I always associated branding with hard core fraternity initiation.
After looking closer at the origins and considering the sudden use of the word viral, I immediately thought about branding in terms of the Expos logo. What a brillant emblem-logo. The concept behind the design, the colors, the timing of its launch, and I guess most importantly the potential places it could spread.
Until recently, I always confused the word viral with vile or maybe I was confusing it with virus. Now I realize that going viral is a crusade gone right with branding as the means. Or maybe I’ve mixed up the terminology and all will be straightened out tomorrow during our guest lecture.
When it comes to a blog or website, there is the obvious benefit of gaining exposure for fame or fortune, but who needs either? Well, the fortune would be nice. I think the longer lasting effect will be fast forward specialization and as a result a far more efficient and effective production system. WHo knows? Maybe, we will return to a toil and strain lifestyle in home made laboratories.
Take the viral-ness of specialist relievers. Are there any current major league teams without one? We can thank mastermind Tony Larussa for showing everyone else the way. The point is that through the use of specialization relievers, we maximizize the efficiency and effectiveness of both starters and relievers.
There are many who cry cow manure theory and attempt to turn back the clocks to a time when complete games were spelled Jack Chesbro as in 48 of them in 1904. Cow manure theory claims that pitchers no longer work in the off season on farms-shoveling manure and as a result fail to strengthen the periphery muscles supporting the more important ones. The consequence is more injuries.
Anyway, in 1904, Chesbro won 41 games and threw 454.2 innings. I won’t even try to explain that one. It is way ovwer my head. All I can say with any degree of sincerity is that Chesbro was the last pitcher to win 40 games.
These are unbelievable numbers, but in order to determine the pluses and minuses in terms of his contribition to the overall well being of his team, we would have to look at more numbers. I wouldn’t know where to begin, so I am speculating here for the sake of branding-specialization-effectiveness.
I am speculating that there was too much dependence on Chesbro to perform and as a result the rest of the pitching staff rotted away from lack of use.
Compare that to today’s arrangement where a pitcher learns his 6th inning role by rote. Habitual de la ritual has its benefits.
There is a predictability and a comfort, but more than that there is a manager who has identified the best possible scenario for his various pitchers. There is no cap on this specialization…..full moon-rainy night-bases empty reliever.
Sounds crazy, but imagine if them old time Chesbros were alive today? There’d be alot more of them John Gibbons-Ted Lilly scuffles.
Branding expressions or ideas distinguishes one from the other. The consumer or reader in this case has a clearer idea of what to expect from each brand. There is a segregation going on here. It creates a field of specializations. We don’t waste time browsing a plumber’s catalogue when we need varnish for a wood deck. We become more efficient. We have more choices within each specialization. We find what we are looking for.
Steven Myers
