Working With The Competition
October 02, 2007
As an advertising agency part of our job is to assist our clients with promoting a positive image through public relations projects. Here is a story that is on point...
There are roughly 700,000 people in the market area for the Iowa Stars to draw from. The American Hockey League team is just now starting their third season in Des Moines. (2nd pre-season game against the Quad City Flames above. Iowa won both 6 - 3 and 2 - 0)
There is another team in Des Moines. The Des Moines Buccaneers (a USHL club) has been in the market for years and have a dedicated fan base.
They haven't gotten along well. And, they don't even play each other.
That's not to say that the players don't respect each other...they do. But management and fans of both clubs have had "issues" over the past two years. That acrimony has led to some public "in-fighting" that hasn't helped either cause. Monday night the "competition" got together to raise money for youth hockey in Des Moines. The Stars needed a place to play (seems a conflict in schedules kept them off the Wells Fargo Arena ice) and the Bucs Arena was available.
It's a good move and a positive sign for the new management team heading the Iowa Stars...and...it's something many of us in business can learn from.
In the highly competitive business world companies often spend way too much time "worrying" about what the "other guys" are doing vs. having mutual respect and even working together on projects that would boost their respective images.
Winning is a good thing. While youth hockey got a boost from the money raised last night. The two hockey clubs also got a boost in their public relations image...winning is a good thing.
In the end...both sides win the public relations battle.
Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we help our clients with their public relations issues...every day.