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A Last Word About LeBron: He Didn’t Protect His Brand
Akron, OH
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Basketball aficionados, NBA legends, fans, and usually disinterested civilians have all registered their opinion on The Summer of LeBron, "The Decision" and its hurricane like aftermath.
His mistakes go beyond the rectangular hardwood court. LeBron and posse did not protect their Brand. LeBron and company took a Brand that was liked around the world, and in a daydevalued it greatly. What can we all learn?
1. Protect Your Brand
Protecting your Brand takes a 24/7 Herculean effort. With a Brand, the first challenge is to build the Brand. The second challenge is to protect the Brand. They are two separate challenges often masquerading as one.
For a professional athlete, their Brand is not just about how they play the game. When Kobe got in legal trouble, it was off-court antics that threatened his Brand. How a mega star athlete dresses either enhances or hurts their Brand. To Protect Your Brand, attend powerful meetings with powerful people in powerful dress. LeBron's T-shirt, sweatpants and backpack did not protect his Brand. Neither did his refusal to return owner Dan Gilbert's calls, make a decision in a timely manner, flirt with six cities and give them false hope.
2. Chosen One-Third
LeBron has a tattoo that says, The Chosen One. When he chose to come to Miami, he chose to be one of three. So now he is the Chosen One-Third. He prefers to play as one of the guys rather than stand above the team. Nike did not pay the LeBron Brand 90 million to be a follower.
3. We Were All Witness to a Debacle
"Witness" was a ten story, 212 foot wide Nike Billboard that stood as a testimonial to those who were "witness" to the skills of LBJ. Within days of "The Decision" Nike had removed the sign, the final step in a process to remove LeBron James from the identity of Cleveland.
We are all witness to what happens when a person even an athlete is not told NO. We are all witness to a young man with too much too soon and with poor dierction.
4. From The King to Three Kings
Most kings don't give up their throne willingly. LeBron did. His Brand was King not one of three. There must have been an allure to be "one of" instead of the "one". Let another guy feel the pressure. When you are no longer the man who gets the ball, you are no longer the man. You can't be both leader and one of the guys. You are either alpha dog or one of the pack. Sponsors don't pay the pack dog.
5. Burned Bridges
As far as bridges go, LeBron said, burn baby burn.
Perhaps there is a good reason no athlete ever went on national TV to announce "the decision." Besides burning jerseys, there were a lot of burned bridges in Cleveland.
His mistakes go beyond the rectangular hardwood court. LeBron and posse did not protect their Brand. LeBron and company took a Brand that was liked around the world, and in a daydevalued it greatly. What can we all learn?
1. Protect Your Brand
Protecting your Brand takes a 24/7 Herculean effort. With a Brand, the first challenge is to build the Brand. The second challenge is to protect the Brand. They are two separate challenges often masquerading as one.
For a professional athlete, their Brand is not just about how they play the game. When Kobe got in legal trouble, it was off-court antics that threatened his Brand. How a mega star athlete dresses either enhances or hurts their Brand. To Protect Your Brand, attend powerful meetings with powerful people in powerful dress. LeBron's T-shirt, sweatpants and backpack did not protect his Brand. Neither did his refusal to return owner Dan Gilbert's calls, make a decision in a timely manner, flirt with six cities and give them false hope.
2. Chosen One-Third
LeBron has a tattoo that says, The Chosen One. When he chose to come to Miami, he chose to be one of three. So now he is the Chosen One-Third. He prefers to play as one of the guys rather than stand above the team. Nike did not pay the LeBron Brand 90 million to be a follower.
3. We Were All Witness to a Debacle
"Witness" was a ten story, 212 foot wide Nike Billboard that stood as a testimonial to those who were "witness" to the skills of LBJ. Within days of "The Decision" Nike had removed the sign, the final step in a process to remove LeBron James from the identity of Cleveland.
We are all witness to what happens when a person even an athlete is not told NO. We are all witness to a young man with too much too soon and with poor dierction.
4. From The King to Three Kings
Most kings don't give up their throne willingly. LeBron did. His Brand was King not one of three. There must have been an allure to be "one of" instead of the "one". Let another guy feel the pressure. When you are no longer the man who gets the ball, you are no longer the man. You can't be both leader and one of the guys. You are either alpha dog or one of the pack. Sponsors don't pay the pack dog.
5. Burned Bridges
As far as bridges go, LeBron said, burn baby burn.
Perhaps there is a good reason no athlete ever went on national TV to announce "the decision." Besides burning jerseys, there were a lot of burned bridges in Cleveland.
Leslie Ungar
President
Electric Impulse Communications, Inc.
Akron, OH
330-668-6569
