9 Lessons in Marketing a Brand I Learned From the Yankees

I have been a Yankee fan for many, many years, but recently I’ve been looking at them with fresh eyes.

Each time the team plays, I think a lot about how Joe Girardi has built the line up, what the order and pitching match up says about who they’re playing against. I think about the players themselves, as each represents their own brand and what that means when some are 1/20 or the opposite, pitching and batting like superstars. Some are doing well and others not, so how will it effect the team as a whole and each player. When they do well, their confidence is high, when poorly, nothing they do seems to go how they want it. Look at Alex and Curtis, we expect home runs and not much was produced except Curtis’s home run tonight. Although we can always count on Jeter!

Yankee Stadium by Susan Newman

The ALDS just ended, Yankees against Orioles, each of the games were nail biters and it could have gone either way. We’re fans and we sway with their every move. We yell and curse at them when they’re failing, and scream, jump, and clap when they exceed our expectations.

So what does this teach us about a top brand that we can apply to our own businesses?

1- Have confidence in your best assets and feature them consistently.

2- The HYPE is worth it, have and plan a goal and stick with it. When you do everyone wants you or to work with you.

3- Market slightly different, depending on who you face or for different reasons.

4- When someone or something isn’t performing the way you expect it to, don’t just cut it, figure out what it needs and support it.

5- Consistent branding between all components and bring in marketing partners that build the audience for all parties, however be sure that the brand mission is there. (Bruce, yeah!)

6- Being part of a team makes you see the big picture.

7- Give back to the community and promote those organizations, so you’re building trust while doing good.

8- Concentration and focus, slow down and look at the details.

9- Savor the moments and don’t take them for granted.

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