I’m feeling like a bit of a rant this morning. I know this could well have been included in another thread, but I feel that it needs a little more focus and also some room for ideas from you lot on here. So here goes:
What does ‘Oxford’ mean?
I’m not talking about the historical lineage of the word, of a ford crossing for Oxen, but what it really means around the world.
I'm talking the global brand of Oxford.
Along with Sheffield (which ended up on every knife and fork in the world for a long period of time) and London, Oxford is probably one of the top three most recognised UK city brands globally.
Why? Partly because of the history of industry and innovation in the field of the motor car, but mainly as the location for an institution know for high quality education.
I work in the drinks industry and the protection of the 'appellation' is hugely important. The chaps in Champagne have a trigger-finger for litigation on anyone using the term 'Champagne' (I think various companies, inc Apple have been sued for their use of the word when it comes to describing colour). Cognac has its own bureau, the BNIC, to protect the area and use of the name. Scotch whisky is protected by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) who has a global, legal definition of what can be called 'Scotch'.
All of these are not just protecting an industry, safeguarding quality for the consumer, but also putting in foundations to grow the awareness of their moniker and what it means for the consumer.
However, the term 'Oxford' is up-for-grabs. There is no copyright on it. It has no bureau for protection, nor a legally binding definition. OCC are not going to sue anyone for misuse of the term 'Oxford' (see: the Oxford shirt / Oxford Marmalade. None of which I believe to have a lasting link with the City of Dreaming Spires).
So, we're based in Oxford. A city / region which is as much a recognised globally as Cognac and Champagne and a place on which Oxford University spend millions of pounds a year in marketing, to uphold their reputation as a premium seat of learning. And what does our club do about it, from a marketing perspective? Bugger all, really.
No one, and I mean NO ONE has rights over the word 'Oxford' when it comes to education. Those of us who visit the city on a regular basis will see plenty of language school popping up all over the place, using the term Oxford. In fact, I think there is even one on Oxford St in London which used the moniker.
Yet here we are, sitting back and watching a bunch of (insert non-litigious derogatory term here) businessmen take a very lower league football team from the down the road, who have the same right to use the global brand name 'Oxford' as we do, and pair it up with education to, seemingly, 'sell' scholarship packages to wealthy American jocks whose two boots probably out-number their brain cells, so they can go back to the USA with a bit of paper which has the word ‘Oxford’ on it.
Is it just me, or is this a genius concept?
My challenge to us here on this forum and to the club and the clubs marketing and PR department would be: “how can we leverage our genuine association with a globally famous brand to maximise revenue and income?”
It doesn't take the ownership of a stadium, to do what Oxford City seem to be doing. We have an excellent training facility and a first-class youth development team. When the summer is on, why can't we sell 'diplomas' to wealthy soccer mums in the US / Russia / Norway / China / Dubai? "Come and study in Oxford for a degree in football" costs nothing to say, very little to set up and yet the income from it could be huge. And you never know when you might actually find a star player...! ;)
I'm not condoning the way Oxford City is being run nor the people involved. But I am saying, from a creative marketing perspective, that there is a HUGE opportunity to exploit the global fame of Oxford from an educational point of view, to drive revenue into the club from emerging global markets who have high levels of wealth and want to spend money on historically strong brands (like 'Oxford') and 'premiumise' the idea of football education, off the back of the Oxford brand.
The white space in this area is immense. All it would take is a good, two or three week course to be written and a load of marketing to wealthy foreigners.
I was at Bicester village recently and there was a queue outside the Vivian Westwood shop, who now employ Mandarin-speaking shop assistants, such is the level of spending by Chinese visitors in that one small concession. If I were us, I'd prioritise this and, once in place, start with a pop-up shop at Bicester Village, the second most visited place by Chinese tourists in the UK, to get the first batch of recruits in. If it works, employ Mandarin-speaking (or Russian / Norwegian etc...
trainers on the courses. As the popularity grows, push the prices up. Make some god-damn m-f money! We don’t even need a stadium to do this!!
Or we could just carry on holding raffles for sponsorship each year, to drive revenue and income.
*sigh*
Now, who do I send my invoice to?
Thoughts, please people on how we can best use this amazing global brand that we have on our club badge...
PS- If you needed any further evidence that Oxford was a global brand, visit the Bicester Village website: the first image is of the Dreaming Spires. Now, how can we go away and sell that dream to a football-loving world with money, who all want ‘premium education’ experience for their fashion-label clad kids...