A consummate brand master? Nick Saban
Whether they knew it or not, some of the best coaches have built amazing brands, using some of the same tactics businesses have. Consistency, an absolute brand commandment, was second nature to UCLA’s John Wooden – arguably the greatest college basketball coach of all time, with ten national championships to his credit.
He was such a sticker for the details, he taught his incoming freshmen the right way to lace their shoes. The way his teams played were disciplined, too. The brand essence of Wooden’s UCLA teams was precision, efficiency, equal parts confidence and humility, and laser-beam focus. Of course, the team logo, colors, typeface, and uniform, it was all presented consistently, accurately, and religiously.
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban was one of sport’s reigning brand masters, too. Love him or hate him, whether your allegiance is to the Crimson Tide or to the Maize and Blue, you have to admire the way Saban watched over his program, which is a lot like the best marketers police their brands. Nike may have Alabama’s athletic apparel contract, but Nike’s talented design staff hasn’t been able to “play” with the Alabama brand like they have with other college football programs.
For every Alabama football game and for every Alabama football player, the shoes are standard-issue black. Socks are plain white. Uniforms are the same every Saturday. No special-edition jerseys or “throwback” uniforms, ever. Saban’s team went by the book, his book, and the Alabama football brand is ironclad because of it.
It’s as if he was saying, “This isn’t a fashion show, it’s football.”
His critics found him cold and calculating, devoid of a sense of humor. But it was his way or the highway. It worked. And the brand discipline continues to this day, ingrained in the team’s culture, and with fans. Every coach at Alabama since Saban has followed the same brand guidelines.
His brand messaging was also unequivocal. Work hard. Fulfill your specific responsibilities on the field. When you excel, there will be no excessive celebrations. Don’t make mistakes when the other team will make them for you. Never show up the opposition, or give them extra motivation by being outspoken.
Branding for all companies – including OEM automotive suppliers – should be disciplined and consistent. Brand guidelines are simply non-negotiable. The logo? It’s sacred, always presented the same, every time, never modified, without any other elements infringing upon it. Corporate colors? Always precise, never tinted or tainted. Typography? Thou shalt use the corporate type, period. Brand messaging?
Make your brand voice heard, again and again and again. The extraneous stuff? Eliminate it. And soon, you’ll have yourself a winner.
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