Key to Consistent Image is Consistency

By: Kristin Rabas, Account Executive, Leonard & Finco Public Relations, Inc.

Similar to other Northeast Wisconsin residents, I’m a pretty big fan of Wisconsin sports, which leads to the occasional viewing of ESPN’s Sportscenter. I’m also a fan of the quirky habits and personalities. The following clip, featuring various Minnesota Vikings players and head coach Brad Childress discussing Brett Favre’s request for them to wear Wrangler jeans while playing football, made quite the impression on me. Of course it was all in fun and a great play for Wrangler, but it got me thinking.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4833852

Besides being hilarious, this was a great PR tactic for Wrangler and the Vikings. Image is something every business or individual who’s connected to some sort of brand or business needs to be aware of. Image sets individuals apart from others, can establish you as an expert in your industry, if you’re not careful, it can work against you if not managed properly. When it comes to building an image, consistency is the most important aspect. For instance, you can’t say your company supports environmental awareness and then the next day burn a pile of tires in the empty lot next to you. It’s important to live your brand.

Let’s use this clip as an example of image building for Wrangler, Brett Favre and Jared Allen.

First of all, Wrangler’s image centers around “manly men.” Think about the latest advertisement Brett Favre appeared in to promote Wrangler. It consisted of a group of men in a muddy field, running around playing tackle football. This clip portrays the same image for Wrangler. It perceives Wrangler jeans as sturdy, rugged and apparel that even professional football players like to wear when they’re active. What a great endorsement from some of the toughest and most recognized men in sports

Secondly, think about how this clip projects Favre’s image. He’s a leader, strong, influential and his opinion is important. If he says everyone needs to wear Wrangler jeans, everyone is going to wear Wrangler jeans. As a quarterback of a professional football team, what other image would you want to portray?

Lastly, let’s look at Jared Allen. This clip portrays him as a little bit of a goof ball, fun loving and a little quirky. Some may wonder why he would want to be portrayed that way. Don’t football players want to be seen as macho and tough? Well, when you’re trying to set yourself apart from others in a highly competitive industry like the NFL, quirky instead of macho may be the way to separate yourself from the pack. The key is to be consistent.

The moral of the story is that the way an individual’s or businesses’ image is portrayed depending on the individual’s ultimate goal. Whether it’s to be a leader, a goof or a manly product, the most important thing is to remain consistent.

I thought this clip was funny and entertaining, and a great PR move to enforce Allen’s quirky nature, Wrangler’s toughness and Favre’s leadership? What do you think? Did this clip that pokes fun at Wrangler, Allen and Favre change or reinforce your perception of them at all?