Redskins:
Insult and Brand . C. Richard King
examines how the
ongoing struggle over the team name raises important questions about how white
Americans perceive American Indians, and the market and cultural power of consumer
marketing.
The Washington
Redskins franchise is still one of the
most valuable in
professional sports partially because of its recognizable, popular,
and profitable brand. Despite the indisputable fact that "redskins” is a
derogatory, institutional racist, historically offensive name for American
Indians. It has been the foundation of their branding efforts. As a brand
marketer the correlation seems readily apparent. And I can understand their
desire to hold it close.
The number of campaigns to change the name has risen in recent years despite the current team owner’s assertion that the team will never do change. Franchise owners counter criticism by arguing that the team name is positive and a term of respect and honor that many American Indians embrace. The NFL, for its part, actively defends the name and supports it in court. It is difficult for me to read this, other books, and articles and not come to the conclusion that the name and logo should, must be, changed. The marketers logic does not over power the necessity to be civil.
The number of campaigns to change the name has risen in recent years despite the current team owner’s assertion that the team will never do change. Franchise owners counter criticism by arguing that the team name is positive and a term of respect and honor that many American Indians embrace. The NFL, for its part, actively defends the name and supports it in court. It is difficult for me to read this, other books, and articles and not come to the conclusion that the name and logo should, must be, changed. The marketers logic does not over power the necessity to be civil.
Not a particularly
well written book. Full of redundancies and weak language , yet a compulsive
accumulation of data. Worth reading. Worthy more to act upon.
No comments:
Post a Comment