Prof Featured in Toronto Star
February 07, 2011 - In the News
An opinion piece on branding in the NFL written by Prof. Tim Dewhirst was featured in Sunday's Toronto Star.
In the article, the marketing and consumer studies professor offers a historical perspective on the branding of the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers — the two teams that faced off in the Super Bowl yesterday. Unlike most NFL teams, which have monikers related to animals indigenous to the area or ones that are recognized as fierce and relentless, the two teams that competed in this year's Super Bowl have brands connected to their area's industrial roots.
In the article, Dewhirst explains how the Green Bay Packers were named after the packing company that bought the team, and the term "packers" refers to people who work in the meat-packing industry. Similarly, the Pittsburgh Steelers' name pays homage to the city's steel industry. The Steelmark logo worn by the team was initially designed as part of a campaign aimed at educating and persuading American consumers about the importance of steel in their daily lives. The Steelers logo depicts three hypocycloids that represent the constituents of the steelmaking process: yellow for coal, orange for ore and blue for steel scrap.
Dewhirst's research is largely focused on tobacco marketing, but he also has expertise in branding, brand management and sports and entertainment marketing.
