This is a genuine question. Melbourne would probably have had more publicity this year than all other clubs combined (excluding Essendon). Do you think our sponsors appreciate the extra media exposure they are getting or would they believe it is tarnishing their image being associated with such a troubled club? I would have thought any publicity is good publicity.

How's Energywatch doing?

As someone that works in the advertising industry I can assure you that we won't have sponsors lining up to be associated with record losses, pathetic performances and a cloud of suspicion hanging over us in regards to potentially illegal substances.

Good companies want to be associated with success. Our sponsors only work with us because we represent value in terms of national exposure relative to other big brands. We are an option for companies like Opel that want to make a statement on a big stage without having to pay the big prices. If we actually got our act together they'd be willing to pay more which in turn further lines our pockets.

And now you understand why being so crap creates a cycle that is very difficult to escape and puts us further behind the big boys.

As someone that works in the advertising industry I can assure you that we won't have sponsors lining up to be associated with record losses, pathetic performances and a cloud of suspicion hanging over us in regards to potentially illegal substances.

Good companies want to be associated with success. Our sponsors only work with us because we represent value in terms of national exposure relative to other big brands. We are an option for companies like Opel that want to make a statement on a big stage without having to pay the big prices. If we actually got our act together they'd be willing to pay more which in turn further lines our pockets.

And now you understand why being so crap creates a cycle that is very difficult to escape and puts us further behind the big boys.

I would have thought that Opel see us, & the MCG, as being in they're desired demographic?

How's Energywatch doing?

The brand is still going and still selling.... Doing ok

There are a couple of ways to think of sponsorship.

Some companies attach themselves to sports clubs/stadiums/whatever they can get their hands on for initial exposure, for getting their name out there. Think Opel with the MFC, or Etihad Airways with Etihad Stadium.

In other instances, companies are looking to align themselves with something or someone successful, in order to have their brand named and shown alongside their success. The more successful you are, clearly the more companies will want their name and brand associated with you.

Being a poor performing side means you do yourself no favours in the latter market, and you're in essence hoping your timing for sponsorship coincides with companies looking to get their name out there, who will take anything which gives them a latent amount of widespread exposure (as the OP notes, even a crap club gets its name in the paper and on TV). But to be consistently a player in the sponsorship market, you have to be successful.

No one likes to hitch their wagons to incompetence.

The actions of the MFC especially over the past 3 years have made us a running joke and its destroying the brand.

I would have thought any publicity is good publicity.

As the Fonz would say "exactamoondo"

I think the OP answered their own question when they asked it.

No way is the current publicity Melbourne getting helping the brands associated with them. Advertising in a big way revolves around operant conditioning. We form certain associations between certain phenomena when they make us feel good. Looking at one of those bloody press conferences when one of our young captains or coach stands in front of a sponsors backdrop and explains why we have been poleaxed AGAIN can't bring up pleasant feelings in anybody's mind.

Forget this we have to lose to win mentality. The brand of the MFC can't take much more.

No one likes to hitch their wagons to incompetence.

The actions of the MFC especially over the past 3 years have made us a running joke and its destroying the brand.

Destroying,one would think destroyed.