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Where brand leaders meet
We can’t have a conversation about the personal brands of famous Seattleites without talking about one of our most famous and beloved sports heroes, Ken Griffey Jr. Since the news broke that Griffey would be returning to the Seattle Mariners—after leaving us in 1999—a wave of elation has swept through the city.
What is it about #24 that has us so excited about his return? Pushing 40 and riddled with injuries, do we truly believe that he will make a strong contribution this season? Or is it the nostalgia for the good ole days of Mariners baseball that gives us a new sense of hope for the team–the days when every car with a Washington license plate had a “You Gotta Love These Guys” bumper sticker?
What do you think differentiates Ken Griffey Jr. from all the other famous Mariners and MLB players alike? What do you think he represents for Seattle—the heart of his personal brand?
-Hiley Spaet
One Response to “What makes the ‘Kid’ so special?”
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March 27th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Junior’s brand development in Seattle was much like his swing, effortless and genuine. In his time with Seattle, there was a permanent grin on his face. Whether it be from laughing with teamates while Lou Piniella kicked dirt on umpires or grinning while running back from center field after robbing a home run. Because he was just a kid when he became a star, everyone knew the real Junior. He never tried to be anyone else and became a fixture in the community.
During his 11 years with the Mariner’s, Griffey was the biggest superstar in sports not named Jordan, and he was all Seattle’s. He led the team on a miraculous comeback over the Angels in the 1995 season and defeated the Yankees in the ALDS sliding home with the winning run.
Griffey’s legacy in Seattle is Safeco Field. Because of the Mariner’s heroics in the late summer of 1995, the Washington State Legislature called a special session and authorized a revenue package that led to what we now call Safeco Field. Without a new stadium, the Seattle Mariners would have been the Tampa Bay Mariners.
Mariner fans were heartbroken when Griffey left Seattle, after only playing 1/2 a season in the Safe. But true to his brand, he didn’t leave because of money. In fact, he took much smaller contract and moved back to his home town in Cincinnati.
In his first game back to Safeco, Griffey returned to a hero’s welcome. Fans clamored for his return and the Mariner’s management listened, bringing him back for the 2009 season. The jubilation of Mariner fans is less about his ability to help the club this year but more about him finishing his career where he belongs, as Seattle’s Kid.