Last week, the Sacramento Kings unveiled their new team logos. The reimagined logos are symbols of a new era for the Kings, who leave an old arena and (hopefully) a decade of woe behind them when they move downtown next season. The new logos, of which there are five, are shown below.
They’re minimal and sleek, the fashionable way for modern NBA crests to be. But they could be better. Let us not forget that the Kings are a franchise. They’re not a team, but a business, and the reason the Kings and the rest of the NBA exist is to make money. With that being said, logos are brands more than anything else. They’re a team’s corporate tag, its image in the eyes of the consumer. And if the Kings hope to attract consumers, they better scrap their new logos before its too late. I, an avid fan of the team and a dedicated student of advertisement techniques, have an idea that will really bring in the bucks.
The business reasons why Shaquille O'Neal should be the Kings mascot are endless. But I will choose five, to match the number of new logos the Kings made the mistake of selecting. Each reason represents one of the 15 consumer needs that my proposed logo would appeal to.
1. Need to Dominate
This one is obvious. Through his 20 NBA seasons, O'Neal earned the nickname Shaq Daddy for his man-amongst-boys squashing of smaller players in the post. At 7'2" and 320-plus pounds, the center is the physical manifestation of domination; the Hummer of human beings. If it's true that "the power we lack is what we seek" in a product, why not slap Shaq Daddy's watermelon-sized biceps on every piece of Kings merchandise and see how many insecure men become fans?
1. Need to Dominate
This one is obvious. Through his 20 NBA seasons, O'Neal earned the nickname Shaq Daddy for his man-amongst-boys squashing of smaller players in the post. At 7'2" and 320-plus pounds, the center is the physical manifestation of domination; the Hummer of human beings. If it's true that "the power we lack is what we seek" in a product, why not slap Shaq Daddy's watermelon-sized biceps on every piece of Kings merchandise and see how many insecure men become fans?
2. Need to Feel Safe
Over the course of O'Neal's career, he amassed 2,732 blocks. Now that's protecting the rim. And just as he swatted away so many shots as a player, Shaq would assuredly swat away the fears of anyone who identifies with the Kings brand as our logo. His face would provide comfort anywhere Kings merchandise is, an omnipresent talisman against evil. What other team can sell you a security system on your jersey?
Over the course of O'Neal's career, he amassed 2,732 blocks. Now that's protecting the rim. And just as he swatted away so many shots as a player, Shaq would assuredly swat away the fears of anyone who identifies with the Kings brand as our logo. His face would provide comfort anywhere Kings merchandise is, an omnipresent talisman against evil. What other team can sell you a security system on your jersey?
3. Need for Aesthetic Sensations
Shaquille O'Neal has stayed busy although his playing days are over. He's a world-class comic, a brilliant entertainer who's called The Big Aristotle by many. Was his performance as a cop in Grown Ups 2 not fine art? Observe his showmanship in his Gold Bond ads, and tell me you're not experiencing an aesthetic sensation.
4. Need for Sex
Watch this clip from the Gold Bond ad I referenced.
The shimmy screams sex appeal. Now, the Kings use cheerleaders to this effect already. I say add Shaq to our merchandise as well, and we'll be pioneers in the biological needs department.
5. Need to Aggress
Like all athletes, Shaq has faced adversity. But all the great ones bounce back, and the Big Aristotle did after his crushing one-on-one defeat at the hands of adolescent pop star Aaron Carter.
Shaq is the very image of redemption, also because he rebuilt his career five times on five different teams after leaving the Magic.
It is clear that the only way for the Kings to rebuild their brand is on the large shoulders of Shaquille O'Neal.
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