Belonging Needs: GroupsPeople are social animals. We want to belong. We often identify ourselves as being members of a group, but people differ in the degree of identification with a group. Often, people with low self-esteem can get feelings of self-worth by emphasizing their affiliation with a group, or by being dedicated to a team or to a cause. We choose to identify ourselves with some groups, often downplaying our being part of other groups. Natural groups are those we belong to without choice: race, sex, age, ethnic background, being gifted or handicapped. Choice groups are our voluntary associations: scouts, social clubs, colleges, religions, political parties, occupations, hobbies, and athletic teams. Sports teams are the most visible of the choice groups today. Many people enjoy sports and like to cheer for "their" team. There is a strong degree of identification with many die-hard fans who experience personal elation and or depression when "their" team wins or loses. Such sports obsessions are rather common. Listen to sports fans talk, using the pronoun "we" as if they were the athletes instead of just fans, as if they were the participants instead of observers. The whole sports industry encourages this close bonding, praising fans as the "12th Man" (football), or the "6th Man" (basketball). Teams bring out tribal pride in world contests (Olympics, soccer) when the national teams of small countries becomes a bonding force. In the USA, while college sports go back to the mid-19th century, professional football and basketball were not popular until the mid-20th century when TV was able to deliver large audiences to advertisers. Today, TV advertising revenues are the dominant force in the "sports industry" both at college and professional levels. 30-second spots during the 2007 Superbowl cost $2.6 million for the cost of the airtime alone, not including the production costs of the ads. NBC bought the sponsorship rights for the next few Olympics which they will resell, 30 seconds at a time, to willing advertisers. Examples of the growth of the new sports industry abound. Until licensing and franchising began, if you wanted a Notre Dame sweatshirt, you had to go to Notre Dame to get it. Now, every shopping mall in the country sells merchandise of every pro team and most colleges. Teams are big business and very visible in American advertising today. Audience-centered ads try to associate the product with pleasant emotional feelings of "good things" already liked by the intended audience. Such feel- good ads are often not logical or true, but can be very effective.
|
Key Words:affiliate, affiliation Back to: Audience-Centered Claims
|