - very noticeable and very impactful."
In the seven seasons that Columbus has played in Crew Stadium, the team has had little success on the field. Three times (2005, 2003 and 2000) the club has failed to even reach the postseason. They have only advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals twice, falling to D.C. United in Crew Stadium's inaugural season and to the New England Revolution in 2002. Columbus has never competed in an MLS Cup Final.
Couple the inconsistencies on the field with a competitive marketplace and it is not difficult to see why the Crew have struggled to maintain relevance.
"There are a lot of things that have been happening in Central Ohio and in our market, and even within our industry," McCullers said. "With the Columbus Blue Jackets, the NHL went on strike but they came back strong. We've got a new Arena Football team here. The Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees has got a new stadium coming up here in Columbus. There are a lot of factors that I think contribute to why we're taking this sort of approach and this mentality. Mostly it's that we think it's the right thing to do. It's the type of brand that we want to be and I don't know that that has actually been the case in the past."
The hiring of head coach Sigi Schmid following the 2005 season has sparked a revival on the soccer side of the business as well. The former Los Angeles Galaxy and U.S. U-20 boss has brought in talent from around the country and around the world, giving the Crew a whole new look.
Finding success on the field obviously can only help the Crew's overall success. It remains to be seen how the targeted fan base will react should the Crew struggle on the field again this season. McCullers, for one, doesn't think that results will make or break it.
"For me, as the general manager of this organization, all facets of our business, all facets of our organization have to be among the best in the league," he said. "If our competition (on the field) is not heated up but we have the best marketing and ticket sales in the league, well that's not good enough and vice versa as well.
"If our competition (on the field) is among the best in the league but our sales and marketing functions and our other business functions are not keeping up, then that's not good enough. For me, they all complement each other. It's a standard across the organization that should be on everybody's mind."
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
