August 16, 2005
UT Whores Itself Out For Cola Cash
(Toledo, OH) UT President Dan Johnson announced today that the school has reached a major marketing/co-branding deal with Pepsi America that will mean visible changes to the campus.
"All of the major buildings will reflect this partnership," he said. "For example, Libbey Hall will now be known as 'Diet Mountain Dew Code Red Blastoff Zone.'"
The University's sports team uniforms will now feature the red, white, and blue swirls of the Pepsi logo, and the team names will also change.
"Be sure to be at Pepsico Stadium September 1," said Johnson. "The new and improved Toledo Sierra Mist take on Western Illinois in the first game of an exciting football season."
Not everyone on campus likes the changes. Junior Will Powell thinks the marketing deal goes too far.
"Naming rights, OK, that's one thing, and I guess I'll get used to the Lipton Iced Tea toilet paper in the dorms, " he said. "But my biology professor has to open and close his lectures with: 'This PowerPoint has been brought to you by Pepsi.' That crazy old bastard never used to even let us bring pop to class!"
The marketing deal also includes the funding of an endowed chair in Carbonic Studies.
Comments:
<< Home
I think that Carbonic Studies is a discipline that examines the ability of purveyors of fizzy sugar water to impose their will on members of a given society.
Good piece, while it's funny, the grain of truth of it is Colleges are finding a way to take this kind of "sponsorship" and profit from it. Given the recent increases in tuition, it'd be nice if they are going to do this sort of thing it would actually provide some benefit to the students.
Eventually most of the colleges are going to be like the pros and the minor leagues where naming rights will be sold. Some local school districts have also thought about this. While I understand the desire to obtain financing, it's sad that it has to be done this way. Whatever happened to donating funds because you thought a school or a cause was worthy rather than having to have something "named" for you.
I'm waiting to see what happens when Hooters wants to name a stadium.
:-)
Thanks for linking me bob, I feel very honored.
Post a Comment
Eventually most of the colleges are going to be like the pros and the minor leagues where naming rights will be sold. Some local school districts have also thought about this. While I understand the desire to obtain financing, it's sad that it has to be done this way. Whatever happened to donating funds because you thought a school or a cause was worthy rather than having to have something "named" for you.
I'm waiting to see what happens when Hooters wants to name a stadium.
:-)
Thanks for linking me bob, I feel very honored.
<< Home
