This weekend the NFL lost one of its great characters. Al Davis was coach and then owner of the Raiders. His impact on the game was significant. Not just on the field and as a GM and owner. But as a marketer. As I wrote recently, the NFL is the king of branding. Al Davis understood that and helped build the NFL’s brand. He even had some role in creating the Super Bowl, one of the most well known brands in the world.
Among the tributes I saw this weekend, nearly all of them indirectly mentioned one or more of his “trademarks” – frequently the silver and black colors he chose for the team to be intimidating, or the slogan “Just win, baby.” Davis was not just skilled at football tactics, he was a skilled marketer and brand leader.
The Raiders have generated a plethora of protected trademarks over the years [click marks for USPTO records]:
- RAIDER NATION predates Red Sox Nation
- JUST WIN BABY
- THE BLACK HOLE
- REAL MEN WEAR BLACK
- REAL WOMEN WEAR BLACK
- REAL KIDS WEAR BLACK
- RAIDERETTES have cheered on the sidelines since 1960’s
- THE TEAM OF THE DECADES
- BEHIND THE SHIELD
- SILVER & BLACK CLUB
- COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
Description of the mark: THE DRAWING IS A TWO-DIMENSIONAL REPRESENTATION OF THE MARK, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS AND COLOR COMBINATIONS APPEARING ON A THREE-DIMENSIONAL FOOTBALL UNIFORM WORN BY PLAYERS IN APPLICANT’S GAMES AND EXHIBITIONS
As these registrations show, Al Davis knew marketing, he knew how to extend the Raider brand and how to market and protect it. I’m not sure if any other NFL team has created as strong a brand. Perhaps the Cowboys or the Packers
What is your favorite Raider trademark?
