If you have read my bio on this site, or have ever met me even for a second, you can probably understand that I have a soft spot in my heart for the city of San Francisco. Because I love San Francisco and because I love athletics, throughout my lifetime I have come to endear the San Francisco Giants. They are my all time favorite sports team. I love going to AT&T Park, smelling those Gordon Biersch garlic fries, and watching Buster Posey hit a long one into the Bay. Yes, watching the Giants play, whether it is a day game or under the lights, is my favorite pass time. So it only seemed natural to write a blog post about this incredible team.
When the Giants were on their journey to win the 2010 World Series, the marketing department and some recognizable playoff announcers coined the term “team of misfits” as the season’s phrase. This ploy brought together the many playful nicknames Giants players received over the course of their stay in San Francisco. They include “Pat The Bat” for Pat Burrell, “The Freak” for Tim Lincecum because of his fashionably long hair, and “Kung Fu Panda” for their slugger Pablo Sandoval. These so called misfits conveyed the underdog story to the millions of Americans that watched baseball that year and won their hearts.
On the other hand, Giants announcers coined the term “Giants Baseball Torture,” due to the epic last minute wins by the team and scrappy nature in which they won. They literally would do anything to win. Prior to their 2010 race for the win, the Giants had only appeared in the World Series once since their arrival in San Francisco in 1958; signifying their performance up until then, hence the Cinderella story.
Every sports fan loves the underdog story. Marketing teams and advertising managers try to position their team in a light where they can get fans on board especially in the post season, because they can’t sell post season tickets to season ticket holders. They need to sell new tickets. They want to generate the fan base that recognizes the hard work and playfulness of their athletes. They want fans to notice that these professional athletes are just like them. San Francisco succeeded in doing this. Their fans keep coming back for more, even now in the 2012 season where they are having a very rocky start. This team has enrobed a large dedicated fan base and that is all that is necessary to keeping a team alive. Go Giants!
Thoughts of an Ad Student 