25 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

 

The promotion is brilliant 
 

 

I wouldn't called reminding people we've been garbage for 50 years, after a 5-win season, "brilliant".

It's like we're in bizarro Cameron Schwab land. Instead of focusing on the glory years of the 50s and 60s and forcing 19 year olds to wear club blazers, we're focusing on the trash years and releasing documentaries about them. I wonder if we'll get a Chalkboard Tuesdays next. 

33 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

They are making videos to promote the club, the players are the ones who need to perform not the people making the videos. 

You are insinuating that the Players are separate from the Club

We all work together. I know the players have been working hard over summer, but nothing has been achieved yet

6 minutes ago, praha said:

I wouldn't called reminding people we've been garbage for 50 years, after a 5-win season, "brilliant".

It's like we're in bizarro Cameron Schwab land. Instead of focusing on the glory years of the 50s and 60s and forcing 19 year olds to wear club blazers, we're focusing on the trash years and releasing documentaries about them. I wonder if we'll get a Chalkboard Tuesdays next. 

Have I missed something? The doco looks like it’s about the 2019/20 preseason. How is that ‘reminding people we’ve been garbage for 50 years’?

It doesn’t seem to indicate they’ve dug up footage from the 80s.

1 minute ago, Melb16 said:

Have I missed something? The doco looks like it’s about the 2019/20 preseason. How is that ‘reminding people we’ve been garbage for 50 years’?

It doesn’t seem to indicate they’ve dug up footage from the 80s.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/02/06/melbourne-outline-objective-of-to-hell-and-back-documentary/

What I get from that is around the preseason there will be symbolism about the club's broader issues/challenges/failures over time.

7 hours ago, RedBlueandTrue said:

I disagree completely. In a perfect world we would have the luxury of not needing to overhype but in reality we have to do anything we can to sell as many memberships as possible. If we have another terrible season, won't have mattered whether we were quiet or loud now. Have to do everything we can to retain as much of the membership base as possible or we'll just lose more ground.

 

Think the long term members are feed up with all this hype before the season only to be let down, if they want to increase memberships win more than you loose is as simple as that. 

All these videos and docos do is create unnecessary  presure on the club before a ball is bounce. Knock off the weagles r1 and memberships will fly out the door

 

34 minutes ago, praha said:

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/02/06/melbourne-outline-objective-of-to-hell-and-back-documentary/

What I get from that is around the preseason there will be symbolism about the club's broader issues/challenges/failures over time.

Yeah, fair enough. I guess we’ll find out.

1 hour ago, praha said:

No one even really knows what the documentary is about but I agree that the timing isn't good. Comes off a bit patronising. I don't think the intent is to attract new members, this doco is exclusively for those already engaged with the club. 

I work in PR and corporate comms, it's one thing to reflect on down times but ultimately the best PR is when you can relay a victory. Everything else is reactive risk management.

It just seems a tad tone deaf to me. 

My approach would have been a very strict focus on the pre season, looking forward.

You should never make a branded effort to amplify poor performance in this way until you've got the uplift to quantify the changes and improvement. 

It's one thing to acknowledge poor performance during a press conference, in the moment when you're asked a question.

It's another when you make a conscious effort to actually make poor performance a component of your brand management.

The documentary might be really interesting for us diehards but it's still a rather poor PR move imo.

I've never worked in PR. I think it's the opposite to patronising and  tone deaf. I'd find it highly patronising if they ignored last year and that over the past 12+ years we have been to hell and back. Frankly I love it. It acknowledges what we've been through. Face it head on and look to the future. I'm expecting to see the acknowledgement of last year and how hard they are working to have a great 2020 so get on board. Nothing wrong with that approach as far as I"m concerned. Looks like the most proactive thing I've seen the Club do in a very difficult situation where memberships are haemorrhaging. 
MFCSS is alive and kickin on here at the moment. Try lifting the veil of negativity. The Club can’t do a thing right apparently. 

Edited February 6, 20205 yr by It's Time

I recently watched all of last year's Melbourne games again. That was painful. I came away thinking that it's going to take a lot more than we're doing or have done to turn it around. Are we the only ones who recruited a couple of players from other clubs? Or took quality young players from the draft? Other clubs have done the same or better. Sure, we should be fitter this year and hopefully have fewer injuries, but other clubs won't have stood still. I really want to believe we'll perform, but we will just have to wait and see. As for the video, why reinforce failure? Because unless we do return from hell, that's all it will be doing. 

I understand the talk from the club wanting to sell hope, it's a fine line between selling hope and just beating your own drums until everyone is deaf. The pre-season doco isn't a new concept by any stretch, sporting clubs have been doing it for the last few years and it gives people an insight into how things work behind the scene. The title "To Hell and Back" maybe a touch on the nose for the fans given everything we've been through.

Living in the UK it's hard to know but I feel like we haven't exactly been front and centre every week on the news/papers? Bennell has probably been our biggest off season story (and Gawn giving the collective supporter base a heart attack!).

Sweet - we found a way to back up our glorious AFLX trophy with another pre-season triumph. 

Seriously?  If the players buy in to this and believe, then there is no issue.  Nothing to see here.  It is entitled to Hell and Back.  Yes, we have been to hell.  This is not saying we're back. It is making a statement that we will give everything we have to get back.  If we have another poor year, or if we improve markedly, then either way, it will be a story in 2020 and there is no doubt about that. As with other so called journos, Cornes just likes to sink the slipper into us.  He and his ilk add grist to the mills of the stereotypists that believe that we are all snow bound, Range Rover driving silver tails, with a soft underbelly.

I don't give a flying proverbial about what they think ...... and in this particular case I reckon the old axiom applies, that any publicity is good publicity.  Move on and go Dees!!!!!!

I feel sick in my guts agreeing with Cornes.

But I do...

Last year we started underdone, lazy and with an air of entitlement, which contributed to the outcome. This year we're doubling down on that stupidity with a pre-emptive success story. It takes balls, or unchecked levels of ignorance and arrogance to do something like that. Kane said it well, we need to read the room.

Anyway, I don't know why, especially after the horror of last year, we don't just fly under the radar. Say absolutely nothing in the preseason. And I mean NOTHING. Not just some straight bat responses, but a "thank you for your question, but we're dedicating all our energy to combating the horror or last year, together with our recent, substantial, history".

Then come out at first bounce, stealth like, and wallop everyone with all the skills we mustered, and show off the fitness results from Burgess etc. They'll never see it coming because as of right now, we're still a basket case...

... And we said nothing! THEN we make/release the documentary.

#stealth

12 hours ago, JakovichScissorKick said:

Cornes is right.

This is the first preseason I havent given a stuff about...  dont even look at the training photos or reports.   Last season was such a disgrace coming off a prelim that I havent even renewed my membership yet.

Waiting to see how we go over the first month of the season.... in the meantime any words uttered by any player or coach are meaningless. 

Yes they are, but so are the comments uttered by Cornes.

Gary Lyon weighs in.

Speaking on SEN Breakfast, Lyon, a former Melbourne captain, responded strongly to Cornes' criticism, saying the pre-season is about selling hope to supporters.

“Ridiculous and headline grabbing, that is,” Lyon said.

“We constantly are asking for comments, we constantly want players, we constantly want coaches, and you want them to shut up in February?! What are you doing man?!

“You’re going to have a very quiet show if you want everyone in the AFL to shut up! We had David Teague on yesterday, sold hope like you’ve never heard – that’s what supporters want.

“We don’t want them to shut up! We want them to have a voice, we’re a sports station for god sake man!

“If you don’t agree with what they said - which you don’t clearly – then that’s absolutely fine … don’t want them to shut up, then judge them on the performance.

“The commercial realities demand the clubs sell hope at this time of year, everyone does it from the Gold Coast Suns, to the Richmond Football Club, and everyone in between, and then the realities come and slap you in the face when the games start.

“But right now, that’s what it’s about. It’s about talk, it’s about the selling of hope, it’s up to you, Kane, as a media performer then to work out whether or not you’re buying it, and then to hold them to account as the season unfolds.”

From 3:35 approx ...

17 hours ago, RedBlueandTrue said:

I disagree completely. In a perfect world we would have the luxury of not needing to overhype but in reality we have to do anything we can to sell as many memberships as possible. If we have another terrible season, won't have mattered whether we were quiet or loud now. Have to do everything we can to retain as much of the membership base as possible or we'll just lose more ground.

 

This. Strategic marketing has nothing to do with our football.

As fans, we might be concerned about the embarrassment this might cause but the people selling our club don't have the luxury of sharing this sentiment with us.

Regardless of our results, the job of the communications team is to talk up the club and provide access to players.

 

9 hours ago, Fanatique Demon said:

I recently watched all of last year's Melbourne games again. That was painful. 

You did what?

As a dare?

As a challenge on i'm a celebrity get me out of here?

Because you are into S&M?

kudos

I think

To be honest i can't see how the video could be cause any damage or any real substantive risks. 

Embarrassed if we have a poor season because we produced a three part doc called Hell and back? Spare me. The players won't need a video to be embarrassed if we have another poor season  to be embarrassed. Nor will the FD or fans for that matter.

Of course if that eventuates the peanuts in the media will trot out the video for their silly montages but c'mon who cares

So why not produce it. Damage to our 'brand'. Please our brand is already damaged. As if the video (which will be full of inspirational training footage and rubbish music) is going to damage it further. 

Sure the title is cheesy and a bit presumptuous.  But perhaps deliberately so. Look at the free publicity we have got for video content that hasn't even been released yet.

As i have been banging on about content is king. The proof will be in how many times the video are watched. And its not just about increased membership, now or in the future. its also about getting mainstream media interest (hard to do coming off last years results). Tick.

And importantly its also about value for our sponsors. I'll bet London to a brick Jaguar are more than happy about all the free publicity and will be with the views the videos get.

I have been pretty strong on the fact that last year all we did was talk and never deliver, it actually really got to me. But i have moved on, i know it cliched but a club has to sell hope, i cant wait to see the doco, i love seeing players and inner sanctum stuff. I love Hibberd saying its been unbelievable pre-season, i love hearing our coaches are great, i love hearing our draftee's are training well and have fitted in beautifully.

Life's a bit to precious to sweat the small stuff like this,  im embracing it, im excited, i cant wait and if people are bagging us then, it means we get under peoples skin, i like that, Nth Melbourne just said they want to play finals, its hardly caused a ripple. There is talk and there then there is irrelevance.

 

 

Let's say, for the sake of the discussion, no doco has been made.

2020 season starts for us in Perth.  We get flogged by the Eagles and by round 6 we're 1 and 5.  The hounds begin to bay.  Calls for Goodwin's immediate sacking, for the President and CEO to stand down and crisis meetings are held every second day.  Headlines everywhere.

Conversely, we start the season off with significant wins, TMac reprises he last gasp, match winning goal in Perth.  Our recruits shine and young stars take the next step.  Go Tracc.  Headlines!!!!

As I said, either scenario will be news in 2020, doco or not.

This is something that really annoys me about Australian "culture". No one is allowed to seen as confidently backing their abilities or plans otherwise they are chopped straight down. Even being quietly confident is looked down on. It's also a serious issue with Australia in the business space. We really are a society of crabs sometimes. 

Edited February 6, 20205 yr by AllMyTeamsAreWank

17 hours ago, Mazer Rackham said:

The whole thing is noise and performative art and means nothing, as will be shown when the ball bounces for round 1.

We have the right to look forward to a more successful football season and I agree that 'hype' is not necessarily a part of this as it leads to false expectation, and in the case of the MFC, is a very shallow representation of our capitulation in games during 2019. We did little, we got nowhere, we are not yet poised to play the phoenix amid the ashes and residue that we were responsible for and through which reasonable criticism was levelled. However, one must remain bright and continue to hope for a turnaround in fortunes, to  adopt as much positivism as we might; the Club appears to be adopting such an approach; there is largely - and in many forms - a new broom with which to rebuild through a more pragmatic approach to games alongside more versatile preparation and performance. 'Carna Dees! It can be done.

I don’t say it very often, but I couldn’t agree more with Gary Lyons response. 

Look, most members are not as fanatical as most of us on here.  Different supporter want different things from the club. It's mostly designed to attract those that churn their memberships and get the attention of non member supporters. History shows membership numbers will take a dive this year (because of last year) so you need to try something different to try and turn that around just a little.  Winning typically lifts membership numbers the following season but does help with match day gate receipts in the current season. If they can uplift memberships by a few thousand (and thats the best they could hope for if successful) then we get a few hundred thousand in revenue using most existing resources and staff

16 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Norf coach saying they will play finals this year.

Will Corny have a crack them?

They won 10 games finished 12th and had a % of 99.5 - its not exactly an over reach to say finals are possible for them

On the other hand - we were [censored] plain and simple 

 

 

1 hour ago, spalding said:

I don’t say it very often, but I couldn’t agree more with Gary Lyons response. 

gary who. don't think he has a clue when it comes purely to footy admin.

we are not Collingwood who can sit back knowing we have no debt to pay down