News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...


By St. Fly
May 26 2014

As we build up the the biggest match this season, our Fly on the Wall, St Fly, has managed to jot down the salient points from the Sarries Marketing meeting this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Saracens Marketing Meeting

 

Attending, Tom, Dick and Harry

 

Tom:  OK boys, we have a big match coming up on Saturday and we need to come up with something very innovative to make our fans buy tickets and cheer the team on.

 

Harry:  Rob, they have been buying tickets, we have nearly sold out our 8,000 allocation in 2 weeks.

 

Tom:  Saints sold out their's in 8 hours.  Some of our allocation has been going to an NN postcode.

 

Dick:  Boys don't worry about that.  Our fans were so positive we would be at Twickers, I bet they had already bought them from ticket master.

 

Tom:  Good point Dick.  Let's move on to how to get them to cheer the team on. Now, we don't have access to the tanoy, so that causes us a number of problems. 

 

Harry: Problems Tom

 

Tom:  Yes Harry.  Think about it.  On average we remind our fans to STAND UP FOR THE SARACENS every 3 minutes.

 

Dick: More than every 3 minutes Tom if there are a lot of breaks in play.

 

Tom: Quite right Dick.   So what can we do?

 

Harry:  Any chance of getting the fat lady back

 

Tom:  She did the Atkins diet

 

Dick:  What about giving out some bibs with the words Stand Up printed on them?

 

Harry:  Like the tabards we did a few years ago

 

Dick:  Yes, that's what I am thinking of.

 

Tom:  I like it.  Maybe we could offer fans their money back on their match ticket if they send a photo of them standing up next to Gavin in Twickenham.

 

Harry:  Don't think the Saints have Gavin, I think he is still in Bath

 

Tom: Well maybe standing next to any one orange?

 

Dick:  Do you think that is going too far?

 

Tom:  You know what we say here Dick?

 

All : LOL You can never go too far, there is only one thing worse than being talked about. (que laughter) that's not being talked about. Ha ha 

 

Tom:  OK, done, I will get graphics onto the posters, web etc.  Now it goes with out saying that we will give every fan 3 flags each.  Did you order them Dick?

 

Dick:  Yes I ordered 9,000.  

 

Tom :  Nice work Dick.  Now what about getting the fans to sing and be vocal.

 

Harry:  have to get them hammered again?

 

Tom:  Naturally.  Let's organise another gathering.  I think we almost have a tradition of doing that when playing the Saints

 

Dick: What, you mean we have a tradition now?

 

Harry:  Does that mean we are a proper Rugby Club now?

 

Tom:  Boys, stop getting carried away.  We don't need to have traditions or be proper.

 

Harry and Dick : why Tom?

 

Tom: Because we are SPECIAL

 

Harry and Dick: ahhhhhh

 

Tom: We need to wrap things up quickly now, as I have still got to order some coaches for Twickenham for the fans.  We need a campaign hashtag.  "Something Special" was a bit last year.  Harry, what are you doing?

 

Harry:  I am on the Saints web site.  Thought as we nicked Ulsters promo vid this season, we could nick Saints hashtag.

 

Dick: Inspired, what is it?

 

Harry: It's Our Time

 

Tom: That's great, done.  It's Our Time.  I like it.

 

ALL:  LOL You can never go too far, there is only one thing worse than being talked about. (Cue laughter) that's not being talked about. Ha ha 

 

 

St Fly

26 May 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: ComeOnYouSaints.com (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 21:05

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Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: ChrisG (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 21:12

Haha!

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Bernie (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 21:19

thumbs down

Per Ardua Ad Astra

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Saint Tim (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 21:33

very funny.

I wonder how long before we get a post from the Barnet Internet troll - sorry policing brigade winking smiley

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Tetleys Block F E143

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Hav,im (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 22:36

Brilliant

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: X-Block Dave (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 22:39

Brilliant (Sm160)

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Paul Flatt (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 22:39

#BleedingBlack

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Phil. (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 23:10

Nice one!

For a natural pessimist, I am quietly confident. Eek! (Sm8)

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: JohnI (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 23:15

So what are they going to do with the other 3000 flags if all their fans are having 3 each???? (Sm126)

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: #wolfpack (IP Logged)
Date: 26/05/2014 23:58

Brilliant. Hilarious. Oh I'm still laughing. Oh you guys. Oh you do need to behave yourselves. Comedy gold right there.

Yawn. I'm glad our club gives you such giggles.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: ChrisG (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 01:20

Intended target hit! #1

Though perhaps you should change your moniker to #icepack because last Saturday your much self heralded defence froze...

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St Marlowe (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 07:32

Nerve. Touched.

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St. Andy (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 08:00

Quote:
#wolfpack
Brilliant. Hilarious. Oh I'm still laughing. Oh you guys. Oh you do need to behave yourselves. Comedy gold right there.
Yawn. I'm glad our club gives you such giggles.

Giggles? no not really. But if you are going to endlessly set yourself up with marketing gimmicks, each in my opinion showing varying degrees of disrespect to your opponents.

And for your club to pretend that it has some special team ethos that no one else can match, when the reality is that you have a better team than nearly everyone else simply because you have spent more money than nearly everyone else, then don't be too surprised when others show you slightly less respect and take the mickey out of the club.

If you don't like it I suggest you stay off other clubs websites. I dont go on your because to be frank I now find the whole South African billionaires marketing experiment somewhat tiresome.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:27:08:06:20 by St. Andy.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Connorman (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 08:18

Crikey, StA, that's fairly hard-hitting. Your opinion and that's fair enough, but personally, I don't have any issues whatsoever with Saracens doing what they think they need to, to inspire their team and supporters and I don't see any disrespect to other teams.

In fact, after my fist visit to AP earlier this season, I would suggest the opposite - the respect and friendship extended to visiting supporters was exemplary.

And as for the money thing, I'm afraid until any club is proven to have broken the cap, it's not good form to accuse without evidence (purely in my opinion, of course).

Just when the supporters seemed to be getting on so well (see TOKS comment), this whole thread makes me very slightly uncomfortable. Hey ho, probably just me.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: ChrisG. (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 08:44

The original item is banter, a tongue in cheek poke at the Sarries marketing team and especially their hijacking of the Saints 'Its our time' tag in their latest press release, lets not turn it into a mudslinging fest.

Though of course the greatest form of flattery is imitation...

It also costs nowt!

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: saracens4life (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 08:56

very good! thumbs down

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: #wolfpack (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 09:29

St Andy - repeating the normal guff we hear all the time from individuals who haven't really thought about what they're saying.
So here you are - hopefully this will make you understand:

Marketing ploys

Yes, we know they can sometimes appear crass and no doubt amusing because it looks like the club is flogging a dead horse. But they have to do this.
In Northampton you have one of the top 3 rugby teams in England for the last 5 years or so. And a football team that plays in League 2.
In North London we have one of the top 3 rugby teams in England for the last 5 years and now one of the top 4 teams in Europe. And two football teams that are two of the biggest sporting brands in the World.
The difficulty in attracting sports fans when Arsenal and Spurs are on your doorstep cannot be underestimated. Add that to the fact until last season we were playing in Watford which is a truly horrible ground, and its easy to see why we struggle. We didn't sell out our semi final against Quins this year but sold out plenty of league games. Why? Simply because Arsenal were playing in the FA Cup final that day. So we have to try all these things to get bums on seats. Think of the other clubs with big support - Bath, Leicester, Gloucester, yourselves - they either don't have football teams or their football teams aren't a pinch on the pulling power of Arsenal or Tottenham. Look at the other teams that struggle for attendance - Sale and Newcastle. Common denominator?
Not every club is as lucky as yours to not have a world class football team round the corner and to have had a ground around which to build a supporter base for who knows how long.

Team Ethos
Who knows? All the bonding trips seem to work. No senior player has left Saracens for a very long time. That is certainly not how it used to be when we were just a feeder club for bigger and stronger teams. Only Richard Hill and Kieran Bracken stayed. Now no one leaves.

Buying a team
Here's the big one everyone pokes us for. It's something I find quite funny because when the England squad is announced suddenly all our 'big name big money stars' are all rubbish and should never play at all, but come premiership time they're world class and shows Saracens must be cheating.
You recon Barritt commands a better salary than Burrell? Fraser commands a better salary than Wood? Mako commands a better salary than Corbisiero? Botha commands a better salary than Lawes? Oh well, get them into the England side as soon as possible if they are good enough to demand more money, right?
And I'm sure George North - probably the biggest star in the Premiership - plays for peanuts. Corbisiero and Fotouali'i rocked up at the same time, probably for free right?.
Have you questioned Gloucester yet? A year after signing Morgan and Kvesic they've run off and got Afoa, Hibbard, Laidlaw. Or Bath? With their signings of everyone.
We get unneccesary stick for this. If you look at the signings we make, only ONE has been a really really big name - Ashton (thanks by the way, he's been very good). JJ is reputedly playing for £500 more than he was at Quins, but we helped him set up his pie business so he came here. It's well known Billy came to play with his brother, not for money.
We sign washed up international players (Hodgson, Wigglesworth, Borthwick, Strettle, Stevens), players from lower leagues (Vunipola, Barrington), have an excellent academy (Kruis, Fraser, Farrell, Goode) and others who no one has heard of until we sign them (Brits, Barritt, Botha - who was removing asbestos until we gave him a go). I think the misconception of us buying a group of superstars is very silly. Especially from a group of fans whose club splash the cash as much as anyone - and good luck to you for doing so. If you have it, why not spend it. I certainly don't begrudge you George North.

Anyway sorry that's so long. Just thought St Andy and the wag who created this post needed an education. See you on Saturday.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Bob Stainsby (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 09:43

Fair enough Wolfpack personally I can/have been able to see the reason for the above and some I have applauded, wembley for instance, came once razmataz not for me but hey thats just my personal taste but Bravo for trying. As my dear old Nan used to say it takes all sorts. Se you Satdee for a cracker!

Top of the League 2014-2015 Season

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: ChrisG. (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 10:12

Quiet morning in the Sarries press/marketing office then eh #icepack, or is that you again Ed at a loose end, if you can take that much time out to type all that...

And whilst I'd agree the post from StA was a touch over the top in context of the banter I really can't see what you're getting to upset about in the original article, or do you think you're above being parodied?

Seems its a case of of someone thinking oh what a wizard wheeze, lets nick Saints tagline giggle giggle, but when thats flipped and the micky taken back its then all, how very dare you say that about us!!! Lighten up...

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Atomic Wasp (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 10:24

Brilliant stuff. smiling smiley

Cheers

Rick


@W2APS on twitter, the chap with the banners and flags.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: StBleach (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 11:01

Lets not lose sight of our own marketing efforts, im sure i received an e mail advising me that flags were now available for sale from the club shop. What more do you want.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St Marlowe (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 11:23

Last time I looked Sale had a similar football problem. They approach that difficulty in a much more palatable way.

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Casual Saint (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 12:02

Are we not in danger of sounding just a tad "holier than though" in the run up to the game ?

Sarries are a different club, with a different history and approach and coming from a different place in terms of culture and self.

No better, no worse, god knows it would be boring if all clubs looked the same and acted the same. It is the variety that makes the Premiership interesting.

To be honest Sarries can do whatever they want in the run up to the game, that is their prerogative. All I care about is what Saints do, that is my team, that is my concernt. It is when my U13s are preparing to play a game and half of them are looking at the opposition .... don't worry about them, don't think about them, what matters is us, we believe we can win, that is all that matters.

Once a scrum half .... always a scrum half

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St. Andy (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 12:27

#wolfpack,

Funny you seem to have read a lot of things into my posting re expenditure that is quite clearly not there.I chose my words carefully regards this and at no point did I mention;

I did not say that Northampton or anybody else is not spending a lot of money.

All I said is that Saracens are clearly spending a more than nearly everyone else to illustrate the following.

You spend more money ,you get better players, you win more games applies to also to Saints, Leicester, Bath etc. Thus this being the reason NOT some special bond no other club can muster. I wonder why you got the wrong end of the stick?

You illustrate it yourself in your team ethos paragraph that you used to lose players, You say it yourself, you used to see yourself as a feeder for bigger clubs, that is no longer the case, so as players can get the money and medals they want at Saracens they do not need to leave. If however the money ran out would all those players remain because of the team ethos. Doubt it. Same applies at Saints.

As for the marketing as has been stated, the club can do as they like but the marching on grounds, and particularly the parodying the Ulster song and taking of the Saints tag line. All allowed but mildly disrespectful in my opinion.

So please don't say I haven't thought through my points because I had, and you have no idea what I thought.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:27:12:30:26 by St. Andy.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St Marlowe (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 12:27

For crying out loud

Lets not have any fun whatsoever

Lets allow the pinching of our ideas without comment

Lets just shut the site and go home

GET A LIFE!!!!

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St. Andy (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 12:32

As I said they can do as they like. I think the original post is very good, not me who had the sense of humour failure.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:27:12:33:52 by St. Andy.

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St Marlowe (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 12:44

Wasn't aimed at you Andy

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St. Andy (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 12:49

Sorry

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: The Prof (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 15:01

smiling bouncing smiley

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Deesaint (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 15:07

The way I see it is
If saints win,
open top bus through Northampton
If Sarries win
open top bus through ?

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Quin Kong (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 15:30

(Sm160)

QUIN KONG

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Robertquin (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 19:53

(Sm152)

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Coughie (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 20:50

On behalf of 'washed up international players (Hodgson, Wigglesworth, Borthwick, Strettle, Stevens)' I would just like to thank #wolfpack for his very kind words.

BTW I recall that Bath were very disappointed when having assured Matt Stevens he had his old job back, he effed off to us at Saracens. He was, I'm sure, very content with less money.

~ You never knowingly let the facts get in the way of the story. ~

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: ChrisG. (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 21:39

I'd also like to thank him for answering a load of questions nobody actually asked winking smiley

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: St Marlowe (IP Logged)
Date: 27/05/2014 23:11

Quote:
Deesaint
open top bus through
The eye of a needle?

David L

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

- Live wrong and preposterously

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: Squawker2 (IP Logged)
Date: 28/05/2014 10:24

We need to do some more stupid things so as to generate some more jokes - I'd probably have laughed at this some time ago (or winced at the number of fans while at Vic)

I can't tell if you'd look at the open-top thread that was on ours (it might not have been a Sarries fan who started it actually) - we came to the conclusion that a brief trip round allianz would suffice.

As said, give us a few years yet (and obliterate some of this wendyball nonsense)

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: JTD (IP Logged)
Date: 28/05/2014 11:12

Brilliant! Poor Sarries can't compete with Arsenal. Hang on a minute..Quins seem to manage to compete with Chelsea, Fulham, QPR and Brentford all within 8 miles and manage to sell out 14,800. So, just WHY can't they do it? Marketing is over the top perhaps and doesn't motivate people to go.

Hilarious article that cuts to the quick! Well done. Now go and win your first (can't believe that) Premiership title!!

(Sm128)

Re: News: From the Sarries Marketing Suite...
Posted by: derbyshire fan (IP Logged)
Date: 29/05/2014 11:24

Actually, I think you can assume that most Sarries fans were at least a little amused by the OP. Wolfpack posted a good few hours after the OP; and while he was clearly not rolling in the aisles, it was not the least gracious post I've ever seen. He only got worked up when Andy St laid into him - so let's not get too aerated.

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