Over the years, as Heisman Trophy campaigns came to resemble political campaigns, universities took a more active role in extolling the virtues of their contenders. Tactics included mailing neckties to voters (Brigham Young for Ty Detmer), paying for a towering billboard in Times Square (Oregon for Joey Harrington) and sending binoculars (Rutgers for Ray Rice) that urged voters to ?See Ray Run.?
Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images
Quarterback Johnny Manziel is not allowed to speak to reporters, and Texas A&M keeps tight limits on the merchandising of his name and image.
Interviews, insight and analysis from The Times on the competition and culture of college football.
Dave Martin/Associated Press
Johnny Manziel has impressed John David Crow, Texas A&M?s only Heisman Trophy winner, who also received little hype.
This season, Texas A&M and Johnny Manziel took a subtler approach, in part because Manziel surged only recently into contention. Texas A&M?s method lacks what would seem to be an essential element: an actual campaign. In this era of advertisement, where universities build platforms and solicit votes for players, this is a rare strategy. Less ?look at me.? More ?look at me ? if you feel like it.?
Manziel?s Heisman noncampaign also lacks what would seem to be an essential voice: Manziel?s. Because he is a freshman, Texas A&M does not allow him to speak to the news media. He speaks to the public only in person or on Twitter. No interviews. Only mystery, wrapped in a homespun narrative.
?There?s a tremendous appetite among this fan base to see billboards and blimps,? said Jason Cook, Texas A&M?s vice president of marketing and communications. ?But if you watch ESPN, if you look at Twitter, if you read what the media is writing about, the buzz is already there.?
After Manziel led the Aggies to an upset of top-ranked Alabama last weekend, and his popularity skyrocketed, Texas A&M faced a decision it never expected to confront this season. It could carry out the wishes of Coach Kevin Sumlin and largely protect Manziel from an adoring football public. Or it could go with the more typical late push.
Ultimately, Texas A&M decided the best campaign was no formal campaign at all. Cook described the situation as uncharted territory. ?Part of it is the exposure that college athletics has these days,? he said. ?It?s wall-to-wall, 24/7. Our approach is somewhat old-school.?
Heisman promotions have become more prevalent, more over-the-top and more creative in recent years. This week, Southern California started a campaign for its electric receiver, Marqise Lee, that included a highlight video with music from the Beatles and clips from opposing coaches extolling Lee?s talents.
A&M took the opposite approach. In most cases, Cook said, the more gimmicky promotions came from smaller universities, or bigger universities in conferences that received less exposure, like those on the West Coast.
The Aggies are banking on the visibility of the Southeastern Conference, college football?s pre-eminent conference, which Texas A&M joined this season. The Aggies? win over Alabama garnered a 6.6 overnight TV rating, the second-highest this season, behind only Alabama?s last-minute triumph over Louisiana State on Nov. 3. In addition to that built-in exposure, university officials planned to note other points to voters, like the number of blowout victories during which Manziel played only part of the game. But nothing beyond that.
More important to Texas A&M, at least in the short term, is protecting Manziel?s image and his nickname, Johnny Football. That process is rather complicated in an age when most anybody can sell most anything on the Internet.
In the past week, Cook said, the university sent at least 10 cease-and-desist orders to various entities. He e-mailed a photo of one action figure that included both ?Manziel? on the back of the jersey and A&M?s logo. It looked, but was not, authentic.
Manziel is not allowed to profit off his nickname, not if he wants to remain eligible, but he can prevent others from doing so. The Manziel family hired lawyers who began working with the university about two weeks ago, Cook said. Texas A&M?s marketing and license group, its compliance office and attorneys on both sides are involved.
katie couric good morning america the rock vs john cena acm awards 2012 january jones ncaa final game reba mcentire acm awards
No comments:
Post a Comment