In true New York fashion, the Brooklyn Nets have started a campaign to turn their team into celebrities just as much as they are basketball players. The Nets are introducing the “Core Four” to their new home in a “Hello Brooklyn” marketing campaign featuring Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace.
Billboards will be going up all over the city and signs will be placed throughout the subway system in hopes of getting fans excited about their new-look team.
“We are delighted to continue building a connection between Brooklynites and the players on their new home team,” Nets CEO Brett Yormark said in a statement. “This phase of the ‘Hello Brooklyn’ campaign is a creative way for the players to share something about themselves in advance of their debut at Barclays Center this fall.
“It’s clear from the big crowd at our recent public celebration at Borough Hall Plaza, as well as our successful ticket and merchandise sales, that the borough is excited for their Brooklyn Nets. We’re thrilled to be part of the community as we get ready for opening night.”
An incredible amount of hype before the team even steps out on the floor. Sound familiar? Although, in the Nets’ defense, at least they’re moving and not just bringing in new players.
The city of New York faces a tough dilemma. They now have a choice between the flailing Knicks and the upstart Nets. It’s very similar to the new rivalry in Los Angeles where the Clippers rose out of the shadows to become a team worth getting excited about.
However, the Nets’ chief marketing officer Fred Mangione says it’s not about the battle with the Knicks, it’s about a much bigger, worldwide picture.
“Our goal is to own Brooklyn,” Mangione said. “We want to turn the Brooklyn Nets into a global brand, so it’s not just in the tri-state area, but it’s globally and internationally. But we try not to get caught up in (Nets vs. Knicks). We leave that to the fans and the writers to get into that.”
I can only hope, for the sake of the Nets, that they’re going to be as good as they think they are. We criticized the Miami Heat for putting on their parade before the season even started, but at least they won a championship in two seasons. I don’t see the same bright future for this Brooklyn team, but I hope they can at least give their new fans something to cheer about.
