A successful marketing strategy in the sports industry is losing, according to Associate Professor of Marketing Scott Jones of Stetson University who presented his most recent research on rivalry in marketing to his fellow faculty members.

“If rivalry is good for a brand, and rivalry forms through losing, do we lose? That’s a hard strategy to promote,” said Jones.

The research that Jones generally focuses on consists of the relationship between consumers and brands, but specifically he works on the sports-related aspect of marketing.

Jones is currently conducting a study on rivalry among athletic teams, and its ability to heighten marketing success. He theorizes that when teams are rivals it enhances the brand equity. Jones explained to the faculty that rivalry does not come from competition alone, but from loss as well. This is hard to market to conferences, considering loss is not viewed favorably in sports.

Through classical conditioning, two college football teams and an athletic ad Jones is attempting to find if a promotional ad could create a sense of rivalry. While the study is still a work in progress, he presented a very interesting and insightful theory on Sports Marketing.

Jones received his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, his MBA from University of Tampa, and his PhD from the University of Oregon. In addition to teaching three courses at Stetson, he has also published more than 25 blind peer-reviewed intellectual contributions. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, the Journal of Internet Commerce, and Sport Marketing Quarterly have published some of his manuscripts.

by  Lindsay Brown, SUM Intern