UCLA marketing message: Spend money, come see us for free
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Cash for clunker?
The marketing wizards of Westwood have toned down their act so far this season -- though the season hasn’t started yet.
It’s the crew that invited Fresno State fans to come to the Rose Bowl so ‘you can say you were there.’ Many Fresno State fans were there -- and can say they saw a 36-31 Bulldogs victory.
The UCLA marketing department has since softened its approach, mostly because of a review committee that Athletic Director Dan Guerrero had to create to approve all future campaigns. Still, a new promotion offers any fan “who by $100+ official merchandise (Aug. 22-28) at the UCLA store, UCLA Store Tent at the Fall Scrimmage will receive two complimentary general admission tickets,” to the California game on Oct. 17.
Looking beyond the fact that the review committee missed the “by/buy” typo, the UCLA-California game is usually a big seller. But these are hard economic teams, the proof being that California’s team is busing to the game.
Of course the marketing department is going for the softer sell.
A year ago, its first ad announced: “The college football monopoly in Los Angeles is officially over.” A few weeks later, a 4-8 UCLA team lost to USC for the 10th time in their last 11 meetings. This season, the ticket pitch is: “Because there is nothing like being there.”
“Being There” was a 1979 movie starring Peter Sellers as a gardener whose obsession with gardening and television is mistaken for deep insights. In the last scene, he is seen walking on water.
-- Chris Foster