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Brand Activism Meet Moral Humility

June 11, 2020

In a recent Hartford Courant op-ed by Joanne Berger-Sweeney, the first Black and female president of Trinity College and professor of neuroscience, and Sonia Cardenas, acting dean of the faculty, vice president for academic affairs and professor of political science, they write “It’s time to go further. In a deeply divided society, we all have a responsibility to practice moral humility. None of us is innocent in the continuum of racism.” https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-berger-sweeney-cardenas-trinity-0610-20200610-3dxv3stgrffonh3bt4isire6oq-story.html They offer a thoughtful perspective leaders of corporate America would be wise to consider. Brand Activism meet Moral Humility.

Definition

Moral Humility is a virtue composed of having (a) a recognition of one’s own moral fallibility, (b) an appreciation for the moral strengths and moral views of others, and (c) a moral perspective that transcends the self.

Collision Course

COVID-19 laid bare the issues in our underserved Black and brown communities. Problems that could not be ignored: higher infection rates due to dense housing, and essential workers without PPE; higher death rates because of a preponderance of underlying conditions; the neediest kids marooned in a distanced-learning world without internet and devices; service employee layoffs; and massive food insecurity. These fault lines compounded with the raw horror of George Floyd’s murder convulsed the Black Lives Matter movement in this country and around the world.

Corporate Backlash

Brand activism went on full display in corporate America, as the C-suite was pressure-tested by consumers who wanted to know where they stood. Many posted to their social accounts. ViacomCBS tweeted “Black Lives Matter. Black Culture Matters. Black Communities Matter” while its cable properties went dark for 8:46 on #BlackoutTuesday. Twitter changed its iconic image to black with the Black Lives Matter hashtag. Nike tweeted, “For once, don’t do it.” L’Oréal tweeted, “Speaking out is worth it.” Each endured backlash for brand hypocrisy and they were not alone.

Throw Money

Others backed up their rhetoric with donations. Intel committed $1M to address social justice and racism. You Tube pledged $1M to support efforts to address social justice. Peloton and Twitter pledged to donate $500,000 to the NAACP’s legal defense fund. Facebook pledged to donate $10M to groups fighting racial inequality – but as CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post “I know, $10M can’t fix this.” The sincerity of these decisions was questioned, considering the dismal track record of diversity hiring – especially in the tech sector. In fact, only one Black person was in the room when senior Facebook management chose not to delete or slap a warming on Trump’s post “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” causing employee walk-outs, resignations and advertiser flight.

Bring Change

Brand activism informed by moral humility would be a much more powerful, authentic, and genuine investment of time, talent, and resources. To admit failings and address root causes head on has always been a prescription for forgiveness, loyalty, and sometimes admiration. To thoughtfully create true partnerships which address systemic issues like access to internet, education equality, pay equity, affordable housing, and food insecurities would place brands and their consumers squarely in the position of being profound change agents. Brand activism at this depth would be good for the country and good for business.

Face Mask Fashion Follows Function

April 26, 2020

Until a vaccine is created to inoculate against COVID-19, it will be a tenuous toe dip back. The National Academies of Science, Technology and Medicine recently determined that viral droplets could travel farther than 6 feet in certain conditions and live coronavirus particles can persist in the air in bioaerosol form. https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25769/rapid-expert-consultation-on-the-possibility-of-bioaerosol-spread-of-sars-cov-2-for-the-covid-19-pandemic-april-1-2020. In other words, in addition to social distancing and rigorous handwashing, wearing a cloth face covering was added to the prescriptive list of citizen mandates to help fight the spread. With a market potential of 328 million people in the US alone, the face mask will become the 2020 fashion statement.

In the beginning of the pandemic, with a horrifying shortage of PPE for front line medical workers, crafty and charitable Americans revved up their sewing machines, unearthed remnant cotton fabric and began stitching masks for local hospitals, nursing homes and first responders. But soon the need expanded to all public-facing essential workers. When the CDC changed its guidance to recommend all Americans wear a cloth face covering in public, and many states mandated it, a market was born. Soon, the plethora of face masks included thongs, bandanas, and gas masks.

“Face masks are the new t-shirt”

– Mariella Segarra

Seemingly overnight, face masks metamorphized from uncomfortable and awkward to personal and stylish. Mariella Segarra on NPR’s Marketplace suggested this was a new retail category. https://www.marketplace.org/2020/04/24/cloth-face-mask-new-category-retail-covid19/ Right now, sports teams, causes and designers are seizing the moment to offer American’s a personalized approach to our new normal.

A Mask For Every Vertical

However, unlike a racoon, one mask does not fit all occasions. As the evolution of the mask continues, new verticals will emerge within the category. For business – a clear plastic shield to encourage transparency and teamwork, for fashion – fabulous fabrics and accessories, for kids, bright colors and beloved characters, and for sports, ultra-breathable virus- repellent fabric. New Balance pivoted to fill the PPE void for hospital workers. You can bet their fabric engineers and designers are developing masks for all types of athletes. And, if casual Fridays don’t become an anomaly, why not a jean version as well?

Masks are here to stay. After wearing a suffocating, glasses-fogging, beginning-to-smell-a-bit-stale mask for the past few weeks, I am ready to help jump start the economy and shop. Think something with big, funny lips would bring smiles.

Zoom Into March Madness

March 19, 2020

Who could have anticipated when I posted my last blog on Thursday, February 20^th, that COVID-19 would explode in Italy – from a handful of cases on Friday, February 21^st to hundreds of cases by Monday, February 24^th. In the space of 72 hours, the world was on the precipice of a frightening, new normal.

After blogging about the 2020’s becoming the great age of content due to the proliferation of paid streaming services, who would have conceived that free streaming would become a powerful connector in a socially distanced, shelter-at-home, world. Zoom…. literally into March Madness

The US and much of the world underwent forced hibernation this week. Chris Martin of the band Cold Play, inspired artists like John Legend, Keith Urban, Rob Thomas and Pink to follow his lead by performing and streaming live mini gigs from their homes to distract and delight live, worldwide audiences, some numbering over 500,000, who watched and interacted from their couches. https://www.instagram.com/tv/B90Ft_knpuT/?utm_source=ig_embed

Companies sent employees home to work, and business bumped along with Brady Bunch streaming conference services like Zoom. Zoomers – Boomers, X’ers, Millennials and Z’ers pulled back the curtain of their private lives in their home “studios.” The challenge for Boomer Zoomers was complementary lighting, while Z Zoomers wondered about screen- appropriate attire, and for Millennial and Gen Z Zoomers, it was where to stash the kids. And everyone looked more critically for the right backdrop – as over-the-shoulder peeking became a fun diversion.

Even live television embraced this streaming phenomenon, with talent reporting from kitchens and study’s as they self-isolated. Jimmy Kimmel streamed “quarantine minilogues” from his family room. Tonight, he interviews his wife and kids. The Today Show’s Al Roker forecasted the weather from his kitchen, while his wife, Deborah Roberts, shot her 20/20 segments from the living room.

As a world and a country, we were strangely more isolated before this week. Sharing comfy couches and kitchen tables, while bringing the world home, has underscored our common humanity. In the midst of COVID-19 Madness, while our borders are closed, streaming has opened our doors, and reminded us, we are all in this together.

The Golden Ages of Sport and Content 100 Years Apart

February 20, 2020

The 1920s was known as The Golden Age of Sport. Market forces collided and ushered in an American passion for sports. A robust economy, an uptick in consumer discretionary spending and leisure time, the introduction of radio, marketable stars like Babe Ruth, Bobby Jones and Jack Dempsey, sports teams building stadiums, and government investment in roads and bridges to accommodate the burgeoning auto industry, proved to be the perfect elixir.

Fans could listen to games on the radio, travel easily to watch them in spectacular new venues, and read legendary coverage from great sports writers like Grantland Rice, Red Smith and Shirley Povich, who expanded the genre in newspapers from a single page to a whole section.

From Cracker Jack to Popcorn

The 2020’s may well become The Golden Age of Content as market forces once again collide to create a new normal. Sports played a role.

In early 2007, Netflix launched their streaming service allowing users to watch movies and TV shows on their personal computers. Award-winning series House of Cards, produced in 2013, put Netflix on the map as a serious content producer. Hulu, launched in the fall of 2007 by Fox, NBC and Disney as a syndication play, became the go-to place to watch missed episodes of popular TV shows for free. Amazon spent a fair amount of time iterating from the launch of Unbox in 2006.

The Stream Became a Firehose

ESPN, the highest priced network in the cable lineup (blame bloated rights deals) believed live sports were immune from cord cutters, even as millions left. This bunker mentality gave rise to consumers pairing low-cost streaming services like Hulu and Netflix, being happily satiated, and saving a “bundle.” For millennials, viewing live sports communally, at a bar with friends, was a welcome respite to screen time. In the 2010’s internet speeds became faster and devices became more powerful to allow streaming services to take off commercially. Tech saw the opening – launching You Tube TV and Apple TV+, while mainstream media woke up as Disney launched Disney+ last year.

Will the last person watching cable stand?

As of 2019, the number of American’s opting out of or never jumping into cable packages reached an average of 59% with 29% thinking about it. https://www.westmonroepartners.com/Insights/Newsletters/Cord-Cutting-Statistics.

2020 Launches

2020 will see three new entries in the streaming marketplace. Quibi, co-founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman will debut April 6^th, with short-form episodic content focused on under 25 viewers, designed exclusively for mobile devices. Peacock (NBC Universal/Comcast) arrives on April 15^th with streaming content for their Xfinity customers, and three months later going wide to the general public on July 15^th. In May, HBO Max, a division of Warner Media, (ATT) will dive in with over 10K hours of streaming content. Viacom/CBS recently announced their streaming service coming in 2021. A contentpalooza, indeed.

$Big Bucks$

Netflix, the twenty-two-year-old Yoda, with over 151 million subscribers globally, earned 24 Oscar nominations this year. They plan to spend $17B this year to stay atop the leaderboard. Variety reported in 2019 $219B was spent feeding the streaming beasts with nine figure deals for classic hits like The Office $500M, Friends, $425M and South Park $500M. https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/2019-original-content-spend-121-billion-1203457940/

Leveling the Playing Field

For content creators, the playing field is leveling and there are more fields on which to compete. Technology has evolved to democratize the story-telling process. It is a thrilling time to be a creative. The shift is allowing voices, previously ignored, to debut their work to the world. While content is king, quality is queen. Those who connect with audiences will be richly rewarded in the 2020’s, which may become, The Golden Age of Content.

Some Things Kinda Never Change

One hundred years ago, Red Smith wrote. “Writing is easy, Just sit in front of a typewriter, open up a vein, and bleed it out drop by drop.” Red, the creative process is still challenging, although we no longer need wite out.

Envelope Please. The Official Color for 2020 is…….

January 16, 2020

Every business has a shtick. Color is no different. Pantone, founded in the 60’s, revolutionized the printing business when it cataloged color to create a universal and standardized color language. In 2000, the company ginned up its social currency when it rolled out the color equivalent of the Oscar’s, known as The Color of The Year. The inaugural winner was Cerulean Blue 15-4020. The color of the sky.

Color is Powerful

Did those in charge of the launch pick shades based on the national mood? In 1999, we were freaked out over Y2K. Did the good folks at Pantone chose this calm and hypnotic shade in late 1999, to reassure us the sky was not going to fall?

Color Cues

The answer is yes. The company created the Pantone Color Institute to research, debate and wrap authority around its selection. They combed the globe; film, sport, music, travel destinations, entertainment, socio-economic conditions, organic movements, art, fashion, architecture and more. Today, the choice resonates across a wide swath of industries from fashion and textiles, to industrial, graphic and media design.

A Coincidence?

Interestingly, in 2009, in the throes of the Great Recession, The Institute chose Pantone 14-0848- Mimosa – an optimistic, bubbly nod to better times ahead. Must have been the perfect elixir, as le bons temps began to rouler.

And the winner is….

Now in its 20^th year, Pantone’s Color Institute crowned 19-4052, Classic Blue the 2020 winner. The Institute’s color savant explained, “instilling calm, confidence and connection, this enduring blue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”

A fitting launch to 2020

Passion For Parks

November 14, 2019

America’s parks have always been a refuge; a place to explore, unwind, marvel, reflect and breathe. While their existence is truly American, and embodies our democratic roots, efforts to expand and preserve our park heritage face scrutiny in the timeless battle between the public good and private interests. Park protection and expansion in the twenty twenty’s and beyond is vital to our personal health, our national health and our planet’s health.

We are calmer and more engaged in nature

From the smallest, urban green canopy to the grandest national park, the closer you are to green spaces, the healthier you become. In her book The Nature Fix, Florence Williams, a contributing editor to Outside Magazine and a freelance writer for the New York Times and National Geographic explores the science behind the nurture in nature. http://www.florencewilliams.com/the-nature-fix. She points out scientists in Japan discovered just 15 minutes in nature can lower cortisol levels.

“It is a pact between generations, a promise from the past to the future” -NPSAB

In July 2001, the National Parks Advisory Board issued a report on the focus and purpose of national parks for the next 25 years. The first two sentences of the report succinctly define the impact of national parks, but the sentiment is relevant for all park projects. “The creation of a national park is an expression of faith in the future. It is a pact between generations, a promise from the past to the future” https://www.nps.gov/policy/report.htm

90% of Americans consider the conservation and preservation of national parks important.

2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon as a national park. In February a poll conducted by yougov.com found 90% of Americans consider the conservation and preservation of national parks important. In these polarized times, that type of overwhelming consensus is rare.

70% of Americans say they are more likely to vote for local politicians who make park and recreation funding a priority.

Politicians of all stripes, take note! In 2016 the National Recreation and Park Association commissioned a study which found 75% of Americans support increased local government spending for parks and recreation areas and 70% of Americans say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports park funding.

https://www.nrpa.org/uploadedFiles/nrpa.org/Publications_and_Research/Research/Papers/Engagement-Survey-Report.pdf

Parks are some of the best tools to protect people from a changing climate

According to Brendan Shane, Director of Climate for the Trust for Public Land, effective management of parks and open space can literally pull excess carbon out of the air. “When we protect working forests and expand tree canopy and urban green space, we don’t just protect wildlife, water quality, and treasured public spaces—we also help to meet these ambitious global targets. Parks are some of the best tools to protect people from a changing climate.”

Our 21st century legacy

As we move into the third decade of this young century, our biological need for natural connections accelerates as our day-to-day world is co-opted by AI. Parks ground us, nurture us, and restore us. Park access, preservation and expansion could potentially be the defining legacy of the 21^st century.

OuiWorked only for Adam

September 26, 2019

WeWork Company Value: Grateful–
We are grateful for each other, our members, and to be part of this movement. We don’t take success for granted. We’re happy to be alive.

Adam Neumann Credit:Getty Images, iStock) from The Real Deal

Arrogance is a blinding mistress, buttressing reality from the id’s worst, self-centered tendencies. The fall of WeWork founder/CEO Adam Neumann while swift, was not altogether surprising. Surrounding himself with “yes sirs”, and installing his wife, Rebekah as Chief Brand Officer, they established a company awash in paradoxes. According to the real estate publication, The Real Deal, Rebekah insisted on this wording in the company’s IPO prospectus “we dedicate this to the energy of we — greater than any one of us but inside each of us.” In truth, the “we” she referred to was Rebekah and Adam rendering the WeWork company values a sham. Can WeWork survive their greed?

WeWork Company Value: Together-
We are in this together. This is a team effort. We always look out for one another. We have empathy, we know we are all human, and know we can’t do any of this alone.

Neumann’s avarice and hubris were galling. We learned from the IPO filing details, he purchased buildings financed with loans from WeWork only to lease those buildings back to the company. He took out $1B in loans from the company at ridiculously favorable terms, and set up a multi-class voting structure, that gave his shares much greater voting power, at one point 20:1, vs the one share, one vote a regular person buying WeWork stock would receive. He also charged WeWork close to $6M for the rights to use the word “we” which he had trademarked through a different company. When this last transaction created a stir, he paid the company back. Too bad “i” was already trademarked.

WeWork Company Value: Authentic-
We are genuine to our brand, mission and values. We are not perfect, and we don’t pretend to be. We are always honest and transparent as we can be.

As CMO of NLand Surf in Austin, my team interacted with Neumann on multiple occasions when WeWork became a principal investor in the technology firm we utilized to create our waves. His outsized ego, and “I rule the universe” mentality was toxic. The fallout has given voice to many former and current executives (under the condition of anonymity) excoriating their former boss as a monster.

Is there any “We” left in WeWork?

In 2010, this reimagined real estate company was designed to give entrepreneurs, start-ups, freelancers and larger enterprises, cool workspaces, amenities and community. It currently has 280 locations across 86 cities world-wide and is flanked with competitors, like Regus, Impact Hub, Knotel, and Techspace. Its advantage is scope and brand recognition.

How does the brand rebound?

First apologize. Second, put the “we” back in We. For members, focus on the core business and offer significant value. Entrepreneurs crave flexibility, and scaled resources, right priced in areas like healthcare, professional services, and family services like childcare. Negotiate and offer affordable, vetted options. For employees, rebuild the shattered workforce, by listening, engaging and rewarding on an equal and open playing field.

Future WeWork Company Value: Trust

Is Slovenia The New Iceland?

July 31, 2019

Lake Bled, famous for its fairy tale charm, could become the hottest sustainable destination
image by Mark Gregory

Iceland is to tourism what kale is to vegetables. Both bit players in their respective worlds until the twenty tens, when they appeared to explode organically in popularity. In truth, their ascendancy was choreographed by clever and immersive green and healthy marketing. But nonetheless, their imprimatur has dominated the decade like Wall Street’s bull run. As we approach 2020, every decade has their darling. What will people “discover” next year? This story is a bit personal.

After the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, leaders in Yugoslavia invited a select group of people involved in television, marketing, sponsorship, sports, tourism, and the culinary arts to visit their country and the Olympic sites to advise them on how to capitalize on their sizable investment to create a thriving tourist destination. As the youngest member of the delegation, I was honored to be chosen

Beautiful Country, Warm People

A red-carpet welcome greeted us in every town. In Sarajevo, we toured the venues, skied Mount Jahorina, and enjoyed eight-fork banquets, in the storybook town of Mostar, we posed on its fabled bridge and sampled the local fare, while we marveled at the massive stone walls in Dubrovnik, and were gobsmacked by Old Town and the hidden gems in the palaces. There was even a communist spy who clumsily followed us all five days. To the person, we were enchanted, engaged and dedicated to their success.

Horrific Civil War

Less than a decade later, in 1992, the ten-day war, the siege of Sarajevo and the ensuing bloody civil war, devastated the country. Venues, villages and towns we cherished were reduced to rubble. We prayed for the safety of our hosts and guides and their families. The signing of the Dayton Accords, in November 1995 effectively ended the war, but the aftermath was equally as gut wrenching.

The countries which emerged after the breakup of the FM Yugoslavia were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. While some of their national treasures have been resurrected others have not. However, Slovenia, with a trove of natural treasures, has recently been recognized as the greenest destination on the planet.

Slovenia, The World’s Greenest Destination

Every year in Berlin, the ITB, the world’s largest travel trade show, announces the top sustainable destinations on the globe, as determined by an international jury of twelve organizations. In 2018, Slovenia’s cities Ljubljana and Podcetrtek along with the entire country were named #1 in Europe https://greendestinations.org/best-of-top100-awards/ and in 2019 Ljubljana led the list of best cities, and Bled was the second greenest destination in Europe. This is an amazing achievement for this small country. Frankly, Slovenia can become the top destination for eco- adventure travel among Americans with savvy marketing, powerful story-telling and creative partnerships. Any bets on celery?

A True Little League All Star

July 1, 2019

Jason Gay, best-selling author and Wall Street Journal sports and humor columnist, is a must- read. I heard this from his mom. Funny, wry and insightful he adds the “wish I thought of that” quips to conversations surrounding sports’ big and little moments. He recently wrote this piece in reaction to the story of Little League parents’ brawling at a game. https://www.wsj.com/articles/adults-fighting-at-youth-baseballreally-11561380478

Jason, I have a recent Little League All-Star story for you.

Meet Mathew

Mathew is eleven years old and plays on a twelve-year-old Little League All-Star team. A talented pitcher, he sees quite of bit of action from his perch on the mound. Off the field, he has seen huge tragedy and small triumphs up close.

The Accident

Almost a half a lifetime ago, when Mathew was six, he and his dad were driving home from kindergarten orientation, when their truck was slammed by another vehicle. The impact was devastating. While Mathew, strapped in his car seat, was relatively uninjured, his father sustained massive spine trauma and was paralyzed from his shoulders down. Mathew bore witness as his dad poured his heart into his recovery to try and regain some movement. Even so, the simplest tasks were either difficult or simply untenable and the boy’s arms and legs became his dads.

Winning is on the line

It’s the ninth inning and Mathew’s team is up 4-3. The first batter hits a line drive, The outfielder picks up the ball and tosses it to second, but over-throws it. Runner makes it home and ties the score 4-4. Next batter hits a hard grounder towards the outfielder, who tries to pick it up, but a goofy bounce causes it to hopscotch through his legs, and a runner connects with the bag at home giving the opponents a 4-5 advantage. A few batters later, a player hits a fly ball that soars lazily into the clear blue sky. As the white orb spins on decent, the same outfielder is poised for the catch and the out. But, in a game of errors, the mitt misses the ball and it plops on the grass. The team scores and it is now 6-4. Jeers, directed at the errant outfielder, begin emanating from parents on Mathew’s team. As Matthew prepares to face the next batter, the boos become louder.

Composure befitting a fighter pilot

With composure befitting a fighter pilot, Mathew leans down, places his mitt quietly on the mound and walks purposefully towards the outfielder. In a gesture of camaraderie, he throws his right arm around the outfielder’s shoulder and leans in to tell him, “it’s ok, it is only a game,” gives him a high five, and then walks slowly back to the mound. The parents are hushed. The entire ballpark is hushed – as they bear witness to courage, and compassion silencing ugliness and vulgarity, by an eleven-year-old boy. Mathew’s team eventually loses 4-6, but his teammates ultimately win – one day before Father’s Day.

Poetry in Motion

June 11, 2019

Today, in France, the US Women’s National Soccer Team will play Thailand in their first round World Cup match. It has been 20 years since the US hosted the third Women’s World Cup. Despite women’s soccer riding high after the US captured gold at the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta, the US organizers for the ’99 World Cup worked against a backdrop of skepticism.

FIFA Not A Fan

FIFA (the international governing body in charge of the World Cup) wanted the US Organizers to stage the ’99 Women’s World Cup on the East Coast in small stadiums, to mitigate what they believed would be a financial loss. But the US organizers had other ideas. Emboldened and encouraged by the public’s response to the women’s gold medal performance, they made some key strategic decisions. Luck, guts and athletic performances combined to make this event an epic game-changer.

Bold Dreams and Smart Strategies

Planning began in the summer of ’97. The organizing committee helmed by Marla Messing, had no money, no sponsors, and no advance tickets sold. The US Soccer Federation gave the organizers a $2M loan against virtually no assets. US Soccer took the risk and convinced FIFA this event needed to be in big stadiums across the US. Stadiums selected included Giants Stadium (NY Metro Market, and #1 TV market) for the opener, Foxboro, (Boston),Soldier Field, (Chicago), Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, (Washington D.C.), Portland Stadium, (Oregon) Stamford Stadium (San Francisco) with the finals at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles.

Grassroots Marketing

USWNT athletes became brand ambassadors in a nationwide grassroots marketing campaign. With the goal of inspiring the next generation of female soccer players, 10’ x 10’ tents promoting the event began popping up at soccer tournaments across the country, with Team USA players showing up for clinics, meet and greets and goodwill.

Packaged Tickets at Affordable Prices

Organizers lowered the price from the US hosted ‘94 Men’s World Cup while creating double headers at all matches except the semis and the finals. Lastly, they sold the tickets as packages rather than one-offs. According to Sports Business Journal, a month prior to the event, Jere Longman of the New York Times reported sales of 388,000 – or 3.5 times the total for the entire Women’s World Cup in Sweden in 1995. Ticket sales began selling at even a faster clip as the tournament began.

Sponsor Support

Advertising kicked into high gear with a Nike ad featuring Mia Hamm and Michael Jordon challenging each other in a variety of sports with a music bed “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better) reaching a crescendo with Hamm flipping Jordan over her hip onto the mat in the Judo competition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liKnJ-ejztw. Other sponsors included McDonald’s, Coke, Fuji Film, Gillette, All State and Adidas (equipment)

Stars Are Born

The US Women’s National Team were becoming celebrities. Midfielder and Co-Captain, Julie Foudy reminisced in an interview with Sports Business Journal, “We felt like the Beatles for the three weeks. We had no idea it would take off like that. When we walked into the last week of training in L.A. for the final and we’d literally get off the bus and it would be a tunnel of thousands of fans lining the way from the bus to the training pitch, and thousands of fans screaming the entire time, we were like, what is this? We barely got 1,000 people a game before. “

The Pay Off

Everyone agreed the USWNT had to reach the final to keep the country engaged, and they delivered. The Opener at Giants Stadium was a sell-out crowd of 78,972 fans. The sold-out Final at the Rose Bowl between the US and China set an international record for spectators watching a women’s sports event with 90,185 fans. The TV audience peaked at 40 million during the broadcast. Pregame festivities included J Lo who introduced her anthem, Let’s Get Loud. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsXaw02G4ok

When Brandi Chastain ripped off her jersey in exuberance after kicking the game-winning penalty point, a culmination of moxie, belief, smarts and luck coalesced to re-imagine opportunities for women’s team sports and post a $4M profit to boot.