Coach -

We are into the second month of the year, our team identity is beginning to take shape, and what helps that process beyond the smart things you do as a coach to build the culture is to have a brand for your players and your football community to begin to associate with.  

As a current D2 Coach, our team member Trent Kauffman knows first hand the importance of branding and messaging.  He’s curated some great ideas from the clinic presentations we have hosted at CoachesClinic over the past several years.  Some of the logos these coaches wear now are different, but they demonstrated the ability to utilize branding to their advantage in their previous and current stops.

Check our what Coach Kaufmann has put together.

-Coach Grabowski

Building a Brand Identity that Resonates

In the cultivation of a brand culture resonant with both campus and team, the convergence of culture, identity, and brand proves pivotal. More than slogans and logos your brand must encapsulate the essence of your program reflecting the identity you wish to instill in your athletes with elements incorporating the personality of the school.

This process is not a deliberate branding endeavor; rather, it manifests organically through shared values and connections. The brand, far from a static symbol, emerges as a living entity woven into our daily interactions and collective experiences. Anchored in authenticity and inclusivity, the objective is not to manufacture a brand but to foster an environment where individual narratives seamlessly contribute to the larger, evolving story of our program. In this way, we are not merely constructing a brand; we are cultivating a dynamic culture that becomes an integral facet of our program's identity—resonating with energy and unity across the entire campus.

Culture and Branding is headed by many coaches. Some pertain to a smaller crowd like Cincinnati when Coach Fickell promoted “Clifton Style” as their brand. Others are in your face and everyone knows them featuring sayings like “Row the Boat” at Minnesota with Coach Fleck leading the charge.

Regardless it is about buying in and bringing the team into one common united identity.

BAM

Now the Head Coach at Liberty, when he was at Coastal Carolina Jamey Chadwell united his teams behind the idea of “BAM”

Video: Our Standard

In certain instances, a brand transcends geographical identity and finds its resonance in the values instilled within a team. "BAM" stands as a prime exemplar of this phenomenon, where the brand's significance lies not merely in regional attributes but in the core principles it seeks to embed in the collective ethos of the team. This approach shifts the focus from external markers to internal cohesion, creating a brand culture woven with shared values that reverberate throughout the team, irrespective of geographical distinctions.

Be the Alpha

Another example of this is displayed in Coach Sean Lewis’ time at Kent State. Behind the mantra of FlashFast and Be the Alpha his team in one year turned the program around and saw its first bowl win and winning season since 2012.

Video: Be the Alpha Mindset

In the process of revitalizing a program, the transformation often hinges on a deliberate shift towards a narrative driven by the tangible steps of progression rather than a specific intangible identity. This approach focuses on the pragmatic aspects of improvement, emphasizing making strides, strategic planning, even with the evidence not always being tangible at first.

By steering the program through a clear trajectory of development, the identity evolves organically, shaped by the concrete actions taken to enhance performance, foster collaboration, and achieved milestones. In such cases, the identity emerges not as an abstract concept but as a reflection of the program's journey towards advancement and success.

In other cases you have established your program, you are a way into the success and you are looking to continue that.

A slogan may not be the fit. It might not be your personality or others, but there always has to be a clear definition of who you are and what you are about.

A Mission Statement

NC State HC Dave Doeren looks into the qualities that define his pack here.

Video: Mission Statement

In instances where a slogan might not align with the established personality of a program, coaches often gravitate towards a shared goal or identity to define their brand. 

NC State serves as a notable model in this approach, where the emphasis is placed on a unifying vision rather than a catchy tagline. The program's identity is rooted in a collective pursuit, bringing together players, coaches, and supporters under a common goal. This shared ethos becomes the driving force, shaping the program's character and fostering a sense of unity that extends beyond mere words. In such cases, the brand identity is forged through a commitment to a collective mission, embodying the essence of the program's established values and aspirations.

The last part of all of this has some to do with brand and culture but is more so a snippet into operation.

The item that is paramount to all these brands, marketing, and their culture is the idea of buy in. You hear it all the time and from every coach at different levels but, at the end of the day it is the truth. More so the missing point is whatever mission you have, whatever your brand, or culture is positive or negative it is going to be fueled from somewhere top down. Silencing the noise from the outside is a great start, but addressing any challenges from the inside can be a factor as well. There has to be alignment from the head coach down to the players in what is the expectation, where the enthusiasm lies and the idea that there is constant belief in what you are doing.

Prove Us Right

FAU HC Tom Herman presents two videos that touch on the noise and the alignment of a program from his time at Texas.

Video: Prove Us Right

Video: Clear Message

As Always,

Compete!

Coach Kauffman

P.S. Taking your program to the next level is simple with material from this A list cast of coaches. Build your brand here for 30% off with this bundle of clinic presentations.