"I believe the commissioner mis-spoke"

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Shocking as it may seem, apparently the Brand Lady was not entirely accurate in her Wednesday remarks about control of the ADT Championship's television production. Craig Dolch reports:

Who's calling TV shots?: When LPGA Tour Commissioner Carolyn Bivens said Wednesday that for the first time her tour would be producing all nine hours of television for this week's ADT Championship, that was news to NBC Sports executives. Especially executive producers Tommy Roy and Tom Randolph.

"We are doing the production of everything," Bivens said. "That means we are covering the nine hours of this tournament. We've worked in combination with the Golf Channel and with NBC, but for the first time the LPGA will be guiding what is seen on television."

Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC sports, said Thursday that's not the case.

"I believe the commisisoner mis-spoke," Miller said. "They are producing some of the below-the-lines aspects of the telecast on site and the LPGA did oversee the productions of some vignettes on some players.

"But clearly the television you see this week, the guys calling the shots and having the final say will be Tom Randolph (Thursday-through-Saturday on Golf Channel) and Tommy Roy (Sunday on NBC). No golf ever goes on air of our 29 golf telecasts without our executive producers doing the producing."


Gulbis Never Intended To Be Anything But Totally Hot

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Brian Hewitt reports that Natalie Gulbis' rebranding reps deny ever telling Jeffrey Smith that she was going to be turning in her G-strings for slacks.

It was reported in this space last week that Natalie Gulbis and her representatives were unhappy about a story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch saying, among other things, that Gulbis was changing her image. The newspaper based much of its story on quotes from a Gulbis marketing representative.
 
A spokesperson for Gulbis subsequently told GOLF CHANNEL that Gulbis was not re-branding and that the newspaper had gotten the story wrong.
 
For the record, the Times-Dispatch says it has a tape recording of the interview with the Gulbis marketing representative and stands by its original story.

Stay tuned! 

"In order to have a genuine brand, you must consistently deliver a promise that is genuine and distinct in people's minds."

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Annika is blogging now and kicked off her new media New Media agenda with a painful-to-follow online chat that included this vital exchange:
Posted by: Rachael McMillen | November 14, 2007 at 02:14 PM
Annika, I have heard you mention your "brand." What exactly do you mean by "build your brand?"

Posted by: Matt | November 14, 2007 at 02:18 PM
Jerry, great question!
In order to have a genuine brand, you must consistently deliver a promise that is genuine and distinct in people's minds. I try to deliver the promise of "inspirational experiences" through all of my businesses. I hope that makes sense.
I'm inspired just reading this.

"Our people are our product."

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bivensx.jpgThe Brand Lady got off to a great start in her lecture to the assembled scribblers who dared to show up for her pre-ADT Championship press conference. Paragraphs of dialogue without anything to make fun of? 

But she's still the Brand Lady...

They say that every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. So with that in mind, as we come to the end of our 2007 season, we deliberately chose the ADT Championship as the first tournament to exclusively display our brand new logo, the LPGA's first new logo in 15 years, and one that truly reflects and celebrates the diversity, the global strength and the evolution of our brand.

This tournament and our logo both epitomize our commitment to a bold new look and to bold business, especially when you look at the LPGA has taken ownership of the ADT Championship for the first time. This year everything you see, from beginning to end, the LPGA is calling the shots. Another first, we are actually producing all nine hours of television that you'll see.

I don't know a lot about golf and television, but in general is that really something to brag about? Isn't it better when someone pays you to do the production?

As we acquire more strategic assets, the LPGA brand will continue to flourish. Last month's launch of our first-ever on-line pro shop opened for business. For those of who have not visited, LPGAproshop.com is part of a merchandising program that we expect will grow to be a significant revenue stream for the LPGA.

 Is that definition of significant like the USGA's?

Also located very closely to the media tent, not by accident, is our first-ever pro shop and merchandise shop, so please visit. You have all week.

Please, slingers in attendance, tell me that last sentence was said with a wink and a laugh? Oh how would you know, you had already made your way to the door shop 'til you drop.

All of these are signs that point to the strength of our product, to our members and to our brand. I want to thank you all for recognizing the talents and the attributes of our players and for sharing their stories with your readers.

Outside the world of golf, coverage of the LPGA could be found in airline magazines, Business Week, Newsweek. In fact, in mid-October Lorena was actually the cover story on the Latin American edition of Newsweek. One of our greatest strengths is the fact that we don't separate our people from our product. Our people are our product. The LPGA is an organization, and our members as individuals are not afraid to assume greater responsibility and to hold us all to a higher standard.

I wonder how many times she practiced that mantra in front of the mirror? Try saying "our people are our product." It isn't easy (on many levels). That's why she gets the big bucks.

Q. I think, Carolyn, you said that the LPGA was producing the TV for this week. What exactly does that mean?

CAROLYN BIVENS: It means that we hired a production company, Castro Communications, somebody we've worked with before. We've worked with the Golf Channel, with ESPN to get our production crew, accepted as the ones who would be producing and calling the shots.

We've done profile pieces on just about every woman who's competing here. Those will run periodically during the telecast. We are doing the production of everything. That means we are covering the nine hours of this tournament.

We've worked in combination with the Golf Channel and with NBC, but for the first time the LPGA will be guiding what is seen on television.

Gee and I was looking forward to watching some of this.

Gulbis Not Ready To Start Dressing Like Juli Inkster Yet

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Craig Dolch asked Natalie Gulbis whether the shocking news of her rebranding was really true. Gulbis thankfully assures us that she will continue to show as much as humanly possible without revealing her most private parts and that news of her "rebranding" was premature.

“That’s not true at all,” she said of a story that originally appeared last week in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I haven’t tried to tweak my image at all. I’ve been proud of everything I’ve come up with.”

Gulbis said what happened is a PR person for a Richmond-based branding agency that produces her calendar, Circle C Studios, overstepped her boundaries when she said Gulbis was trying to downplay her sexy image.

And...

“My calendar is a lot of different shots,” she said. “It’s a golf calender (with) no glamour shots. We’re just trying to do something different. You can’t do the same pictures every time.”

Oh I don't know about that. Looking tan in a skimpy bikini?

Gulbis Seeks To Shed Image As Hot, Athletic Babe

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natalie_gulbis.jpgThanks to reader Jeff for this Jeffrey Kelley story on the planned "rebranding" of Natalie Gulbis.

I know I say this a lot, but really, you couldn't make this up...

Natalie Gulbis, the 24-year-old golfer best known -- at least until recently -- for her good looks, will be rebranded by Circle S Studios.

A 2008 calendar and day planner designed by the marketing shop in Old Manchester follows Gulbis' first LPGA Tour title at the Evian Masters in France in June.

The blonde Gulbis has done calendars since 2004. Pictures in her 2005 calendar -- in swimsuits or dresses -- were deemed provocative by the U.S. Golf Association. Though it was criticized for overreacting, the USGA banned the calendar's sale at the U.S. Women's Open.

The 2008 calendar, by contrast, is all golf and pushes Gulbis' game face.

"With the original stuff, she was in a beautiful bathing suit, tights and things and that certainly got the attention of a lot of people," said Circle S President and Managing Partner Susan Hogg. "But we're trying to scoot it more to who she is and where she wants to take [her career and name] . . . and being a role model, specifically to young girls and women in general. That's the brand we're trying to portray."

What a great idea. This is beautiful:

Hogg described the company's work as "a refinement of a truer image of who she is. Sometimes the media can start to control your brand, and we're trying to take control of the brand."

Just put some glasses on her, feature calendar photos of her signing her scorecard or taking a lesson from Butch, and I guarantee you'll have control of the brand as it heads right down the toilet. 

Still, it's not as though the tall, blue-green-eyed Gulbis will leave the minds of the males who know her. "They're still beauty shots. She's an attractive, wonderful athlete," Hogg said.

Whew, I was worried.

Ah, more #@&%!#$:

"The calendar is just one element of how you get perceived in the marketplace, so we tried to step back and look holistically in terms of how is she being positioned" in public, Hogg said.

That's why they get the big bucks. Helps pay for the therapy when they decide to look back at their life accomplishments and see quotes printed like that.

The firm, which occupies a converted box warehouse, is putting together "a series of recommendations, a strategic marketing plan" to Gulbis' sports-marketing firm, Octagon, Hogg said. Circle S is considering new merchandise and interactive features on the Web to help cater to the female teenage demographic -- conveying an all-American girl who eats well, exercises and works hard. "That's how you rise to the top, instead of the sex symbol, which is how it started out," Hogg said.

And it isn't doing so bad is she?

"They are behaving as they please. Korea has become a chaotic place where violence reigns."

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A follow up to the Korea golf tournament uh, riot, from the English edition of The Chosun Ilbo (I type that like I'm a longtime reader...LPGAFan apparently is):

On Sunday, around 500 spectators shouted curses and threw water bottles for about 50 minutes at a golf resort hosting an LPGA tournament in Kyongju. They demanded a refund of their entrance fees and transportation costs after the contest was suspended for a third day because of strong winds. One of the spectators even flashed an obscene hand gesture and verbally threatened a foreign golfer who had come out to sign autographs. Fearing for their safety, the LPGA golfers left the club in a hurry.

Contest officials say they were just following regulations when they delayed and canceled the matches because of sudden showers and lightning storms. The spectators who attend matches also know the rules. Those golfers will talk about the violence displayed by Korean spectators as they travel around the world. This is a tremendous embarrassment.

Both the unionists and the spectators have abandoned their sense of order and dignity. They are behaving as they please. Korea has become a chaotic place where violence reigns.
Whoa there. No, no...they just love their LPGA golf!

 

Angry Fans Mob LPGA Event Gates...

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...really!

From the wire, and thanks reader LPGAFan:

Norway's Suzann Pettersen captured the US LPGA Tour's Hana Bank Kolon Championship at three-under par in Gyeongju in South Korea on Sunday.

And it might have been the easiest of the four victories she has had this year. The final round of the 54-hole tournament was cancelled due to strong winds, which the tournament officials said made some greens "unplayable" on the 6,270-yard course at Mauna Ocean & Golf Resort.

Balls would roll off the greens in the gusts, and the final round play was suspended at 9:15 a.m. local time (2345 GMT).

Libba Galloway, deputy commissioner of the US LPGA, told reporters that the tour tried to resume the play at 12:45 p.m. (0245 GMT), but after discussions with officials, players and sponsors, it was best not to continue playing.

An estimated 5,000 fans had gathered at the course, and some had to be restrained from entering the tournament headquarters in protest.

Perhaps they heard about the trophy ceremony, where the winner would don one of Natalie Portman's costumes from the Stars Wars saga.

213276.jpgPadme_ep1.jpg 

Annika Turns Down Exemption Created Just For Her

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That new exemption created for Annika Sorenstam to get into the Samsung? It looks like the LPGA once again was not prepared for the backlash.

Mark Steinberg, head of the golf division at IMG and Sorenstam's agent, said the Swede became concerned last week upon hearing that some players were told the top 18 on the LPGA Tour money list would get in to the event at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif.

The rest of the field is comprised of the defending champion, four major champions, leader on the Ladies European Tour money list, one special exemption (Michelle Wie), and the rest coming from the money list.

"She didn't want the perception that she was taking a spot," Steinberg said. "She decided to do what's best for the LPGA."
This is also rather incredible regarding Michelle Wie's exemption: 
Wie, who has made only two cuts on the LPGA this year and just began her freshman year at Stanford, accepted the special exemption in March. This will be her fourth straight year playing the tournament.

If not for Wie getting a special exemption, the last spot in the field would have gone to Evian Masters champion Natalie Gulbis.

The Power Of The Swoosh?

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What do these logos have in common? Why, it's a forward or upward moving swooshy kind of solid line. Can our graphics experts please fill us in if this is synonymous with a brand that's moving forward? Or just the same person designing logos for the PGA and LPGA Tour?

 

FirstTeelogo.jpgWGCAmExLogo05.gifchampionstour.gifLPGA07logo-c_125px.gifnationwide%20logo.jpg 

LPGA Unveils Green-Haired, Yellow-Rumped Brand Vision

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LPGA07logo-c_125px.gifThey've taken Tiger's old follow through, morphed it with the World Golf Championship and First Tee logos, and voila, leveraged brand equity is born...
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 3, 2007 -- The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) today unveiled its new logo, a contemporized version of its classic “swinging lady” mark. Working with SME, the world leader in strategic sports branding and design, the LPGA brought the vision of its dynamic future to life with a series of bold brushstrokes designed to stand the test of time.

“We designed a logo that represents the power, strength and athleticism of our LPGA athletes, and with the use of the bold colors, highlights our international membership and global business,” said LPGA Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens. “This new logo underscores the changes in women's sports and the LPGA in recent years, and communicates the LPGA's bright future.”
That's not what I got from it. I got: why does she have a green ponytail?
The sleek new logo, which features an effortless, bold stroke-form of a female golfer, was designed to reflect the power, energy and contemporary lifestyle of the LPGA athlete. For the first time in the association's 58 years, the LPGA's primary mark will not be enclosed in a frame, representing a future with limitless potential.
LPGA07Logo-solid_125px.gifOh nice symbolism. And time for the traditional quote pile-on...

 

"Throughout the creative-design process, we sought a logo that offered a balance between the classic and traditional nature of the sport, but also captured the passion and drive of today's LPGA members," said Bill Susetka, the LPGA's chief marketing officer. "We also needed a logo that we could easily reproduce on merchandise, billboards and signage, and one that could carry its meaning to all points around the world. We've achieved this with our new logo."

"Of all the prestigious brand development assignments that we've been fortunate enough to work on over the years, the LPGA is among the most exciting," said Ed O'Hara, SME's chief creative officer and senior partner. "The new logo is a dramatic expression of the special and unique attributes of the brand, and truly symbolizes the LPGA's brand promise of showcasing the very best in women's golf."
And there's even more good news... 
Fans do not have to wait until the ADT Championship to catch their first glimpse of the striking new logo. A wide array of official LPGA merchandise and golf related items are available for the first time today via the LPGA's new online pro shop: www.LPGAproshop.com. A wide array of LPGA-branded apparel and golf-related items are now available on the Web site.
300730.jpgI think I know what I want for Christmas: the hat pin and hat clip ball marker combo platter. Though I wouldn't be upset if you got me a "These Girls Rock" hat too.
The logo redesign, the first since 1992, and LPGA Pro Shop launch are part of the organization's on-going branding initiatives that reinforce the LPGA as one of the world's most dynamic sports brands.

Just looking at the logo, I feel better about the LPGA already. 

On a serious note, it is an improvement. Seriously, it is. 

“Barb has always stood out as someone who epitomizes all that is good about the game of golf."

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I make a point to read as many press releases as possible so that I can remain thoroughly jaded. Imagine my pleasant surprise at the Oregon Golf Association's announcement that Barb Trammell had been hired as their CEO.

You may recall that Trammell was the highly respected LPGA official fired early into the Biven regime for placing tournament rules over marketing priorities.  

The OGA release features the usual nonsense and stiff quotes from the parties involved, but what caught my eye were the two endorsements Trammell received in the official release.

David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA commented, “Barb has always stood out as someone who epitomizes all that is good about the game of golf.  She emanates class and integrity, and believes that the golf business, championship operations and the application of the Rules of Golf should be administered with the highest level of excellence.  I am particularly pleased that the OGA will be able to benefit from her wisdom and talent.”

Former LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw, who worked with Trammell from 1999 to 2005, stated that Trammell is “a consummate professional who is respected throughout the golf industry.  The LPGA was extremely fortunate to have Barb Trammell working for it and I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work for so many years with a person of such integrity and talents.”

There's something you don't see every day. The Executive Director of the USGA and a high ranking PGA Tour official endorsing a regional golf association hiring.

Their comments would seem to speak to the esteem others in executive circles have held for Trammell's work. And perhaps it's a statement about what other higher-ups think of Bivens' decision to fire her.