Budweiser Gardens? WTF?

[manny_santos]

The John Labatt Centre isn't even 10 years old, and the powers that be are rebranding it already??

The John Labatt Centre, or JLC, has become a well-known brand in London and even Southern Ontario. Why the sudden need to change the name? What damage was the JLC name doing? How many millions of dollars per year is this going to make Labatt? Zero?

From my standpoint with my marketing background, I think it's a really stupid move, a waste of time, and a waste of money to re-brand what has only recently become a well-known facility. It seems like re-branding is some sort of corporate fad. Look at Rogers Centre, or more locally, The New PL...er, A-Channel...er, what's it called this month?

I've worked with some junior marketing consultants, and for some reason they seem to have an obsession with re-branding everything they can get their hands on, just because it's a fun activity. It seems to be an easy solution to marketing issues that are usually a lot more complex than a brand name. I almost guarantee the JLC rebranding was invented by a 20-year-old in another city who has never been to London.

However, I'd like to hear from our resident marketing expert, MolsonExport. (On a side note, will he be rebranding his SSP handle to a brand of beer produced in London? )

[Snark]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

The John Labatt Centre, or JLC, has become a well-known brand in London and even Southern Ontario. Why the sudden need to change the name?

Because the current name is not pushing a specific corporate product, nor a part of any specific marketing strategy the company is pursuing. I'm sure that they consider the lack of a specific product name in the current title makes it an underutilized asset from a marketing standpoint. And here is the key issue in regard to getting their brand of choice in the facility name: The 2013 World Figure Skating Championships and its 150 million worldwide viewers. One can imagine how many thousands of times and in how many languages the word Budweiser will be uttered on worldwide television during the week-long duration of the broadcast of the event. And for the parent company of Labatts, Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V., Bud is a brand of theirs that they market all over the world, including China. Outside of Canada and some regional markets in the U.S., almost no one has ever heard of Labatts.

Originally Posted by manny_santos

From my standpoint with my marketing background, I think it's a really stupid move, a waste of time, and a waste of money to re-brand what has only recently become a well-known facility

Agreed that the name recognition has been huge for not only the facility, but the city as well. After the figure skating championships are over, the name change to a bland and very unexceptional product will hurt the image of the facility and the city and cause confusion to the event-going public. After all, the traditional image of the product's market demographic is primarily one of working-class mid-western Americans. Budweiser Gardens sounds like a place that sweaty, dirty steelworkers from Gary Indiana go to for cheap cold beer after a hard day in the coke mills prior to heading home and beating their wives. This is not the image that London needs. Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V. is not however going to be concerned about the current "JLC" local name recognition value for the facility, or the city - as it is headquartered 6,000 km's away. Their concern is about their brand of choice being up on yet another lighting standard that will receive global attention for a week.

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I almost guarantee the JLC rebranding was invented by a 20-year-old in another city who has never been to London.

Like I said, they are 6,000 km's away. I'll go one further and guess that the marketing people at Anheuser-Busch InBev that pushed this had never even heard of John Labatt, London, or for that matter Ontario until the WFSC was coming to London. The 2 million or so people that the JLC, er... Budweiser Gardens serves is an insignificant beer market to them. I suspect that there is simply a broader strategy that has them pushing Bud real hard in several key global markets (especially Asia), and the diktat from head office to their regional offices (such as Labatts in Toronto) is to simply get a Bud label attached to anything that they can get their hands on that will support that strategy.

I'm sure that if their strategy was to get different one of their brands marketed hard, the arena would be named after that brand... perhaps their Ukrainian Chernigivske beer brand for example. The JLC could then be renamed as the "Chernigivske People's Hall For Glorious Sport Competition And Cultural Exposition"

There is an important lesson in this: things that people consider part of their community (such as in this case London's proud association with the Labatt heritage) have in fact been sold to powerful corporations who frequently have no reciprocal feelings towards that community. A company headquartered out of Holland owns all things Labatt, and on their whim that name could all be ended tomorrow if that's what they wanted.

There is nothing good in this re-branding for London or the facility. It will in fact in the long term cause confusion amongst the event-going public, likely hurting sales and attendance - especially from out of town visitors. The image of the product in this part of the world is one of American mediocrity - not helping the image of the facility or city.

This is about a giant multi-national corporation purchasing week-long global exposure for one of their key brands.

[MolsonExport]

^I totally concur. Seems almost that Labatt cares not one wit for marketing in the city that was its birthplace. Go to say, the Grad Club at UWO and see what is heavily marketed: Sleeman beers, Alexander Keith, Big Rock, Wellington, etc. Labatt? Nowhere to be seen.
Budweiser, with their ugly logo and terrible product, will only cheapen the image of the JLC. I hope that the community will rally against the proposal. Whatever sponsorship money would come in, it is not worth it to the image of the facility.

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2...12911-lfp.html

I almost retched reading this utter tripe. Lowest-common denominator "beer" is simply what Budweiser is.

Joe, you disappoint me (again). Selling your soul for a few bucks from a lousy beer brand.

[isaidso]

They're systematically destroying the Labatt brand and supplanting it with their own brands. That used to be the #1 beer brand in Canada and now look at it. They've done little to maintain the Labatt brand let alone introduce the brand globally. Being part of Inbev has been a disaster for the Labatt brand. I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years they discontinue the Labatt brand completely and have the audacity to argue that no one was interested in it any more.

[go_leafs_go02]

From what I remember, they don't even serve Labatt Blue at Knights games anymore. It's all Budweiser and Bud Light (at least in draught)

I can't even think of a single restaurant/pub or whatever that has Labatt on tap. Really - I can't.

While I understand the affinity to the JLC namesake, I can see wanting to market the building from a more worldwide name. Even in BC, Labatt is non-existent. Budweiser - completely different story.

I've had one bottle of Labatt Blue once - and I can't say it was anything to write home about.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

From what I remember, they don't even serve Labatt Blue at Knights games anymore. It's all Budweiser and Bud Light (at least in draught)

I can't even think of a single restaurant/pub or whatever that has Labatt on tap. Really - I can't.

While I understand the affinity to the JLC namesake, I can see wanting to market the building from a more worldwide name. Even in BC, Labatt is non-existent. Budweiser - completely different story.

I've had one bottle of Labatt Blue once - and I can't say it was anything to write home about.

Believe it or not, Labatt 50 is served on tap at the Ceeps. It's the only bar I've ever seen that offers 50 on tap.

Among the young people I know in London, the most popular beers are Alexander Keiths, Rickard's Red and White, Molson Export, Budweiser, Bud Light, Corona, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and James Ready. I know one person who also likes Foster's. Almost nobody I know drinks Coors Light, Laker, Lakeport, Blue, or Canadian. Blue and Canadian are the beers my father drinks, although he drinks quite a few others ranging from Dos Equis to Sleeman.

Also, the bars around London which have cheap beer nights have "$2 Coronas" or "$10 Sleeman pitchers", it's never "$2 Blue".

[Simpseatles]

Ahh, yet another rebranding. I'm always going to call the Willis Tower The Sears Tower, the Rogers Centre the Skydome, Western University UWO, and Budweiser Gardens the JLC.

A name change like this feels cheap, and a slap in the face to the residents of London. I had heard that the naming rights were going to be available and I accepted that soon it would probably be called "3M Place" or "The Telus Centre" perhaps. I'd still prefer the JLC name, but I never expected the arena (one of the best in Canada) would simply be named after some crappy American Beer! Very disapointing.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Sign of the times. Gone are the days of Maple Leaf Gardens, Skydome, London Gardens adorning sporting facilities. In are the days of corporate christening according to the winds of popular goods & services. No grand insult to London, just modern business & marketing!

IMO rather it stay JLC but that's not gonna happen. The best council could hope for is a minor alteration like London Budweiser Garden (LBG) or London Budweiser Centre (LBC). Regardless the name's getting changed when council rubber stamps this.

Cause in the end it's always about the money, all of the time!

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

Sign of the times. Gone are the days of Maple Leaf Gardens, Skydome, London Gardens adorning sporting facilities. In are the days of corporate christening according to the winds of popular goods & services. No grand insult to London, just modern business & marketing!

IMO rather it stay JLC but that's not gonna happen. The best council could hope for is a minor alteration like London Budweiser Garden (LBG) or London Budweiser Centre (LBC). Regardless the name's getting changed when council rubber stamps this.

Cause in the end it's always about the money, all of the time!

I know if I were on Council, I'd be voting against it. This will bring no benefit to London whatsoever; it will bring benefit only to the Budweiser brand.

[MolsonExport]

Bud is the number one beer in Canada. It usually tops (or ties with coor light) on the Beer Store's top 10 list.

The brew is truly vile. Who the hell drinks it, and why? It is beyond bad beer.

Labatt Blue is nothing special but it tastes like champagne next to the steer piss that is Bud. King of rears.

What the hell is wrong with the youth of Canada? We have very good beer in this country, and if you want mediocrity, drink Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian, but c'mon, don't drink the yank horse piss.

The Americanization of Canadian cultural institutions continues unabated. Whoring Canadian culture for the almighty dollar. Go to hell, InBev.


In other news, Mayor Joe Fontana has been openly musing about name-rights to Victoria and Harris Parks downtown. "Heck, if calling it Coors Light Commons instead of Victoria Park means half a million dollars in revenues for city programs, I am all for it and so too should John Q. Taxpayer," Fontana exclaimed (http://www.lfp.com/news/sellingmygra...rforabuck.html). What else could be renamed? How about Guy Lombardo bridge (Pepsi bridge), London International Airport (Cisco Aerodrome), and the University of Western Ontario (Western U...er wait, that was already done)? "You know, I'd even be open to changing my own name from Joe Fontana to Joe Fanta or maybe Joe Camel for a couple of bucks," Fontana joked. "After all, I still smoke"

[harls]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

What the hell is wrong with the youth of Canada? We have very good beer in this country, and if you want mediocrity, drink Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian, but c'mon, don't drink the yank horse piss.

It's all about the money, and all about the brand perception. Hey Bud is just as cheap as Blue, but they have those fuckin cheerleaders and that awesome Bud Camp near the airport in Mississauga? What do I care.. I'm 19 and I'll be drunk.. who cares where this camp is..

Wha.. who brews Bud in Canada? bah who cares. ALCOHOL.

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Bud is the number one beer in Canada. It usually tops (or ties with coor light) on the Beer Store's top 10 list.

The brew is truly vile. Who the hell drinks it, and why? It is beyond bad beer.

Labatt Blue is nothing special but it tastes like champagne next to the steer piss that is Bud. King of rears.

What the hell is wrong with the youth of Canada? We have very good beer in this country, and if you want mediocrity, drink Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian, but c'mon, don't drink the yank horse piss.

The Americanization of Canadian cultural institutions continues unabated. Whoring Canadian culture for the almighty dollar. Go to hell, InBev.


In other news, Mayor Joe Fontana has been openly musing about name-rights to Victoria and Harris Parks downtown. "Heck, if calling it Coors Light Commons instead of Victoria Park means half a million dollars in revenues for city programs, I am all for it and so too should John Q. Taxpayer," Fontana exclaimed (http://www.lfp.com/news/sellingmygra...rforabuck.html). What else could be renamed? How about Guy Lombardo bridge (Pepsi bridge), London International Airport (Cisco Aerodrome), and the University of Western Ontario (Western U...er wait, that was already done)? "You know, I'd even be open to changing my own name from Joe Fontana to Joe Fanta or maybe Joe Camel for a couple of bucks," Fontana joked. "After all, I still smoke"

WTF? was exactly the first thought that ran into my head when I read about the proposal to rename the JLC and call it Budweiser Gardens. The owners of the JLC have just gone and destroyed whatever goodwill they had developed from the John Labatt name.

I sense that the JLC isn't doing all that well, apart from the revenues brought in from Knights games, and the owners are looking for some fresh juice or 'buzz' to goose the revenues up a bit.

As to Budweiser beer, yes, it is 'horse piss'. When I was a young lad, I sampled a bottle of Bud and found it to be utter swill. But Bud is representative of the way our American cousins can sometimes be: flavourless, lacking in substance, and ultimately insipid.

I'm also mystified as to why my countrymen like such a crappy beer. I too, am disturbed by the increasing Americanization of Canadian culture. A couple of classic cases in point that reflect that Americanization can be found in the way a lot of Canadians under 30 seem to have adopted American accents and say 'zee' and instead of 'zed'. It really grates on my nerves.

But this is what happens when people refuse to develop a coherent identity for themselves. Go around the world, and you can readily identify a German or a Brit. But good luck identifying a Canadian, because everyone thinks we look and sound like Americans.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Stevo26

But this is what happens when people refuse to develop a coherent identity for themselves. Go around the world, and you can readily identify a German or a Brit. But good luck identifying a Canadian, because everyone thinks we look and sound like Americans.

You've got that right. Where I currently work, many people have mistaken me for an American.

[MolsonExport]

I am voting with my dollars and feet. You won't find me patronizing anything under the Budweiser brand. Utterly without class.

[flar]

Stupid, just stupid.

I'm also quite shocked/disappointed that my alma mater is now called Western University. WTF?

[haljackey]

I still call the Rogers Centre the Skydome, and I will call Budwiser Gardens the JLC.

The original name sticks.

[MolsonExport]

^but the new one just sucks. Can you imagine the elegant script of the John Labatt Centre being replaced by the garish Buttwisser brand and logo?

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^but the new one just sucks. Can you imagine the elegant script of the John Labatt Centre being replaced by the garish Buttwisser brand and logo?

FM96 gets it right





It's official. London City council voted 12-3 and this October John Labatt Centre will become Budweiser Gardens.

[MolsonExport]

Who voted in favor? 12 to fucking 3. Sell their grandmothers for a buck. How low can you go? JLC is first and foremost a HOCKEY arena. Hockey is as Canadian a thing there is. Labatt is local, and for more than a century, a community pioneer and philanthropist family. Most of all, Buttwisser sucks donkey balls (besides, there are no gardens, only those giant concrete balls out front). Vile brew. King of rears.

This Bud’s worth $6.4 million for you
By CHIP MARTIN The London Free Press
Last Updated: June 27, 2012 6:07am
London Free Press [soon to be rebranded the Coors Light Chronicle)

The John Labatt Centre is dead; long live the king of beers.

A $6.4-million, 10-year deal for naming rights will see the decade-old centre become Budweiser Gardens in October.

City council voted 12-3 Tuesday in favour of the name change.

Councillors Joni Baechler, Paul Hubert and Dale Henderson opposed the new name.

Coun. Nancy Branscombe, who said “Budweiser Gardens sounds like a beer tent to me,” said she meant to vote against the deal, but pushed the wrong voting button.

Several members of council said they had heard from Londoners upset the name of a well-respected community pioneer will come off the downtown venue and be replaced with the name of an American beer.

“(Budweiser Gardens) is going to resonate for us both nationally and internationally,” Mayor Joe Fontana predicted, although he admitted a sentimental attachment to the existing name.
[...]

More here: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../19923216.html

Say it ain't so, Joe. Please, say it ain't so. It's not what I want to hear... (old Murray Head song)

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

I'm not sure how you gather that all I care about is business. In fact, if you read much of what I write, you would find that is not the case at all. But, it's only a bloody name on a building. It's not that big of a deal!

London is building 1970's style crap concrete buildings everywhere, has a terrible transportation system, is losing jobs like a sieve and has a mess of urban sprawl. We've got much bigger fish to fry than the name on our arena.

This is sort of my attitude towards the whole thing. I think it's an utterly stupid marketing move, but it's not going to be my loss. Someone else will be jumping out of a window or hanging themselves in their closet over this inevitable failure. Perhaps council could put the same energy towards debating something like, oh, the Windermere Bridge.

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Who voted in favor? 12 to fucking 3. Sell their grandmothers for a buck. How low can you go? JLC is first and foremost a HOCKEY arena. Hockey is as Canadian a thing there is. Labatt is local, and for more than a century, a community pioneer and philanthropist family.

They were also instrumental in getting the 402 re-routed, which royally screwed the entire city further down the line. They were obviously concerned with the welfare of others until they were affected personally. As an outsider to London, I can say I find the whole Labatt culture to be extremely overrated- the current company would move out of the city in a heartbeat if they could justify it.

Originally Posted by Stevo26

As to Budweiser beer, yes, it is 'horse piss'. When I was a young lad, I sampled a bottle of Bud and found it to be utter swill. But Bud is representative of the way our American cousins can sometimes be: flavourless, lacking in substance, and ultimately insipid.

Funny, I get the same impression of them when I watch their TV shows or drive their cars. Anyone who has ever been forced to watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager or had to live with a Ford Taurus for any length of time will know what I'm talking about.

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I vote for the Facebook Centre...wait, Facebook is addictive and takes people away from face-to-face communication.

How about Toyota Gardens...wait, cars cause pollution and accidents.

Kidding aside, at least the JLC wasn't originally called Caterpillar Centre...I'm sure City Council (and most Londoners) would've been glad to change that to Budweiser Gardens.

Caterpillar Gardens. Or the Ford Centre (alt. Crown Victoria Arena). Any one would be suitable for a hockey arena in this region