Crack Open The Safe

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Originally Posted by jaxmc1023

That's the problem when you never do any marketing...

When you finally put together a decent campaign, people assume it must be something huge

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Exactly.

And when you starve your fanbase, this is what you get for normal ____.

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Originally Posted by Cajunrunner

Turbine, I know you do this whole thing where "UL-Lafayette" or "Louisiana-Lafayette" gets changed to "Louisiana" on this message board, but the whole point of the post was to point out what is on our own university website.

Changing the title, that I copied and pasted, from the Louisiana.edu website, defeats that purpose.

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Is academics launching this or athletics?

Historically, money from athletic branding has not gone back into athletics.

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Originally Posted by Million$Mullet

I can’t believe people are really mad at this. Weird

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Seems this is like taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back. They had to mention USL and SLI? Just My View.

Trying to look at it like this. Many other universities have this. Our name game is won at least with the conference and the major networks that show our name on the ticker. Louisiana across the fields we play on.

. . . Then we have the name that comes up in general conversation with people that are stuck in the past or are jerks. No, this does not help with that.

…but, get some money, get people wearing anything Cajuns out there and have fun embracing the past.

I’m buying some and my UL gear budget is over the balance this year. Doing it anyway.

I wanted to share my twitter thoughts with you guys.

First off, there was speculation that this announcement could be the return of Cayenne. Which, as the Albineaux guy, I would have been ok with. I’m a something is better than nothing kinda guy if there is commitment to that something.

I would disagree with the product but products can be improved to a point. But that was not the announcement. What we got was something that feels…out of order.

They framed this as a “we listened to you” decision and that is kinda true. Vintage is very hot right now. But I would have liked to see the uni address the elephant in the room before creating more confusion with branding. Add on what’s really hot rn is vintage “style” clothing and authentic aged vintage. This kind of lives in between those categories.

Homefield Apparel is the biggest example of the first category. Look at their mission statement. They study to create something NEW that looks vintage. That’s what makes it cool. Vintage Louisiana is taking old existing images and reprinting them. That’s why I see as an in between.

I don’t hate the announcement. I mean it’s homecoming. It’s our 125th anniversary. This will hopefully make a lot of the fans that went to USL very happy. But us younger fans are still craving something that signifies where we’re going in the next 125 years.

In my next Albineaux pitch, I have a whole page dedicated to new age vintage. I recognize how important it is. That’s why Al has a sailor hat in the shape of the Cajun Dome. I applaud UL for picking up on this market! It’s bit late to the game but they got to it!

So much of the school’s branding in the past year has been marketed towards trying to appease a certain generation of Cajuns fans. We can look at the crowds at the games, and see they’re losing fans on all fronts. Their generation was the golden era of fans so they want to hold on to them. They brought back the script Cajuns. There is more of a regional focus than a state focus in branding; ex: 337 on the helmets, and the Our Town. Our Team. Campaign.

They’re using an old script to see if it will work again. I think the game day crowd at HC will be a good test of that script. If we can’t break 20k on our nationally televised HC against a good SBC opponent then my observation is correct, and the university isn’t doing enough to create new and engage all Ragin Cajuns fans. Or less so not “enough” but they just don’t know how.

Closing thoughts on: I’m never rooting against anything UL does. I hope every initiative works with flying colors. But branding isn’t what has created empty seats, a lack of engagement has. And I hope that gets addressed soon!

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Originally Posted by RaisingCajun08

Mad no, disappointed yes. We were finally getting to a point where people no longer calling us "USL" around town. Now this. We "USLed" ourselves again.

I think the Cajuns scrip merch is great. USL merch, not so much. USL died 23 years ago.

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I agree. It's confusing

Same as "our town- our team"
But call us Louisiana

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Originally Posted by Million$Mullet

I can’t believe people are really mad at this. Weird

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Not mad. Disappointed, somewhat. I like the script Cajuns.

Disgusted, darn right… to PURPOSEFULLY take a step back in the never ending name fight is a bonehead, dumb #%^##% move. But hey, it was REALLY USLing it.

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Originally Posted by CouillonCinema

I wanted to share my twitter thoughts with you guys.

First off, there was speculation that this announcement could be the return of Cayenne. Which, as the Albineaux guy, I would have been ok with. I’m a something is better than nothing kinda guy if there is commitment to that something.

I would disagree with the product but products can be improved to a point. But that was not the announcement. What we got was something that feels…out of order.

They framed this as a “we listened to you” decision and that is kinda true. Vintage is very hot right now. But I would have liked to see the uni address the elephant in the room before creating more confusion with branding. Add on what’s really hot rn is vintage “style” clothing and authentic aged vintage. This kind of lives in between those categories.

Homefield Apparel is the biggest example of the first category. Look at their mission statement. They study to create something NEW that looks vintage. That’s what makes it cool. Vintage Louisiana is taking old existing images and reprinting them. That’s why I see as an in between.

I don’t hate the announcement. I mean it’s homecoming. It’s our 125th anniversary. This will hopefully make a lot of the fans that went to USL very happy. But us younger fans are still craving something that signifies where we’re going in the next 125 years.

In my next Albineaux pitch, I have a whole page dedicated to new age vintage. I recognize how important it is. That’s why Al has a sailor hat in the shape of the Cajun Dome. I applaud UL for picking up on this market! It’s bit late to the game but they got to it!

So much of the school’s branding in the past year has been marketed towards trying to appease a certain generation of Cajuns fans. We can look at the crowds at the games, and see they’re losing fans on all fronts. Their generation was the golden era of fans so they want to hold on to them. They brought back the script Cajuns. There is more of a regional focus than a state focus in branding; ex: 337 on the helmets, and the Our Town. Our Team. Campaign.

They’re using an old script to see if it will work again. I think the game day crowd at HC will be a good test of that script. If we can’t break 20k on our nationally televised HC against a good SBC opponent then my observation is correct, and the university isn’t doing enough to create new and engage all Ragin Cajuns fans. Or less so not “enough” but they just don’t know how.

Closing thoughts on: I’m never rooting against anything UL does. I hope every initiative works with flying colors. But branding isn’t what has created empty seats, a lack of engagement has. And I hope that gets addressed soon!

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Excellent post

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Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

Not mad. Disappointed, somewhat. I like the script Cajuns.

Disgusted, darn right… to PURPOSEFULLY take a step back in the never ending name fight is a bonehead, dumb #%^##% move. But hey, it was REALLY USLing it.

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It’s a step in the right direction. I promise you.

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Originally Posted by Million$Mullet

It’s a step in the right direction. I promise you.

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IMO, this was handled poorly. Instead of just announcing a Vintage Collection, UL should have said in coordination with Homecoming and our 125th anniversary, we are introducing Vintage mdse to reflect our history and provide memories for prior graduates. This is a 125 year celebration of who we were and who we are now, the University of Louisiana.

Something along those lines would have made this rollout more palatable.

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Originally Posted by HoustonCajun

IMO, this was handled poorly. Instead of just announcing a Vintage Collection, UL should have said in coordination with Homecoming and our 125th anniversary, we are introducing Vintage mdse to reflect our history and provide memories for prior graduates. This is a 125 year celebration of who we were and who we are now, the University of Louisiana.

Something along those lines would have made this rollout more palatable.

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So it wasn’t creative enough for you or you just don’t like the USL stigma? Don’t answer that

Is this opening the door to bring back the bulldog mascot?

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Originally Posted by Balanced_view

Is this opening the door to bring back the bulldog mascot?

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Thats my fear.

Over 15 schools have a Bulldog and 42 have dogs in general.

Let them be.

Louisiana doesn't need to be so unique that no one ever heard of the mascot, but dogs are over saturated.

Shirts that show old school in the background with Louisiana in the foreground would be cool. Make the free advertising count for something.

THE BIG BRICK SIGN IN FRONT OF MARTIN HALL SAYS UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE. MAYBE START BY CHANGING THAT.

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Originally Posted by Balanced_view

Is this opening the door to bring back the bulldog mascot?

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It’s better than a chili pepper or some bs white alligator.

Purging my graphical efforts from the past*

In 1998 a lady walked into my sign shop with a black and white drawing and asked me to digitize it and cut her a sticker.

*I enlarged the graphic this morning because in 1998 my computer screen was only 480 pixels wide.

ps RaginPagin.com thrown in this morning.

Keep the bulldog gear and bring the bulldog back. Name him Ragin Cajun 1. If he dies then comes Ragin Cajun 2. Make the USL gear limited time only and quit selling it forever after this year.

. . . nobody else has a three legged dog . . .

LOUISIANA.

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Originally Posted by ManAboutTown

Happiness is slave to expectation. We _____ed and complained about nothing to wear last year. It took a ____ing year, but at least someone made something happen. We can't kill them for not marketing and then get mad at them over-marketing.

Fact is, we're so behind on everything and our fans are so starved for attention, things like this are bound to happen. I'm just going to enjoy my vintage stuff and move on.

Also, go support a fantastic local business that gave up their TSAB license to support UL and only UL. Not to mention, of all the vintage stuff, they have the best, by far.

Absolutely! Embroidery & More - 3010 Kaliste Saloom Rd Lafayette LA 70508

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I'm going check 'em out.

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Originally Posted by Balanced_view

Is this opening the door to bring back the bulldog mascot?

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Why on earth would we bring back a mascot that's also the mascot of LaTech????? C'mon man. If you think this school is ridiculed now......

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Originally Posted by JamesTheJeweler

Why on earth would we bring back a mascot that's also the mascot of LaTech????? C'mon man. If you think this school is ridiculed now......

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For sure. No way.

Nostalgia has a strange effect on us us sometimes.

Louisiana

Nickname = Ragin Cajuns
Mascot = Bulldog
Spirit Leader = Cajuns Chicken/Cayenne


Auburn

Nickname = Tigers/Plainsmen
Mascot = Tiger/War Eagle
Spirit Leader = Aubie the Tiger/War Eagle

Texas A&M

Nickname = Aggies
Mascot = Collie
Spirit Leader = Bunch of fruity guys waving towels


It is what it is people. Embrace it.

I'll be buying A LOT of Cajun Bulldog merchandise as will nearly all Cajun fans. We LOVE our Bulldog!

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Originally Posted by JamesTheJeweler

Why on earth would we bring back a mascot that's also the mascot of LaTech????? C'mon man. If you think this school is ridiculed now......

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Because UL is currently unrelatable to the older generations who loved the Bulldogs, and the "Ragin Cajuns" thing isn't sticking with the younger generations. Y'all always say you want to create some tradition. Go back to the good old days.