In April 2014, amidst the excitement of their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers brand was turned inside out. TMZ had released audio recordings of Donald Sterling (Clippers owner of 33 years) making very offensive, racial remarks. He is heard demanding his girlfriend (alleged mistress) to not bring “blacks” to his Clipper games and criticizes her for posting Instagram pictures with black people like NBA legend, Magic Johnson. The recording (http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/26/donald-sterling-clippers-owner-black-people-racist-audio-magic-johnson/) spread like wildfire, spreading so quickly on the internet, newspapers, blogs and social media sites.
As expected, an outburst of reactions came highly-charged from all different directions. The Clippers organization was now front and center, target of criticism and pressured for immediate action or reaction. One thing was clear — the Clippers needed to rebrand to survive.
The NBA and the Clipper organization’s reaction to the crisis provides us with valuable lessons. Here are some key takeaways I’ve gathered:
1) Strong and Simple Messaging is Key
Quickly responding to crisis (which is also critical), the Clippers launched their “We Are One” campaign. The tagline was simple, direct and effective. The 3 words were powerful and clearly expressed the sentiments of against Sterling’s inexcusable behavior. There was no need for a flurry of messaging or tag lines amidst the information overload that the public and their fans were already receiving. Instead, they needed to make a clear and simple statement.
2) Don’t Underestimate the Power of Visuals
Without a doubt, the crisis was emotionally-charged not only for the fans, but for the players and the NBA family. As a result, there was an immediate need to connect and empathize with NBA fans across the world. A press release or campaign tagline would be helpful, but it wasn’t going to be sufficient. Instead, a 30 second TV spot was released (in partnership wit the NBA) showcasing the unity and support for the Los Angeles Clippers. The commercial was what it needed to be, which was uplifting and positive.
3) Leverage the Power of Social Media’s Influence and Reach
Social media was the platform used by many outraged fans, sports commentators, NBA legends and the global community to react and give their opinions on Sterling’s remarks. The Clippers recognized the key role social media would have in their efforts to rebrand. Posting their “We Are One” images onto their Twitter and Facebook accounts, they were able to garner hundreds of clicks, likes, shares and re-tweets within minutes.
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