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Help RnP Pick the New EN Banner....

Folks, it's time for EN to sync up our signage for the 2011 season. After a woeful IMTX coaching support effort, that saw me with minimal signage, I have resolved to get an updated banner. 

You can see the "old" light blue version below, that had the following on it:

  • Affordable Training Plans for Self-Coached Athletes
  • Connect * Learn * Achieve
  • Work is Speed

 

Moving forward, we are looking to do a better job of having a message about the Team that's compelling and inviting. The banner will be used in Team pictures and hung at events, not as much as an advertisement / call to action, but more as a sign.

Our only requirements on the banner are:

  • The web address
  • The red star

So that said...what do you think we should put on it? Please let me know in this thread by EOD Monday (Memorial Day) so I can get to the printer in time...many thanks!!!

Comments

  • I think less is more with things like this...move the Connect - Learn - Achieve to be across the top, above the start, and remove the other print. You will have the C-L-A slogan on top, the star below it, and the website below that...anyone interested can go to the website. Simple and sharp looking.
  • A black banner with red star and white lettering would be pretty sweet. Of course Work Works needs to be prominently displayed too!
  • I agree with Stephen, simple is best. And while "Work Works" or "Work is Speed Entering the Body" are slogans we love inside the hause- they aren't very compelling or even understandable to someone on the outside who has no idea who we are. I had to explain "Work is Speed" to a dude riding up GMR last week at TOC= he liked it, but it wasn't as intuitive as you might think.
  • In my mind, a major purpose of the banner is so that oxygen deprived athletes and confused support people can easily find the EN locale on the course. The colors and pattern of the new race kit are much more visible then the blue-based older stuff. Besides, the banner should match the outfits worn by our hordes out on the course - that will have a powerful message without any words needed.

    Check out the back of the new EN jacket for an example of how it might work. Include the "Team • EN" logo which appears on the race kit and the the new decals and water bottles as well. All our displays ought to synch up!

    I agree less is more in the verbiage - just the web site, Team * EN, and the star (maybe a big one and a few small ones?) are all that's needed, if this is not actually part of a detailed advert message, rather than simply a piece of solidifying our brand.

  • A picture of the crew in there pink speedos would work

  • Posted By Steven Ford on 27 May 2011 08:35 AM

    A picture of the crew in there pink speedos would work



    That would work for something!

  • Posted By Bill McKinney on 27 May 2011 08:37 AM
    Posted By Steven Ford on 27 May 2011 08:35 AM

    A picture of the crew in there pink speedos would work



    That would work for something!





     

    Uh, yeah.  Connect * Learn * Achieve  takes on a whole new meaning under that kind of picture

  • I think everyone is on the right track. Make all of our signage/uniforms/decals/...match in color and Logo. Make the Web address the 2nd largest font on the page and at the top with the star and Endurance Nation being the largest font and in the middle. Place CLA on the bottom.( If you want to keep this as a "passive" marketing piece, I would keep the "Affordable training..." on the banner. That way someone who has no clue about all of this crazy triathlon stuff or is new to the scene can know what EN is about.) Same Colors/Font/Star as our current logo for 2011 season. Size up to a standard banner that can be used at any expo's EN will be doing. I would go with 6' X 30" or something along that size. You may be able to get a discount on some volume, so look at doing a few smaller banners with the logo and web address, then you could put them on a car to use them as a locator for some of the camps and other group events...just a thought
    Good Luck
    Ebe
  • x3 for signage matches kittage.... 

  • Agree on the uniform signage.

    Not sure where you have had these made before, but I have had great experiences and good pricing at http://ocsigns.com/ We had them print wall maps on large format photo paper ( like 60" stuff) as well as vinyl banners with grommets. May be work a look for price...
  • Agree with all above on having the new banner match the new racing color scheme...much brighter than the old one. Minimize the amount of lettering on the banner. If it's a two sided banner, then one side needs to be motivational for the athletes racing (E.g., Stay in the Box!) and the other side focused on the message to those outside of the haus.
  • Another idea...

    In college, my 2 piece band called themselves/ourselves 'Free Beer' for a while. We always had a great turnout.

    Maybe we could use that idea and work that in somehow...
  • Thank you thank you (and thank YOU, dirty Nemo!) image I have sent the link off to Grant for review as he makes up drafts....thanks so much!
  • Stay a little mysterious and exclusive. Don't explain EN or try too hard. Rely upon results and your rep. You have an opportunity to become one of those products that "those who know, know". Not that you asked......

  • I'm for simple.

    Anyone who sees a banner and a group and has had the [insert crude noun here] to get into and through an IM will realize that such a sign and a name like "endurance nation" isn't a sign for one-on-one high dollar coaching. I don't see Joe Friel or Paulo Souza out there with a sign and a web address. It's just inherent in the message.

    Keep the look consistent (even on the outside-accessible web site if possible)
    Keep the logo (star), but that's part of above
    Keep the web address
    MAYBE keep a very short catch phrase (e.g., work works or work is speed)
    Make it eye catching for its major purpose that Al points out.
  • Thanks for all of the comments! My quick notes:

    • PnI came up with Connect Learn Achieve back in the dark ages of EN when we didn't really know what it was going to be. I think we envisioned something more along the lines of a social networking site. We moved beyond that in about 4 months but were stuck with the CLA thing. As we told Grant when he was designing the new kit, CLA isn't nearly bad ass enough for us
    • I'm personally very attached to the "Work is Speed Entering the Body" thing because it sums up so much of what we do around here. And I kinda like that it might make people say "huh?" Like Chris said, if you know, you know. If you don't know, you might be intrigued to find out.

    PnI each go to 4x IM's per year, at which we have 15-45+ people racing and give 4k talks to 50-120+ people per race. We're doing 3 camps with over 100 people each. Now that John is organizing the EN presence at races, a group of EN athletes, mostly all in kit, are making an impact on the courses every weekend vs once per month. The net is that our real-world presence is:

    • RorP wearing an EN jacket and delivering a 4k talk to 100+ people.
    • Walking around race weekend in an EN jersey or jacket.
    • On the bike and run course with the EN flag, in the finishing area in a jersey
    • The not-insignificant footprint of xx athletes and families on the course.
    • 300+ athletes at our 3 camps.

    The net is that what's on a banner is likely just the cherry on top of all of ^this^. I'm all for keeping it very simple.

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