Polo. Lacoste. Nike.
Yankees. Mets. Cubs.
They go together like a jock strap and a Big League Chew. Fashionably speaking, of course.
There are immediate reactions when a baseball team is mentioned. All can be applied to their branding, whether it is chosen by them or for them. It’s the smell of the dirt, the lighting in the ball park, the fit in the uniforms and the easy, slow time of play. It’s the dance around steroids and PEDs (Giants), the history of great teams who are now floundering (Royals), and the scrappy style of play that turns men into boys (Red Sox). They know it and they capitalize on it in a way that, even when we notice, we do not seem to mind.
So, too, are there connotations with brands of clothing. The timeless look of Polo, the cutting edge of Nike, and the top of mind awareness like Dockers. Ah…you can already picture the khaki slacks, can you not?
When it comes to baseball, fans dip themselves head to toe in team gear and, often without knowing it, present themselves in a very telling light. The simple, plain navy t-shirt with the large Detroit Tigers “D” screen-printed just left of center tells the story of a purist, probably well-studied of the game and team; someone probably sure of himself and a team player in efforts around the office. Someone wearing an oversized Florida Marlins t-shirt, full with busy graphics of teal, orange, blue, and chaos may reveal a rather fair-weather fan; an easily-excitable spirit with whom the Tigers fan would share very little in common. How? Detroit is such a storied-franchise, with firecracker ups and depressing downs. The tradition of their uniforms, team colors, and style of play reflect their hard-working fan base, which is largely associated with automakers and cold weather. This is an icy, hard town and it takes a very committed, loyal and determined type of person to stay here. If you are going to like the Tigers, you probably share the same level of dedication and attention to tradition. The Marlins, however, are a very different franchise. They Marlins have two championships to their name, but they’ve only been around a fraction of the time the Tigers have been grinding it out. The Marlins are famous for bringing up great young talent, winning big, and then selling them off for profit and starting all over with humble beginnings. Their team color is trendy (teal), but fitting for their locale and lifestyle (Miami, Florida). They have trouble filling their seats at home games and they gain strong momentum every 5 or so years, then the cycle for wins and for fans starts anew.
Try comparing this to the NFL and you will find similarities in various degrees, but not across the board. Try looking at the NHL or the NBA in this light and you will most likely lose interest before you even begin.
Here is a list of teams with their equal clothing brand:
NY Yankees – Polo, Ralph Lauren. Classy, timeless and top-of-mind awareness. Any time you think baseball, you think Yankees. There is something so elegant and respected in pinstripes. No matter what brand you refer to, we all call a short sleeved and collared shirt with a couple buttons a “polo.” Like Kleenex or Xerox. The brand names double as the noun or verb. Polo makes high-fashion suits and, the main man, Ralph Lauren, is the face of the franchise. Steinbrenner anyone? Nothing is quite as iconic in upscale fashion as the little horsey polo logo. Nike comes close, but it’s not expensive enough to qualify. The NY logo for the Yankees is as comparable to the power of the Polo logo as it gets. The NY logo, in fact, is a brand all its own. When you see the NY logo on a polo, it just fits and, for a second, the brand is understood first before the connection of baseball. It’s as strong a brand as it is a team.
NY Mets – Lacoste. Lacoste is expensive, and so is New York. Lacoste was once the epitome of the fashion world and is still highly-regarded, but just beneath the cusp of such routine place-holders like Polo and Nike. Just like the Mets. Lacoste comes close to being the top of the fashion food chain, but their shirts cost about 10 bucks too much and we seem to want them to look better than they actually do. Just like the Mets. Plus, that little smiling alligator (or crocodile) is akin in character to the smiling Mr. Met.
Chicago Cubs – Nike. Everyone likes the Cubs. Everyone likes that target of a logo and all logos are compared to the Nike swoosh. It’s easy to like the Cubs. Who doesn’t like Chicago? There is an everyman quality, but with an added upscale aspect of which to be proud. The Cubbies have celebrities at their games who sing and bring the 7th inning, and Nike is known for bringing celebrity endorsements. The Cubbies have all American colors and have a history of an all American attitude, believing that “this is the year.” And ultimately failing. Nike is similar in that it is the epitome of sportswear in America and, no matter how much they diversify their clothing lines, they still come just a hair short of Polo’s class and respect. Also, Chicago has a history of mystique with their relations the mob and prohibition, while Nike has had its share of mystique with talks of sweatshops overseas. If they don’t win, it’s a shame.
LA Dodgers – Calvin Klein. It’s LA, it’s fashion, it’s celebrity stardom, it’s Mannywood, it’s Hollywood, and it’s initials. L.A. = C.K. Look at the logos and you’ll see a similar overlap in the letters. There are a lot of great looking uniforms out there. In my opinion, the two greatest are first the Yankee pinstripes and second the home Dodgers uniform. That bright, clean white with the Dodger blue looks so much like other teams’ home garb, but somehow theirs looks better. Not unlike the CK logo of Calvin Klein, whose logo is easily pictured in one’s mind as black background with the lowercase and uppercase stark white letters – plain and simple. The LA in the corner of your shirt could easily be replaced with CK.
San Francisco Giants – Dockers. Hey, it’s San Fran. Gotta give them that, right? There is something about the off-white uniforms with the black and orange that khakis just kind of go with in a way. Little old school style, but always goes with something. Kind of like the Giants in a way: good baseball town that is often thought of as a “once was” team, but every ten years they emerge as a threat to win it all. It’s hard not to like and appreciate a good pair of Dockers. It’s equally as difficult to dismiss the Giants as a viable team as they are quite respectable.
Houston Astros – Wrangler. Put on your boots, fasten your oversized belt buckle, and let’s get ready for a long cattle drive. The Astros are infamous for not scoring runs, but not easily giving them up either, which means they often go deep into extra innings. Just like a long cattle drive, it takes patience and a calm, cool head. The font of the Astros in their latest logo set is similar to a rope. Wrangler’s logo is very fitting. Strange isn’t it, that the word Astro is short for Astronaut? Shouldn’t this be a typeface for the Texas Rangers? Not so. They, on the other hand, have painstakingly put their efforts toward a large red “T” for their logo. Really, Rangers? You have been completely upstaged by your southern foe. The Astros aren’t always the best brand, but they’re consistently known for coming up strong in the latter half and not completely letting you down. They have a history of gunslingers, bigger stadiums, longer games and slower pace. Around a body of work like theirs, these Wranglers fit quite nicely.
Tampa Bay Rays – Under Armour. They are flashy, young, and looks like both will be increasingly competitive for the next few years.
San Diego Padres – Hurley.
Seattle Mariners – Nautica. Hello?
Cincinnati Reds – Tommy Hilfiger. The Great American Ballpark matches well with the red, white and blue flag like emblem of Hilfiger.
St. Louis Cardinals – St. John’s Bay. Saintly, no?
Toronto Blue Jays – Reebok.
Baltimore Orioles – Fossil.
Arizona Diamondbacks – Jordache. Perhaps baseball’s tackiest logo is out of fashion. Much like the brand.
Pittsburgh Pirates – Panama Jack. Both logos have a guy’s face with only one eye prevalent.
Texas Rangers – Russell Athletic.
If your team logo can easily replace a brand’s logo, chances are your team’s image and emblem can be a definitive brand on their own, right alongside top fashion powers. The White Sox logo, the M logo of the Twins, and the glove and ball illustration of the Brewers are all great logos for this regard. And, just like on the field, the New York Yankees are at the top.
- Lance LaRue, Advertising & Creative Manager at Americom Marketing Ad Agency 2009
