Comments on: What Is Expected Of A Series Sponsor?

By: redd

redd — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:52:57 +0000

Izod is definately going for the young crowd with their design and marketing. I wonder how successful they were?

I’m willing to give any company a chance at sponsorship. Who knows how helpful they’ll be, but it’s way better than nothing. So I’ll choose to be optimistic about the deal.

I also think it’s strange that some big company didn’t pick up the sponsorship for what is pocket change to them. But maybe they didn’t feel that Versus exposure is worth pocket change right now?

By: AZZO45

AZZO45 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:13:32 +0000

Tennis player Andy Rodderick (sp) was sponsored by LaCoste & I swear I saw some of his tennis gear sporting the alligator….

By: bickelmom

bickelmom — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:20:20 +0000

I wonder if IZOD is aware of how annoying their one commercial has become to the IndyCar fans? I see it referenced in a negative way all the time on the blogs by both bloggers and those of us who comment on said blogs. I had a very neutral feeling about them at the beginning of the season, but I am totally annoyed with them now. When a company doesn’t bother to make a good ad in the first place, and then repeats incessantly, I find it insulting. I’d welcome them if they put forth some effort, but PLEASE don’t give people an excuse to change the channel at commercial time…they may not flip back…

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:52:04 +0000

Skip,
Thanks for the history on the brand. I wondered what had happened to the little alligators that used to be their logo, and I wondered why they now distinguished between LaCoste and Izod. Now I know!

As for why their clothing designs are targeting the Metrosexual crowd, and they think this somehow ties into IndyCar… I have no idea.
Tom

By: Brian McKay

Brian McKay — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:08:31 +0000

It should be easy for AT&T or Coca-Cola to sponsor the series for ten million dollars then spend 50 million dollars in a season to ‘activate’ its sponsorship. If I were the marketing czar at either of these…

By: tim nothhelfer

tim nothhelfer — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:48:41 +0000

The start of the IZOD activation in NYC times square was brilliant because
it worked with RHR winning the next event……….
The ad campaign has been a disappointment since.
As much as I hate being bombarded by them, :
I’d almost welcome some sort of male\ female :
enhancement title sponsorship. :
At least it would hit the demographic. !

By: SkipinSC

SkipinSC — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:51:14 +0000

Here’s a little history. When I was employed by Phillips Van Heusen, (the parent company of this incarnation of IZOD,) IZOD was split into two entities: IZOD Apparel (which PVH bought) and IZOD LaCoste, the more tasteful type polo shirts with the “alligator” logo, which PVH DID NOT buy.

The IZOD goods were supposed to be the “mid-level” goods at retail, above the Van Heusen label, and below the Geoffrey Beene label in the PVH hierarchy of sportswear. A lot of goods that used to be sold under the “Cape Isle Knitters” label, became IZOD, and tended to appeal more to the younger clientele than either Van Heusen or Beene.

As time has gone by, (and I still wander into their stores periodically) the IZOD label has gotten rather “out there” in terms of styling, or maybe I’ve just gotten older and a little more conservative.

I know that their marketing department thoroughly screwed the pooch by not running more (and better) commercials, something which I have not been afraid to tell some corporate friends of mine who are still around at PVH. If this is going to be your “title sponsor,” they had better do a whole lot more and a whole lot better.

By: AZZO45

AZZO45 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:33:36 +0000

Oilpressure: I haven’t seen the IZOD/ ICS line but perhaps I will need to review it for myself. I enjoy your blog, but have learned NOT to trust your opinion of DESIGN. The FedEx /CART branding was hardly UGLY or controversial (it eas the FedEx logo in a circle with a subtle speedo gpx).

FedEx also co produced commercials with Honda… the Gil deFerran “FedEx driver” one was funny & in the TARGET league of quality IMO. When Honda & FedEx pulled out of CART they had ZERO national ads with any impact

By: Mike Silver

Mike Silver — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:19:36 +0000

It’s better than nothing. I hope they have better commercials and more than one also. I just hope that Terry Angstadt was firm in negotiating that there must be serious activiation with broad appeal.

By: HooverOnTheWeb

HooverOnTheWeb — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:16:39 +0000

I was excited about Izod sponsoring a car this year. I needed some clothes with more style than the bluejean/t-shirt look I have been sporting since forever. The shirt I had in mind had the Izod logo and the Indycar logo or something. Before the ballon races, I was informed that combination would only be availible to employees of the series. Bummer.