This is one of the ideas coming out of the Mob's first meeting, but I feel like this could easily go across the board. The basic idea is, if you want this team marketed better, or more in a certain area, or to different people; do it yourself. print out a bunch of flyers, get together with some friends, and go around putting these things on telephone polls, walls where there are other flyers, ask managers of sports bars and whatever if you may put them somewhere in their establishment. Whatever floats your boat. Why not just stick them up around your neighborhood or near the office? It just feels as if the public is forgetting us in the offseason after the high of the cup win. The goal isn't really to win new fans, it is to not let the new ones who experienced the game for the first time in the playoffs forget about the time they had; just to kind of stick the team in the back of the public's mind. Anyway, we came up with a few ideas for flyers, this is the one i remembered and was able to put together (badly)... Creative people with a little free time, have some fun with it. Come up with some ideas and post them (black and white and printable on orange paper would be beautiful IMO). We'll be posting our other ideas as fast as we make them, feel free to either print and post them, or come up with and share your own. -if this is a terrible idea, feel free to call us dirty names- edit to add: ok, well just thought about copyright infringement when it comes to the photos. where is a safe place to get them for this? are the stock photos of player's faces ok? what about ones from mlsnet or houstondynamo.com? any photographers out there give permission for this? (afro, ummm... others...?)
Isn't there a non-pay exclusion to using copyrighted images? Or am I daydreaming again. Oh hell, I'm not a lawyer and frankly 90% of current copyright/patent law pisses me off anyway. If it isn't okay, we need to get better at taking photos of the team in action.
i believe we have a few lawyers on the board, so we'll figure it out. i'm also sure we know some photographers who would be ok with letting us use a few of their pictures. either way, i think we'll be ok.
...and one more... these are both stock photos from houstondynamo.com, don't think it would be a huge problem... thoughts? edit: oops.
It's Onstad. I honestly can't remember what I learned about copyright and what's considered fair use. However, if you'd like to use any of the images I've taken, you're welcome to, just let me know.
Now that I think about it, I don't think we can use images of the team or the organization without their consent. Or their info, since the public could misinterpret it as something they published or approved, when they haven't. Right now, I'd rather be on the safe side and not use my images for stuff like that.
The message is being lost in the flyers. I'm not sure someone outside these forums would know what you are getting at. I would rephrase the bottom of the message how informing them how they can support the Dynamo on TV (when it's not local) and at Robertson: Houston Dynamo Upcoming Games Pan-Pacific Tournament - TV (Honolulu, Aloha Stadium - Feb x - FSC 7pm(?) Pan-Pacific Tournament - TV (Honolulu, Aloha Stadium - Feb x -FSC 7pm(?) CONCACAF Tournament - TV - Home game 1 - 7pm CONCACAF Tournament - TV - Away game 1 - 7pm MLS Home Opener vs FC Dallas - Houston (Robertson Stadium April 6 7pm) Support Your Two-Time MLS Champs in the stands This Message brought to you by: <insert Texian Army logo> <insert El Batallon logo> <insert Texian Army website> <insert El Batallon website> --------------- Both of the groups are part of the reason people keep coming back to games. Make them want to join you and make the SGs bigger and better. After seeing how your sections swelled in the playoffs, I'd go this route instead. Grow the atmosphere and the groups to the point where the entire north end will be for the SGs. Forgot to add, screw the copyrighted images w/ the exception of a Houston Dynamo logo
Since the target audience for you guys are Houston soccer fans, why not do guerilla marketing at the US vs Mexico game to join the TA/EB? A postcard sized, glossy photo of the section during the game on the front. On the back put your contact information to either join TA/EB and provide information on upcoming games. If money is an issue, I don't see why you cannot go to the Dynamo or sponsors directly with this idea to get them to professionally produce the handouts. I'm sure The Mezz would be into the idea if it meant you put their address/name as the locale for all AWAY games. The Dynamo would be into it for all HOME games if it translated to STH sales. Also, if more fans are aware that they are on TV, then they will more likely to purchase games in the future.
I still have those pics on my cellphone if you'd like me to email them to you. Also, yossarin brings up a good point we left out at the meeting: we absolutely must put the Dynamo logo on the signs. People might not recognize the players or the message, but they'll recognize the logo.
I like the fact that you are trying to help the Dynamo marketing effort. I would strongly recommend finding someone who knows something about graphic design to help you out with your posters though. Which is a nice way of saying...
never claimed to be good. i know they're all off center, not impressive whatsoever and all. but, the whole point of it is stop talking and start doing. it takes alot more initiative and persistance to have somebody else (no matter how much better suited they are) do something than to sit down and do it. if we were to do that, it would just end up in the dead threads pile. but i know what you're getting at, and agree completely with the (negative) sentiment of the post.
I like the fact that you are trying to help the Dynamo marketing effort. I would strongly recommend finding someone who knows something about graphic design to help you out with your posters though. Which is a nice way of saying...