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merry christmas 2016

audioconnell_Christmas_2016

When my family and I moved from Buffalo, NY to Raleigh, NC (actually Cary, NC) this past August, we knew the weather would be a bit warmer.

But going from what used to be Christmas Day temperatures in the single digits and teens to now the mid-50’s shall be something I think The O’Connells will adapt to quite well.

Certainly, in her annual Christmas card picture for you this year, Isabella is loving the warmer weather! 🙂

But Christmas is about family and friends, not weather. Whether (see what I did there) you are a little colder or a little warmer than us, my family hopes your family is surrounded by joy, peace and much love.

Merry Christmas.

–Peter

a free marketing idea for the university of dayton

University of Dayton Mugs - photo courtesy audioconnell.com

Ed.Note: The following is a friendly, open letter to University of Dayton President Eric Spina from UD Alumni Peter K. O’Connell.

Dear Dr. Spina,

First, welcome to the University of Dayton. It’s a nice place (as you now know) and everyone thinks you’ll do great things for UD.

You and I have a couple of things in common. First, we’re both from Buffalo and we both graduated from Canisius High School.

No doubt with all the good things you found at the University, you’ve likely come across some challenges…like big, headache inducing challenges. And I know what’s at the top of the list.

UD’s new sports logo.

It’s awful. You know it and so does the rest of the free-world.

It’s the one the spells out ‘VD’. The V is supposed to be a stylized version of wind or possibly an Indian feather. No one really knows what it is. You’re not supposed to have to guess about logos anyway.

I’m not blaming you…you had nothing to do with it. But you’re kind of saddled with it. On my visit to the campus on Monday, the new logo monstrosity was everywhere.

So, what to do?

Well, evidently the school paid big money to somebody for the “VD” logo. So who ever IS responsible for approving it doesn’t want to be embarrassed for spending that kind of money only to admit defeat in a short amount of time.

Personally, I don’t like to come to a problematic situation like the “VD” logo without a reasonable solution. I have the solution AND it’s a money making solution, at that!

You see those pictures in this post of the UD mug with the last UD sports logo used just prior to the new “VD” logo? The sports logo the basketball team wore during their run in the Elite 8 a few years ago.

I bought that mug Monday night at the bookstore. I couldn’t bring myself to buy any merch with the “VD” logo.

Buying the mug with the nice, old logo got me thinking.

Why can’t the University of Dayton create a, 8-12′ section of the bookstore and a page on the on-line shop dedicated solely to items featuring this last sports logo? Mugs, hats, shirts…whatever! But LOTS of stuff, not just the few measly items I was able to find in the bookstore Monday night. Market it as the “UD Classic Collection”?

Alumni will eat it up! There will be a run on the bookstore and it will crash the on-line store with sales!

You do realize most of the alumni hate the “VD” logo right? The marketing department may say the “VD” logo is ‘widely accepted by students and alumni’ but something tells me the marketing department was in on the creation of the “VD” logo.

Plus, you know how the NFL and NHL play in classic uniforms from days gone by…and SELL merch with those “old” logos? Now UD can do the same thing. So my idea has already been tested and proven successful by the pros.

Everything old is new again!

With this plan, the University of Dayton can avoid the short term embarrassment of having to change the new, awful logo so soon (but UD still should design something new in the next few years), all while still keep alumni happy with the logo they (and everyone with really good eyesight) likes better.

A win-win.

Eric, this idea is yours for the taking! No charge! One less headache for you to worry about.

Hope this helps.

Best always,

Peter K. O’Connell, University of Dayton Class of ’86