Marketing The Silver Fern
In Badminton
How Important Is It To Our Sport?
Just how important is the the Silver Fern to our national psyche and our sports teams? The All Blacks and other sports such as cricket and netball have deemed it so important that they have trademarked their own versions of it. Many sports teams even include in their name - Black Ferns (Women's National Rugby Team), Silver Ferns (Netball), White Ferns (Soccer).
It has become such hot property that different versions have been trademarked by sports to ensure that they can use their version freely to help promote their sport. The reason for this is two fold. 1) It is an easily recognised unique symbol of NZ pride that allows the sport to connect immediately with the public. 2) It gives a sense of mana and is a symbol of excellence that can help inspire players, coaches and administrators alike to perform better.
FLAG THIS: One of Auckland's players Julia Yu (Pacific and Year 8 at Diocesan) did some research along with her class mates as part of a school project. The project was around a new NZ flag but it highlighted the power of the fern. Here is what she found out:
Julia's class interviewed over 140 people to assess their views on our national flag and present some alternative options.
The most common feedback they had was that our flag was too close and was often confused with the Australian flag. There were two key symbols that most people related to.
1) Silver Fern - this was definitely the most popular and most identified symbol
2) The Southern Cross
While not everyone wanted a flag change, it was interesting to see the results when people were asked to pick new flag options. The flag options presented were as follows
While there were other silver fern options that were not as popular the research confirmed the importance of the fern to the public's perception of our national identify and an important part of "being kiwi".
BREAKING
NEWS: In
our next mag issue Mar 2009 we will reveal the final
silver fern badminton logo (referred to in August
Magazine).
The one pictured here is not the final version but an earlier version is pictured here the new one has a koru added to the design. Once the trademarking process is complete we will publish it.
Designed by Aucklanders Angela Wei and Claudia Lo this will be badminton's very own silver fern logo.
This along with free trademarking - thanks to Rob Batty and Simpson Grierson - has been donated to Badminton NZ Thanks to Angela, Claudia, Rob and Simpson Grierson for their tremendous support in making this possible. (You can read more about this in our last magazine issue - click here)
It will allow the sport to have it's own silver fern logo and to include on websites etc if we choose to at any time in the future. At the moment we can't put a fern on any website promotion without being at risk of copyright breaches of other sport's ferns such as rugby, cricket, netball etc.
Given the strong association the public has with the fern this can only help us in both promoting our sport and attracting sponsors to it.
__________________________________________________________
Recent Badminton pics and developments from around the world
Dan Shirley Back On Court at the KLRC NZ Open With Olympian Renee Flavell as his Partner
click here for Renee's Profile
picture courtesy of Soon Wong - http://soon.smugmug.com/Sports
the link for his website and awesome badminton pictures
Zhou Mi in action at the KLRC NZ Open on the way to becoming World No.1
Photo courtesy of Soon Wong - check out some more of his great shots at http://soon.smugmug.com/gallery/6539799_xeCPP#415895146_e3QPL
Henry Tam and Donna Haliday NZ Mixed Doubles Pair on the way to winning Waikato International and North Harbour Internationals and also won Oustanding Senior Performance or the year for Auckland and Badminton NZ toured Europe in December and looking to revisit there in March 2009
Auckland U16s and U14s 1 Teams
Win National Titles
Bill Greaves honoured pictured with Auckland Badminton
Patron Heather Robson and Vice Patron Jeff Robson.
The upstairs lounge and board room is now called after Bill Greaves in honour
and recognition of his great contribution to Auckland Badminton Bill has made over many, many years including over 24 years as President.
__________________________________________________________
Competitions Jokes,
Thoughts & Puzzles
|
Puzzle This Here's a puzzle for you told to me by Bianca Yow Auckland 14s 1 - amended slightly There was a person that was: Born before their Father Knocked Out their Brother and Married their Sister Yet they committed no crime nor did anything wrong. How is this possible? Worked It Out Yet?.........Want a Clue? Click here.........Want the Answer? Click here
|
For Sudoku Fans Click here for the puzzle Click here for the answer
|
|
At times of crisis people have two choices - to pull together or pull apart.
Those that pull together often find hope where they thought there was none. They learn things they would not have learned before and are able to provide a better future for themselves and those that follow.
We cannot always control what will happen around us but we can always control how we react.
Cliff Freeman |
From the Desk of Operations Manager Jack Ngametua
Caller: Do you have any free court today? Jack: Yes - what time would you like?
Caller: 2pm Jack: Yes that is free
Caller: Oh I thought we had to pay ha ha ha Jack: Arrgghhh |
Thought for the Month
Jack In The Box|
Inspired by an original idea by Auckland Rep and Pacific Club Member Melissa Chai.
(Open to Auckland Badminton Club Members Only)
This competition will run to the end of March 2009. All you need to do is enter a drawing, picture, photo or art work that has something to do with smashing a badminton shuttle. It could be a shuttle moving really fast, the action of the smash. pics of top layers put together anything.
To enter send your entry to "Shuttle Smash Comp", Auckland Badminton, PO BOX 26-054, Epsom, Auckland / or gmail to shuttle.exp@gmail.com
Note: World Record for a Smash = 332km/hr
The Prize is a free double pass to the movies.
Entry is Free. Plus the top entry will - with the artist/s permission - be displayed in the ABA Main Hallway until June 2009.
Here are some pics below to get you thinking. |
(1) Shota - Japanese Smash Comic Badminton Novice - Finding the Force
 |
 |
The comic is a silent and static medium, yet it can capture the power and speed of a smash. This is achieved by the combination of motion lines and sound effects. More of Smash can be read at http://www.onemanga.com/Smash/
 |
 |
(2) International Players Jump Smashing
(3) More Smashing Pics (courtesy of www.deviantart.com)
___________________________________________________________
Videos - From Around the World
Fun Videos / Tournament Videos
Taufik doing a 305kph jump smash
Woah - Multiple Jump Smashes
Jump Smashes on Both Sides of The Net
Video Links
Great Badminton Video Site - click here http://www.badmintonfreak.com/ .
2008 Indian Open
WS Final - Zhou Mi (Hong Kong) vs Lu Lan (China) click here or scroll down
2008 French Open
MS Final - Peter Gade (Denmark) vs Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia) click here or scroll down
2008 French Opens
WS Final - Wang Lin (China) vs Xie Xing Fang (China) click here or scroll down
WS Final
Zhou Mi (Hong Kong) vs Lu Lan (China)
1 of 4
2 of 4
3 of 4
4 of 4
MS Final
Peter Gade (Denmark) vs Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia)
1 of 9
2 of 9
3 of 9
4 of 9
5 of 9
6 of 9
7 of 9
8 of 9
9 of 9
WS Final
Wang Lin (China) vs Xie Xing Fang (China)
1 of 6
2 of 6
3 of 6
4 of 6
5 of 6
6 of 6
__________________________________________________________
Puzzle Clue Below - stop here if you do not want to see it
Puzzle Clue: The words are not all that they appear to be. Have a look at alternative meanings of the words and what they could mean. (Back to Puzzle)
Puzzle Answer Below - stop here if you do not want to see it
Puzzle Answer: The person was born before his father - before here means "in front of" not "earlier than" so his Dad watched him being born. He knocked his brother out of a badminton competition by beating him in badminton not by hitting him. He was a vicar and so he was the person conducting the marriage ceremony with when his sister married her fiancee. (Back to Puzzle)
|
Sudoku Solution Below - stop here if you do not want to see it
|
