Unleashing the Coach Prime Effect: Branding Genius at Play

This may be a Ted Lasso leadership column, but sometimes, you just have to pause and acknowledge some Lasso-adjacent news. If you’re an American football fan, you’ve likely heard his name: Coach Prime, AKA Deion Sanders, head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.?

Last year, the Colorado Buffaloes struggled with a 1-11 record. What they lacked in wins, they also lacked in media attention. They were, in effect, a forgotten team.?

Enter Deion Sander, Coach Prime, who changed the game with a classic but bold strategy: Sanders saw his team as a brand. So, he double-downed on branding. And he got people talking.?

Look at all the media coverage. I can’t be on social media without constant videos and articles popping up from friends sharing or the social platform sharing because of popularity. Over here, there’s Russell Wilson, over there, there’s Patrick Mahomes, then J.J. Watt, and even Magic Johnson tweeting about the team!?

Coach Prime understands the power of his brand and leverages it to make people want to be part of the action. And the ROI of the media coverage is showing:?

$30: Cheapest ticket sold to Colorado vs. TCU in 2022

$375: Cheapest ticket available to Colorado vs. Nebraska last Saturday.

I’m no Coach Prime, but I’m also no stranger to brand exposure. I’ve built strategies for companies, including Star Staffing — and it takes work. ?

I’ve watched other companies around us fail, not because they weren’t doing good work but because they couldn’t get people talking. So, let Coach Prime inspire you this week to get them talking about your great work.?

Here’s how I’d map out Coach Prime’s winning branding strategy:?

Step 1: Create Brand Power: Bring on high-profile individuals to hype you up. Ask for recommendations. Encourage people who love your work to share it with their audiences. It can work wonders for your business.?

Step 2: Get Creative with Social Media: Coach Prime’s innovative decision to feature social media handles on practice jerseys is gaining exposure. How can you get people talking about you on social??

Step 3: Create Buzz: Take risks. Try planning strategies using the class “yes and” — as in “Yes, we can do this to spread our brand, and what if we did even more?” Generate excitement. It will get people talking.?

Step 4: Back It Up: When the Buffaloes won their first game, it created a viral effect, amplifying the publicity. Once you’ve got people talking, you’ll need to put your money where your mouth is. Not only will it show them they can trust you, but what’s more, it will allow them to celebrate with you.?