Creative Civilization Resigns Spurs Account

[GSH]

This announcement seemed just about as strange as Bookbinder's resignation. It's been in the back of my mind the last couple of days, and I had a thought that might make the two events make sense.

The Spurs have had the most dominating team in any professional sport for the last decade, but they have largely been marketed as home-town heroes. Yes, they have fans all over the country and the world, but they don't enjoy the kind of bandwagon popularity some other sports teams have. So maybe they are planning to take the franchise in a new direction.

Basketball is a sport, but the money flows because it is entertainment. I'm sure I'll get flamed for saying it, but there is a lot of extra publicity (and money) to be gained by cultivating the theater aspect. For instance: they have been saddled by the media as playing dirty. Maybe they think it's time for them to play into that reputation, and start wearing the black hats for a change? You have to admit, no one would call them boring anymore, even if they didn't change a thing on the court.

Holt may have recognized that the team is playing on an incredibly large stage, and there is a lot more money to be made by engaging a broader audience. Even Disney recognized the need to make something besides G-rated movies. I read an article a while back about how the Celtics' new ownership team laid a lot of groundwork to be able to bring in much more revenue when the team finally became successful again. If I can find it again, I will post a link.

The Spurs reputation is that of a bunch of nice guys who don't sing their own praises. The problem is, not many other people are singing their praises. And, like it or not, a large portion of the population are not at all put off by all the chest-thumping, as long as the players can back it up on the court. And there are a lot of people ready to hop on a bad-boys bandwagon, as long as the team wins. And the Spurs have that part down to a science.

The point is, Spurs franchise is a business for the purpose of making money. And they are probably leaving a lot of money on the table. Not many business owners are willing to do that. So maybe they are looking for people who are better equipped to take the franchise in a different direction. It would make sense that their marketing firm quit before being fired. (Why would a firm just give up an account like the Spurs to go prospect for new clients?) As for Bookbinder? Maybe it was management's idea, or maybe the proposed change isn't his cup of tea.

Just a thought.

[theshadow]

Friday, June 27, 2008
Spurs trying to score new ad agency in challenging times
San Antonio Business Journal - by W. Scott Bailey

Creative Civilization's decision to resign a Spurs advertising account it has held for more than a decade has the NBA team and its parent company, Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E), searching for a new ad agency.

The successor to Creative Civilization will face immediate challenges, including the exit of a top Spurs executive, heightened NBA game-fixing conspiracy talk and an economy that is leaving fans with little disposable income.

Creative Civilization co-founder Al Aguilar says his agency contemplated resigning the SS&E account when the latter quietly moved to put the contract up for grabs by soliciting proposals from Aguilar's firm and its compe ors. But it was the surprising resignation of SS&E Executive Vice President Russ Bookbinder that Aguilar says cemented his agency's own resignation.

Bookbinder says he "needed to take a step back and see what the next chapter is."

Aguilar says Bookbinder's departure "helped me solidify my decision."

"I got with my team and we talked about all of this," Aguilar explains. "We made the decision to not (participate in the contract proposal process), to reassert our energies elsewhere."

Strong brand
Skip Wood is CEO of The Wood Agency and he is also an avid Spurs fan. Wood says his agency was a finalist for the Spurs account several years ago and was invited to participate in the current proposal process.

But The Wood Agency has elected to pass. Wood says compensation was a factor in that decision.

Wood says he expects there will be a number of agencies who are interested in landing the SS&E account.

But he also says the victor will likely have to deal with a number of important issues.

They include organizational changes prompted by Bookbinder's departure and a RefGate scandal that tainted the 2008 NBA Finals. Those allegations were made by ousted NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who contends that other NBA whistle blowers had manipulated previous playoff games and series.

Wood believes the Spurs can withstand the conspiracy scandal.

He also believes San Antonio's only major professional sports franchise can absorb the front office disruption and even the knocks from fans and media that the team itself is too old, too slow and too boring.

"The Spurs are a strong brand," Wood says. "A strong brand can overcome strong challenges."

What no one can predict is whether the Spurs or any NBA team can overcome a rough economy that has consumers dealing with rising household costs and shrinking disposable incomes.

"There are some serious challenges ahead for any entertainment vehicle," Wood warns.

One agency that has not been invited to participate in the contract proposal process as of press time is Austin-based GSD&M Idea City.

In the run up to the 2008 NBA playoffs, SS&E reached out to GSD&M for a creative assist. "Get to the Game" was a campaign designed to move Spurs fans from in front of their TV sets into AT&T Center seats.

Aguilar says it is GSD&M's relationship with San Antonio-based AT&T Inc. that got them a shot with the Spurs this season.

But as of press time, GSD&M had not leveraged that opportunity into a longer-term role with the Spurs.

"We have not received an RFP (request for a contract proposal from the Spurs)," says GSD&M spokeswoman Melanie Mahaffey.

Wood says he is somewhat surprised.

Climate change?

Aguilar says it's important to note that his agency and the Spurs are parting on good terms.

"Our legacy speaks for itself," he says. "No one can take that legacy away."

Would Creative Civilization have resigned the SS&E account and passed on participating in the new RFP process had Bookbinder not ended his two-decade tenure with the Spurs?

"I don't know," Aguilar says.

Spurs Chairman and CEO Peter Holt says Bookbinder's recent departure left the organization with enough time to assess its options and then move accordingly.

"We're going to use this as an opportunity to look at everything we're doing," he says.

The to-do list includes replacing Creative Civilization under less than ideal cir stances.

Aguilar says the Spurs have been an extremely important client. He says they represented Creative Civilization's first big score as an agency.

But just what does the next agency inherit?

A strong Spurs brand and a local market that loves its NBA team, Aguilar contends.

However, Aguilar is not blind to the outside factors that could impact the Spurs and their next agency.

His advice for that agency: "You have to know the psychology of the current marketplace. You play into that. You also have to understand the dynamics."

One of the big uncertainties, according to Aguilar: "We don't know what the climate will be (next season)."

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/06/30/story2.html?b=1214798400^1659872

[CubanMustGo]

"Legacy"? The legacy of not being able to successfully market the team despite all its success and role-model players and staff? This is a small-time agency with small-time clients and it's time to get someone who's going to be serious. Let's look at the all-star client lineup:

SA Express-News
HEB
American State Bank
Concha
TxDOT (a don't mess w/Texas commercial I never saw)
CityReach Latino
SA Spurs
SA Silver Stars
SA Rampage
AT&T Center
CPS
Conexion
Ricos
SA Opera
University Health System
The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation
American Cancer Society (en espanol)
21SA
Las Misiones

Yep, we're gonna miss these guys. Not.

[ShoogarBear]

This is all a lot of business doubletalk to me. The Spurs were paying these advertising agencies, right? So why would they resign if they were still getting paid? Because the Spurs might start looking at other ad agencies? It doesn't make sense.

[GSH]

Friday, June 27, 2008
Spurs trying to score new ad agency in challenging times
San Antonio Business Journal - by W. Scott Bailey


But just what does the next agency inherit?

A strong Spurs brand and a local market that loves its NBA team, Aguilar contends.


http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/06/30/story2.html?b=1214798400^1659872

I took a lot of from MB and a few others over my comments about this, but it's starting to come out. Creative Civilization "quit" because the Spurs made it clear they were looking elsewhere. And the Spurs recognize that they need to leverage the brand outside of the local market.

Creative Civilization's marketing effort has been adequate, while the Spurs' on-court performance has been excellent. If the team is going to remain compe ive, they need excellence from their marketing as well.

Flame all you want to, but those extra marketing dollars pay salaries.

[ShoogarBear]

I don't get it. If the Spurs think their marketing could be better, why wouldn't Creative Civilization make an effort to show them that they could do more, rather than give up the contract?

I mean, that's what Darrin Stephens would do.

[Marcus Bryant]

I took a lot of from MB and a few others over my comments about this, but it's starting to come out. Creative Civilization "quit" because the Spurs made it clear they were looking elsewhere. And the Spurs recognize that they need to leverage the brand outside of the local market.

Creative Civilization's marketing effort has been adequate, while the Spurs' on-court performance has been excellent. If the team is going to remain compe ive, they need excellence from their marketing as well.

Flame all you want to, but those extra marketing dollars pay salaries.

ROFL. Here's what you wrote:

We're nearing the end of the Duncan/Popovich era. We may see a whole lot of changes in the next few years.

After I pointed out that Duncan was under contract until 2012, you threw a little hissy fit.

[Solid D]

My guess is that Creative was allowed by the Spurs to publically "go in a different direction" because the Spurs were going in a different direction.

I certainly hope that Russ Bookbinder was forthright in his dealings with Creative. He seemed to be a very principled man, so I doubt it, but sometimes stuff happpens.

[GSH]

I don't get it. If the Spurs think their marketing could be better, why wouldn't Creative Civilization make an effort to show them that they could do more, rather than give up the contract?

I mean, that's what Darrin Stephens would do.

I'm guessing that Russ Bookbinder was their advocate. It definitely looks like their departure and his were related.

The article states that "In the run up to the 2008 NBA playoffs, SS&E reached out to GSD&M for a creative assist." That means that they (the Spurs) felt the need to enlist another ad agency for the playoffs this year. That's a pretty strong statement. I'm sure they understood that they were out, and quit in order to save face.

I certainly hope that Russ Bookbinder was forthright in his dealings with Creative. He seemed to be a very principled man

Count on it. Whatever happened, that wasn't a problem.

[ShoogarBear]

The only guess I can make is that the Spurs were pissed they weren't selling out the early playoff games, and pointed the finger at marketing.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The only guess I can make is that the Spurs were pissed they weren't selling out the early playoff games, and pointed the finger at marketing.

s well they should be. I watch TV listen to the radio etc and I had no idea there were tickets still available. This is a trend with the club that has ben going on for some time.

There presentation and marketing of the club is complete and utter crap especially in games and Stan ing Kelly has to be about the worst announcer in professional sports. I'd take Harry Carrey's corpse over that guy.

I mean its even abundant that the firm has no idea what their cons uents think because this is all weve been talking about for the better part of a decade.

But hey it only took them a decade to figure out that pink is not a good color for a men's basketball team.

I wouldn't be surprised if these 'resignations' aren't really polite firings because these people couldn't do their jobs worth a .

[spurschick]

Let's look at the all-star client lineup:

SA Express-News
HEB
American State Bank
Concha
TxDOT (a don't mess w/Texas commercial I never saw)
CityReach Latino
SA Spurs
SA Silver Stars
SA Rampage
AT&T Center
CPS
Conexion
Ricos
SA Opera
University Health System
The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation
American Cancer Society (en espanol)
21SA
Las Misiones

I don't think this list is up to date. Obviously the Spurs aren't clients anymore, but I'm pretty sure that the ones in orange are no longer clients either.

And I'm also pretty sure that the ad agency didn't have anything to do with the communication of tickets going on sale. The Spurs have their own marketing, PR and sales staff to handle those kinds of things. I believe that all the ad agency does is the creative.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't think this list is up to date. Obviously the Spurs aren't clients anymore, but I'm pretty sure that the ones in orange are no longer clients either.

And I'm also pretty sure that the ad agency didn't have anything to do with the communication of tickets going on sale. The Spurs have their own marketing, PR and sales staff to handle those kinds of things. I believe that all the ad agency does is the creative.

That still would be Bookbinder's province. It certainly looks like the Spurs are cleaning house moreso than the sinking ship that others have been purporting.

The marketing of the Spurs pretty much across the board has been terrible.

For example has the club even tried to exploit the multinational aspect? We were on the absolute cutting edge on international prospects circa 2000 and that was never used with the exception of a stray comment coming from a national broadcast.

I realize that Tim doesn't like the limelight and that should be respected but Manu is a national hero in his home country, Tony Parker won the Legion of Honor in France and is a multinational celebrity, Bruce Bowen is witty and gregarious, Robert Horry is about as pimp as they come,Eva Longoria is practically begging to market herself and does marketing take advantage of that? OH NO.

I mean when you have all those oppurtunities and HEB is pimping their product infinitely better with Spurs players you have a problem. Their idea of a television spot is a still with some bag talking over it.

Then there is the ingame production. There are two good things they do their. Its obvious that whoever is in charge of booking the sponsors and community events during timeouts and at half time does a good job. They do a great job getting a lot of community involvement for all spheres. The coyote does a good job.

OTOH whoever handles the lighting and sound needs to have been fired about a decade ago. The lighting is typically the age old trailing spotlight which shoes absolutely no creativity but at the end of the day i can live with that.

The sound on the other handle is absolutely horrific. It took them aobut 12 years to finally replace some of the songs they play and what do they change it too? Permutations of the same goddamn music. They should be polling fans and looking at local radio rating to find out what people in this town like to listen to. What do they do? Play the same exact .

And on a final note. Them not selling out playoff games and not even getting the word out to the public is absolutely inexcusable. I myself was mortified when I heard that becuase I would have ing gone. I LOVE that . But its typically sold out so i just presume that. Me hearing a single 15 second spot would have fixed that but I heard nada until after the fact.

Bookbinder, the ad agency, all of them just needed to go and its been a long time coming. Its like they dont even care.

[CubanMustGo]

I don't think this list is up to date. Obviously the Spurs aren't clients anymore, but I'm pretty sure that the ones in orange are no longer clients either.

Info came directly from their web site.

[KEDA]

Meh, so what, I think that they had some talented people that worked there, and hopefully whatever agency they hire to replace Creative Civilization will get some of those associates.

[GSH]

ROFL. Here's what you wrote:
We're nearing the end of the Duncan/Popovich era. We may see a whole lot of changes in the next few years.

LOL... and here's what you wrote, Marcus: "I have no idea about the mktg firm's performance." So why the were you even in the conversation? Just trying to keep your 291 post-per-day average up?

You jumped to an ignorant conclusion, and fired off an asshole response. You weren't man enough just to say, "Sorry, I was wrong." (I guess guys who call themselves pimp don't do that.) And you weren't smart enough to just drop it.

You had to follow up with dumb like this: it's likely not that much of a concern. Unless they are living from hand to mouth. LOL. Is that the way you run your personal life? Anything better than hand-to-mouth is good enough? I don't get it. Maybe it's just a pimp thing.

You got into you admittedly knew nothing about. Trying to belittle me with the "hissy fit" comment doesn't change that. Maybe that's how pimps keep their es in line, but it doesn't play anywhere else. Stick to what you know.

[TDMVPDPOY]

if the spurs want to be attention s in the media, should go do porn

[Obstructed_View]

Spurs' marketing has been for for a long time. The only reason there are fans outside of San Antonio is because of the performance of the team. Generating interest inside town is sort of like shooting fish in a barrel.

[Marcus Bryant]

LOL... and here's what you wrote, Marcus: "I have no idea about the mktg firm's performance." So why the were you even in the conversation? Just trying to keep your 291 post-per-day average up?

You jumped to an ignorant conclusion, and fired off an asshole response. You weren't man enough just to say, "Sorry, I was wrong." (I guess guys who call themselves pimp don't do that.) And you weren't smart enough to just drop it.

It's "ignorant" and an "asshole response" to point out that the Spurs have Duncan under contract for four more seasons when someone postulates that the "Duncan/Popovich era" would be ending within a couple seasons? Enough, drama queen.