Glossing over it?

Posted on June 20th, 2009 | 45 Comments |

Pimp my club & and my out of contract player
Pimp my club & and my out of contract player
Are we entering uncharted territory? Is this the future? Can anyone tell me when they last saw an internationally renowned and respected footballer being sullied by such crass advertisement intent on securing his footballing future? Well the evidence is there for all to see in it’s uncomfortable and undignified entirety. And it would appear Michael Owen has endorsed it. Now it seems Newcastle United itself is going to be pimped out in print.

What is it with brochures?

A report in The Chronicle Live is suggesting that the club will follow the lead of Wasserman and look to promote Newcastle United through a brochure, using a local company, as the Wasserman Media Group has done with Owen.

An excerpt from the report reads –

“United chiefs were in the process of having a brochure prepared to promote the club to potential corporate sponsors.

Now, the Chronicle understands the firm contracted to compile the glossy document has been instructed to produce two separate versions – one featuring Alan Shearer and one without him.

A leading Tyneside-based advertising agency has been told a concrete ruling on which one they should go ahead with will be made in the next two weeks.”

Is this all really necessary? Anybody else squirming at the concept and reality of it all?

To my mind, proper football people know what state Michael Owen is in. People will either seem him as a potential asset or an expensive free-loader. I’d say he’s worth a punt for a few people if they can get him on reasonable wages. For that matter, under those circumstances, I’d say we could take another punt on him. That pimping brochure is totally unnecessary and honestly I’m just genuinely gobsmacked by it. Both by the concept and the content.

What are they trying to achieve by addressing public criticisms and trying to justify a recent dip in form? Footballing people understand the nature of the beast and where Owen is in his career and what he potentially has to offer. They don’t need a brochure to explain it for them.

Similarly, what could serious sponsors need to know about NUFC? If potential sponsors need a brochure to get their attention and to inform them about our club, then we’re in a sorrier mess than I realised. There’s an old public relations adage that ends with the phrase, “Just make sure you spell my name right.” I would have thought sponsors would be tripping over themselves to get in on the action, the amount of coverage we get. But it would seem nobody wants to touch us with the proverbial bargepole.

NUFCBlog Author: bowburnmag bowburnmag has written 234 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

45 Responses

  1. BBM

    I may have read it wrong but I thought they were producing the brochure to try to wheedle some cash out of potential corporate sponsors rather than people interested in buying the club?

  3. Update thanks to Deb’s pointer! I think I read what I wanted to because it fitted better with my whinge ;-)

  4. I think it’s just a reflection of the way things are in football these days.

    Clubs, players and managers are commodities to be marketed just like cars, houses and tins of beans.

  8. T_F – Yes, we’re one and the same. Started posting on there a couple of years ago but I don’t get on there as much these days.

  9. A lot quieter on here than it was last night!
    I should probably hit the hay anyhow.

  12. Hi Worky

    Fine thanks, just got rid of some of my friends who came round this evening

  13. Just been on Ed’s blog while I was waiting to see if anyone was still up, and there is a link suggesting two bids have been accepted at 80m each with a further 20m to be paid when we are promoted to the premiership – sounds a bit weird to me

  14. Also there is a suggestion that Hull are after Michael Owen – probably because they weren’t one of the eight to receive the infamous brochure!

  16. geordie deb says:
    June 21, 2009 at 12:22 am

    “Also there is a suggestion that Hull are after Michael Owen – probably because they weren’t one of the eight to receive the infamous brochure!”

    Aye, I was reading that. £40,000 per week basic, £20,000 a game and £10,000 for every goal. NOTW though. Didn’t see anything about the other thing.

  17. I didn’t try it yet to be honest. I found whatever it was that you told me to use instead of word, but I will give it a bash tomorrow. Will it go directly on the site or do I have the safety net of you being able to intercept it if I screw it up?

  19. geordie deb says:
    June 21, 2009 at 12:29 am

    “Will it go directly on the site or do I have the safety net of you being able to intercept it if I screw it up?”

    You can always save as a draft if you’re unsure, Deb. I’m just writing a checklist for you to send in an e.mail.

    I really don’t know about Owen.

  21. No problem Deb, I seem to like doing stuff like that. I’ve been out all day enjoying myself today anyway. I wasn’t been “snowed under” with things to do.

    How can you be a “pain” when you’re helping this ‘blog out anyway? I’m very glad that you’re doing it!

  22. Well Worky, hope you had a good night. I think I’ve had a bit too much wine and the keys are getting very fuzzy so it’s getting hard to type. I’m off to bed, will catch you tomoorow. Thanks for your help with stuff. Night

  23. Deb,

    Learning about WordPress and stuff like that can be a good skill for all kinds of work things too. Even doctors and nurses are blogging about medical issues etc!

  31. geordie deb says:
    June 21, 2009 at 3:01 pm

    “have you got much work on?”

    Just doing some stuff for this site at the moment, Deb. Not a ‘blog though.

  34. I’m entertaining the litte ‘un and two very energetic dogs. My Father’s Day has been the hardest day I’ve had for ages!! Been out most of the day.

    Can’t believe there’s such a dearth of news regards the town.
    Very little worth writing about!

  38. All you punks and all you teds
    National Front and natty dreads
    Mods, rockers, hippies and skinheads
    Keep on fighting ’til you’re dead

    Who am I to say?
    Who am I to say?
    Am I just a hypocrite,
    Another piece of your bullshit
    Am I the dog that bit
    The hand of the man that feeds it?

    Do the dog, do the dog
    Do the dog, not the donkey
    Do the dog, don’t be a jerk
    Do the dog, watch who you work for
    Do the do the do the do the dog
    Everybody’s doing the dog

    Take your F.A. aggravation
    Fight it out on New Street Station
    Master racial masturbation
    Causes National Front frustration

    Who am I to say?
    To the IRA
    To the UDA
    Soldier boy from UK
    Am I just a hypocrite?
    Another piece of your bullshit
    Am I the dog that bit
    The hand of the man that feeds it?

    Do the dog, do the dog
    Do the dog, not the donkey
    Do the dog, don’t be a jerk
    Do the dog, watch who you work for
    Do the do the do the do the dog,
    Do the do the do the do the dog,
    Do the do the do the do the dog,
    Everybody’s doing the dog.

  40. alreet BB, no mate, but I have a fantastical fish pie about to be jettisoned from my oven.

  41. I’m about to indulge in scones again. I need to use the whipped-cream up. You’d think I was 71 not 31…..

  43. I’d like to think I was wise and/or intelligent enough to know what that means. Alas, I have nee idea :-o