Is the MSU "brand" limited?

[Spanky.sixpack]

I've been thinking about this lately. Look around at some other schools in the area: Auburn and Clemson come to mind. Although we are technically the same type of school, they don't seem to be as restricted to the state in which they reside. Auburn has a big following and foothold in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Clemson in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Now, it may be location, but it still seems by using an independent name of the town, they've made their brand regional, instead of just state specific. And at the same time, they've maximized potential within the state.<div>
</div><div>Ole Miss does this better than MSU as well. They have students from all over Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia. But who's to say it's best. I feel like Mississippi State is almost restricted to the State of Mississippi, which, for now, is a good thing because there's much room to improve there. We do seem to pull alot of students from West Alabama, even with Tuscaloosa being right there close. </div><div>
</div><div>I think Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas have these issues as well. Good thing for them is that they maximize potential in their own states as well, they just have more resources. So, in that way, it shows again how important it is to dominate Mississippi. It's especially helpful since Ole Miss has made a big attempt to pull from out of state, even north up to Illinois.</div>

 

[FreeDawg]

If we were named Starkville University?

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

perhaps if we were located in Meridian and called Meridian. Or Jackson. But that's my point, is MSU as we know it limited to the State of Mississippi? And even further, limited inside the State of Mississippi, as we're located in the remote NE corner of the state, 1.5 hrs. from Oxford and just over an hour from Tuscaloosa? <div>
</div><div>Either way, I think recruiting (students and sports) in South Mississippi is what will make MSU stronger in the short term. It may be Southern Miss, not Ole Miss, who is our biggest perceived threat. Convincing those student to drive 5 hrs. to Starkville instead of 1 to Hattiesburg. Mobile/Pensacola are also areas that are under-served by SEC universities. </div><div>
</div><div>Long term, I guess what I'm saying is I'd like to see "This is OUR State" appeal to Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Florida. As we already split the in-state talent, we have to appeal to other states - states that already have some pretty good options. </div>

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Heck Ole Miss is nothing but a nickname.

I'll stay up all night worrying about this.

 

[smootness]

Are you suggesting that schools like Alabama, Michigan, Southern California, Ohio State, Tennessee, Louisiana State, Georgia, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma have been hindered because they are named after the state they're in and thus minimize their out-of-state appeal? Because if so, no offense, but that's really dumb.<div>
</div><div>Yes, Auburn, Clemson, and Ole Miss sure have thrived in comparison due to their ambiguous names.</div><div>
</div><div>When I was picking a school, it was easy for me to decide. I couldn't go out of state to a school named after another state because that's absurd and would make me a traitor! Instead, I picked a school named after a city so I could avoid having to acknowledge its location.</div>

 

[Todd4State]

at the Starkville campus is higher than Ole Miss's- I think our brand is OK.

If anything, I wish we would use something other than the M-State logo because I think most alumni prefer either the MSJ logo or the MS logo on the baseball hat. I don't know very many MSU fans that like the M-State logo.

We have some big alumni booster clubs in Alabama, Memphis, and Louisiana, not to mention Texas and D.C.

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

it hasn't mattered because there are big population bases and plenty of resources to fuel success. This is more than just football programs. Yes, Nebraska gets some football players from out of state, but their fuel comes from Nebraska, period. Same with Arkansas, Alabama, etc. Even Texas. Notre Dame is one example of a brand, not a state name. Auburn/Clemson/Ole Miss on a much smaller scale. Look at Vanderbilt, they get kids from all over. I'm not saying that's the norm, but it's something that might could have helped MSU, given our current situation and location.<div>
</div><div>Auburn probably wouldn't be at their current state without Georgia and Florida. Ole Miss looking out of state has actually helped us. As far as being the go-to university in our own state, we are probably becoming that more than Ole Miss. Unfortunately, they still have alot of strongholds throughout the state, including Jackson Proper. </div><div>
</div><div>It's not just the names I'm looking at, it's the brands. You are thinking too simply. For the record, what we're doing now is exactly what we should be doing. Our main marketing/recruiting target area should be the State of Mississippi, then Memphis, Louisiana, Alabama (emphasis on west side of state, Huntsville and Mobile).</div>

 

[BogeyGolfer.sixpack]

and the Pensacola area has been a hot bed for SEC recruiting over the years....EmmitSmith and Trent Richardson are both from Pensacola and Jones is from Foley. Heck, there are more Bama fans in NW Florida than Gators. Now, I agree that our brand is somewhatlimitedbut Mullen has done a lot to change that image. I think the sole reason that Auburn,Clemsonand others have more "branding power" isbecausethey have been moresuccessfuland simply have more fans.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

br

 

[was21]

nm

 

[AgDawg]

No it's not limited. I would say its more about the long term strategy of the athletic department as well as the school to focus on the State. I would say the new logos have helped the brand as well as the athletic departments use of social media.

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

Heck, there are more Bama fans in NW Florida than Gators.

....much better than Alabama. I'd say the 2nd biggest bunch is FSU, followed by Florida, then Bama.

 

[DAWG61]

Here's some new name ideas. Dirty South, Merica, Sipp, Swagger, Howsya, Money, Tail, Books, Life, Golden, Butter, Tits......

 

[Todd4State]

brand themselves in different ways. ND is the Catholic super football power school in the country. Vanderbilt sells itself on academics. Everytime I meet someone from Vandy they always talk about how they will make 100K right out of school because of their education.

We can't brand oursleves the way ND and Vandy do. And honestly, that's probably a good thing because many of those schools "fans" live a long way away from the schools and that hurts Vandy with things like football attendance. And since many of those schools fans are spread out over the country, they go to schools closer to home many times.

Oh yeah- not to mention hell will freeze over before we get a TV contract for football like ND.

Ole Miss is going to have some strongholds in Mississippi because they are in Mississippi. That's unavoidable. If we ever get Oxford split 50/50 between MSU and Ole Miss, that would be remarkable- and that's never going to happen. What we can do is take over the other areas of the state that aren't strongholds though.

 

[mcdawg22]

Go to any sporting goods store and you'll see.

 

[FireworksForJeffy]

for Southern suburbanites. If you meet someone at Ole Miss, they're as likely to be from the suburbs of Birmingham, New Orleans, Jackson, Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, or Dallas as they are to be from Vicksburg, Ocean Springs, Madison, or Tupelo.<div>
</div><div>I can't say whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. Probably gives y'all a slight advantage in in-state recruiting.</div>

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

Southern suburbanites who could NOT get accepted to their respective instate school. It is easier to get into Mississippi (thanks Ayers Case) than say someone from Nashville to get accepted to UT-Knoxville, than someone from Dallas to get into UT-Austin, and someone from Atlanta to get into UGA. I'm not necessarily saying that is good or bad. Just an observation.

And Madison is a suburb of Jackson.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

nm

 

[OzarkaNSW]

nm

 

[Spanky.sixpack]

I would say its more about the long term strategy of the athletic department as well as the school to focus on the State.

....but that's my issue, is the State of MS limited? It appears to me that once we 'win' MS (including South MS and Coast), we're topped out. I really think we need some aggressive recruitment strategies in neutral cities, like Memphis, Mobile, Pensacola and ones in big engineering/ag type areas such as Huntsville and Houston, as well as the others I've mentioned.<div>
</div><div>Long term, we really need to be hoping the State of MS adds to its population.

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