Marketing 101: A whiffy sport?

[FromTheGrassyKnoll]

BOF
BO

Is it just me or do these names just not work in our favour?

[Steve]

BOF
BOFF
BOFFIN!

FIFA
FIFI but nobody thought of that one either

[PorkyFatBoy]

Sorry to be Berty Boring on a Friday afternoon, but this was in the Coach's Newsletter, sent yesterday...

USE OF ‘BOF’ (has been referred to as ‘boring old fa…!) AND ‘BO’!
For your interest: All the British Orienteering Federation staff have recent received a communication from Caroline Povey our Marketing Manager which reads:

Dear All
As you are aware we changed our corporate identity in June and as part of this we removed the word Federation from our logo. The main reason for removing Federation was to:
- Modernise the image of our National Governing Body
- Raise the profile of orienteering by removing BOF from communications
To clarify, we are still registered as the British Orienteering Federation Ltd but referring to BOF does not raise the profile of the sport to the general public. BOF or indeed BO has no meaning with regard to orienteering for anyone external to the sport. If we are going to raise awareness of our sport, then we must use the word orienteering wherever possible. Removing BOF from external communications is particularly important, but I would appreciate it if staff/committees could set a precedent by using British Orienteering in all communications.
It is requested that in any communications you refer to:

- The National Governing Body as “British Orienteering” not BOF and certainly not BO.
- The office as “The National Office” or "The British Orienteering Office" not “BOF Office”,
- The website as “The British Orienteering Website” not “BOF Website”
- Procedures, Rules, Guidelines etc as "British Orienteering guidelines etc" not "BOF Guidelines"
- "British Orienteering Membership" not "BOF Membership"

The above is just a few examples. There is always a way to remove BOF from a sentence.

[RJ]

Personally, I feel more comfortable when saying our club is part of British Orienteering!

We just need to look at club names without the "club" in the title.

[Marco Polo]

Personally, I feel more comfortable when saying our club is part of British Orienteering!

We just need to look at club names without the "club" in the title.

Possibly, I think QUBOC made a good move in renaming themselves as 'The OC!' Does that count as not having 'club'in the name?

[Adventure Racer]

We just need to look at club names without the "club" in the title.

That would surely just result in another BO

[FromTheGrassyKnoll]

"BOF or indeed BO has no meaning with regard to orienteering for anyone external to the sport. "

True. But they do have non-orienteering meaning; probably best to avoid any name that when abbreviated has a negative alternative.

BO is a natural abreviation of "British Orienteering"

The rebranding can't be going very well... the BOF sorry BO homepage, says "BOF: Welcome To BO..." in the title (shown on the frame of my browser) and the address if for "BOF Office".

Car Stickers... there must be some possibilities... "Running with BO"...

or questions at enquries... "Do you have BO?"... "You look like you have BO; you get a discount".

)

[Rookie]

The new Warwick tops will just have Warwick Orienteering on the back, no reference to UWOC or Club

I was a little annoyed when entering the Lake District Mountain Trial that the system would let me put Warwick University AC in full, but not Warwick Orienteering, only UWOC. Not really promoting orienteering and the uni club. Also meant the commentator kept struggling whenever an orienteer started or finished.

this is my personal favourite page on the British Orienteering website
http://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/asp/makepage.asp?PID=BOF

[Nailest]

BOF SELECTA!

[Freefall]

Better being in an orienteering club than a mountaineering club at times. I was in StAUMC but pity Bristol University Mountaineering Club!

[mharky]

The new Warwick tops will just have Warwick Orienteering on the back, no reference to UWOC or Club

Well that's just stupid, you are Warwick University, not Warwick.

[King Penguin]

At least Bristol Uni Mountaineering Club have the cliffs of Avon Gorge on their doorstep - some great climbing there (as long as it's dry). Oxford / Cambridge universities are in a far worse position geographically for climbing.

[HOCOLITE]

Bath clubs revel intitles like BUMS, and BUST etc They are stuents after all

[johnloguk]

At least Bristol Uni Mountaineering Club have the cliffs of Avon Gorge on their doorstep - some great climbing there (as long as it's dry). Oxford / Cambridge universities are in a far worse position geographically for climbing.

Can you still get t-shirts with "Romney Marsh Mountain Rescue Team" written on them, or are they too 70s?

[PorkyFatBoy]

Bath clubs revel intitles like BUMS, and BUST etc They are stuents after all

Just found a 1992 Club list
- Bath University Navigation Society (BUNS)