Vinokourov Tests Positive - Or How To Screw The Brand Of Yourself, Your Team & Your Country With One Easy Blood Transfusion
Lots of times in business you get boring quotes. Same in sport.But every now and then you get a brilliant quote.
Like this one from Eric Boyer, Team Manager of cycling team Cofidis who are currently racing in the Tour de France.
He's talking about team Astana rider Alexandre Vinokourov, one of the pre-race favourites who has just tested positive for a blood transfusion prior to winning the time trial and a stage a couple of days ago.
Eric Boyer, Team Manager, (Cofidis):
"I feel sick. I hope that Vinokourov won't be a coward and deny everything. He said that he worked with Ferrari just for training plans.
He always told us what a brave guy he is, that he is stronger than the pain, that the French ride behind everyone else because they are lazier.
Now we see that he is a big bastard.
These practices discredit all of cycling again."
This is real cycling - 14 yo Jack Sinclair cycles along theroad at Kirra on the Gold Coast, Australia.
It's All About Branding
All of this impacts on branding.
There was a terrific story about the Astana team and Vinokourov. You see, Vinokourov personally put together the Astana team after his team was booted from last year's Tour de France because of other riders (not him) caught up in a drug scandal.
Vinokourov rang the Prime Minister of his home country Kazakhstan and together they built the team and found the sponsors.
Vinokourov was one of the favourites for the Tour de France this year before an early crash slowed him down. Astana, the name of the team, is the capital of Kazakhstan.
It would have been a fairytale win.
No blood transfusions needed for Jack (right) - just a hot chocolate about 40 kms into a 70 km ride and he's happy!
But Now...........
- But now the reputation and the brand of Vinokourov has been forever tainted.
- As has Kazakhstan, as has Astana (the team and the capital).
- As has the brand (to a smaller extent) of the Tour de France.
One brand that has gone up in value is that of Cofidis (and that of Eric Boyer).
There's a guy, and by association a team, who wear their heart of their sleeve, who are passionate about their sport and who want to do the right thing.
Who aren't afraid to speak their mind. To speak out and say what everyone else thinks.
"....he is a big bastard."
Now that's branding!
Brendon
Labels: branding
[ comments ]
Wasn't that the country Borat was supposed to be from? What represents that poor country better?
"My name-a Vinokourov. I like you. I like ride a bicycle. Better with new refreshing blood transfusion. Is nice!"
oooopps! how quickly things can change..
Yes, well that's probably another good point.
The value of your brand can go up and then back down in a flash!