“What is a City, but the people, true the people are the city” (Coriolanus III). A bustling Monday morning rush may seem like madness to some, and magic to others. In spite of the disgruntled looks on passerby’s faces, and the beeping of horns, the city lifestyle is beloved by most who call it home. After a long days’ work, thousands of the city’s faithful toss on their caps and scream mercilessly at their television, scorning their division rival who plays in a stadium just hours away. Sports, for better or for worse, provide an outlet where fans become deeply engrossed in the actions of the team which represents their city, and therefore themselves. As athletic franchises continue to search for nuanced ways to sell their product to city patrons, some teams have taken more personal approach to marketing, addressing a particular beloved aspect of their city. Within the past decade, the NBA has supported teams’ efforts to introduce various temporary promotions, such as teams “City Edition” jerseys, or “Earned It” jerseys, rewarded to teams that made the playoffs the year prior. Although many teams have demonstrated their marketing prowess within these boundaries, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat have both experienced unprecedented praise for their particular campaigns. The 76ers “Phila Unite” campaign was introduced in the fall of 2018, and its logo draws inspiration from Ben Franklin’s famous “Join, or Die” political cartoon. The Miami Heat unveiled their immensely popular “Miami Vice” jerseys in 2018 as well, paying homage to the notorious 80s crime TV show based in Miami. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat took advantage of an opportune marketing moment, appealed to the hearts of their fanbase with symbols that are beloved on a local scale and recognized nationally, while directly addressing commonplaces specific to their most devoted crowd, in order to promote both their “Phila Unite” and “Miami Vice” campaigns.
The 76ers strategically marketed their “Phila Unite” campaign during a period of increased anticipation and excitement, resulting in an opportunity that fostered increased sales. 2018 marked the first time in five years that the team had made the playoffs, let alone experience any sort of success. The period in between these playoff berths has engrained itself as one of history’s most abysmal displays of sport, highlighted by the 2016 teams 10-72 record, the third worst regular season record in NBA history. As the young and hungry 2018 76ers team scrapped its way into the playoffs, fans were eager to cling to the fruits of their newfound success. When the Phila Unite campaign showed its face, not only did it present a confirmation that the team’s years of losing were over, but it encouraged fans to buy into this team wholeheartedly. The campaign is structured around the Ben Franklin’s political cartoon depicting a fragmented snake and the words “Join, or Die”. Although the Phila Unite campaign does not contain Franklin’s notorious phrase, the snake wrapping itself around the liberty bell indicates to fans that the only path to success is together. The promotion persuades that the time to buy in is now, which is similar to Franklin’s message to the colonies on the brink of the revolution. The introduction of the Phila Unite campaign kickstarted a major rebrand of 76ers merchandising, strategically following the teams own rebrand in style of play and success. By introducing the Phila Unite promotion during a time of anticipated success, the 76ers were able to increase the excitement around their new logo and product.
Similar to the 76ers, the Miami Heat pounced upon an opportune moment when promoting their new Miami Vice jerseys. As the 76ers experienced a low point in their franchise during the early 2010s, the Heat experienced glory. The team won consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013 with Lebron James at the helm of the franchise, backed by the likes of Dwayne Wade, Ray Allen, and Chris Bosh. Although this team enjoyed victory at the highest level, an aging Dwayne Wade was the team’s only remaining star as the heat entered the 2018 season, and it was clear the Heats dynasty was over. A new age of young athletes entered Miami, which called for a new age of marketing. The teams new Miami Vice jerseys portray a vibrant, flashy, and youthful portrayal of the city, that blends perfectly with the teams new age of star athletes. In some sense, the introduction of the Miami Vice era of the Heat was a passing of the torch from the Heats old approach of winning to its new one. The introduction of the Miami vice jerseys succeeded in keeping an older fanbase engaged in a new team and attracted many young fans who may have just missed the Heat’s glory days. Such a dramatic shift in team merchandising is only possible when the team itself can represent that shift, and the Miami Vice jerseys perfectly mirrored the Heats team.
The “Phila Unite” logo that is at the center of their campaign employs a symbol that is easily recognized on both a local and national scale. The “Join, Or Die” political cartoon originated in Philadelphia while the colonies were on the brink of revolution, and it remains a popular symbol of American independence today. By incorporating elements of a locally beloved symbol and a national beacon of strength, the 76ers team appeals to both diehard fans and general NBA lovers alike. Although team marketing often addresses the desires of current fans, extending the teams influence to prospective followers is an important aspect of growth and merchandise sales. For the Philly faithful, Franklin’s fragmented snake represents an intimate connection to the city, inspiring fans to rally around Philadelphia, the birthplace of America. The fragmented snake is a dual edged symbol because it also allows non-local fans to disregard Philadelphia’s relation to the symbol if they so please, and still feel a connection. The Join, or Die cartoon is not exclusively a Philadelphian concept, and allows people with little to no allegiance to the city to become engaged. The concept of NBA teams attempting to appeal to fans across the United States is a relatively new goal, and one that was elevated greatly by the popularization of social media. Social media and online marketing have allowed teams to appeal to groups of fans that are unable to attend games, or even make it to the city in which the team plays. By employing a legendary symbol of American determination, the 76ers are able to extend their fanbase beyond Philadelphia, while appeal on an emotional scale to those who reside within the city’s boundaries.
The Heat’s Miami Vice jerseys hold a similar capacity to appeal to both citizens of Miami and those across the United States. Miami Vice was an extremely popular television show in the 80s, and it was responsible for establishing Miami as a city of lights and action. Although the show focused on the crime within the city, the unique characters and storylines within the series portrayed Miami as distinctly human, although different from the rest of America. The television show attracted tourists who either hoped to visit set or audition for a part on the show themselves, and garnered national attention from television providers. In this way, the introduction of the new Miami Vice jerseys appeals to all sorts of people and allows those who have never been to Miami to remember a representation of the city through the television show. Miami Vice is also a beloved concept within the city itself, because the show was responsible for completely reconstructing the cities damaged reputation. Miamians began to take great pride that South Beach was at the pinnacle of American focus, and it did not take long for the television show to become beloved within Miami itself. The Miami Heat have experienced extreme success in terms of national marketing, due in large part because of what Miami Vice represents, and the aesthetics of the logo itself. When comparing the success of the Phila Unite campaign to that of the Miami Vice promotion, there is no doubt that Miami experienced greater success in terms of marketing their product nationally. This is not to say that the 76ers were unable to market their product beyond the scope of Philadelphia, but the heat experienced particular success due to their recency of the symbol that they chose to employ, and its popularity.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the 76ers Phila Unite campaign is its direct appeal to the Philadelphian commonplace of hard work and unity. As Eagles center Jason Kelce famously chanted during his 2017 Super Bowl speech, “No one Likes us, we don’t care.” This mentality has long stood as a way of life amongst Philadelphians, and can be seen both through fans unapologetic allegiance to their teams, oftentimes mixed with insults aimed at fans of other cities. Despite this, the city of Brotherly Love prides itself on the deep-rooted unity of the city. It is not uncommon to hear Philly fans chant “We all we got, we all we need” in the middle of an intense game, a testament to the fact that fans are perfectly content so long as they have each-other. The statement “Phila Unite” promptly addresses this commonplace of unity that is so important to fans in a short, yet powerful command. Another value that Philadelphia prides itself on is hard work. Philadelphia is a blue collar city, and that same blue collar mentality applies to their sports expectations. Players are expected to put forth their maximum effort in every facet of the game, and anything less will be met by a plethora of boos.
1. Identify the writer’s main claim about the rhetoric, ideology or and subtext of the piece.
The claim is that the 76ers campaign used pathos to make the audience feel united and have shared beliefs by drawing on the “Join or Die” political cartoon from Benjamin Franklin. It also capitalized on the kairos that is the 76ers franchise was in a slump at the time of the release of the campaign.
2. Identify and comment on the writer’s introduction of a context (rhetorical situation) for this piece of rhetoric. Name one thing that might be added, deleted, changed, or moved.
Your introduction in the first body paragraph to the use of pathos and kairos really emphasized the idea of the 76ers being a sort of underdog in the league for a while. You could add the actual terms for the rhetoric used just to clarify what the topic is more.
3. Warning flags: check any of the following predominant themes this paper contains that might suggest a weak introduction or thesis:
Advertising is everywhere___
Ads try to persuade us___
Life really isn’t like what the ad proclaims__
Ads have many components__
Ads are deceptive__
The ad did a great job__
The ad catches your eye__
I don’t think any of these themes were explicitly stated or just used because you elaborated really well and didn’t leave much out.
4. Find a strong analytical topic sentence and a weak one. Explain why you have identified them as such.
A strong analytical topic sentence used was “the snake wrapping itself around the liberty bell indicates to fans that the only path to success is together,” because it emphasizes the use of pathos in the campaign that makes the audience feel connected to one another and the commonplace that success requires teamwork. A weak topic sentence was “Similar to the 76ers, the Miami Heat pounced upon an opportune moment when promoting their new Miami Vice jerseys,” because it introduces the second artifact before going into a discussion on the original artifact.
5. Comment on the organization of the piece. What other possible arrangement strategies might make more of the material and develop arguments more fully? How well is the second comparative piece of rhetoric incorporated?
It may make more sense to the audience if you narrowed the scope on the Miami Heat campaign. A lot of the paper focuses on comparing the two artifacts but I think the main focus should be the 76ers campaign.
6. You wanted to read more about….
I definitely want to read more about how the 76ers campaign influenced the comeback for them in the league and how it took them from having such a bad record to getting the city behind them and increasing the value of teamwork.