Budweiser Gardens? WTF?

[MolsonExport]

Honestly, I would have preferred Centretown Pawnbrokers Palladium

[GreatTallNorth2]

I think the JLC was the perfect name for the arena, but honestly the outrage for the name change shows how small minded London is. I don't like the new name either, but this is all about business. London has much bigger problems than to focus on this.

[flar]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

but honestly the outrage for the name change shows how small minded London is. I don't like the new name either, but this is all about business.

It is those who think life is all about business who are small minded.

[flar]

Coun. Nancy Branscombe, who said “Budweiser Gardens sounds like a beer tent to me,” said she meant to vote against the deal, but pushed the wrong voting button.

Very clever, she found a way to have her cake and eat it too. I hope other politicians don't catch on to this.

[MTLskyline]

I can't help but think of that episode of the Simpsons when they go to Duff Gardens amusement park.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by flar

It is those who think life is all about business who are small minded.

I'm not sure how you gather that all I care about is business. In fact, if you read much of what I write, you would find that is not the case at all. But, it's only a bloody name on a building. It's not that big of a deal!

London is building 1970's style crap concrete buildings everywhere, has a terrible transportation system, is losing jobs like a sieve and has a mess of urban sprawl. We've got much bigger fish to fry than the name on our arena.

[flar]

That was directed at the people who voted for this change and their ilk, not you personally.

[harls]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

What the hell is wrong with the youth of Canada? We have very good beer in this country, and if you want mediocrity, drink Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian, but c'mon, don't drink the yank horse piss.

It's all about the money, and all about the brand perception. Hey Bud is just as cheap as Blue, but they have those fuckin cheerleaders and that awesome Bud Camp near the airport in Mississauga? What do I care.. I'm 19 and I'll be drunk.. who cares where this camp is..

Wha.. who brews Bud in Canada? bah who cares. ALCOHOL.

[harls]

Originally Posted by mtlskyline

i can't help but think of that episode of the simpsons when they go to duff gardens amusement park.

I am the LIZARD QUEEN!

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Bud is the number one beer in Canada. It usually tops (or ties with coor light) on the Beer Store's top 10 list.

The brew is truly vile. Who the hell drinks it, and why? It is beyond bad beer.

Labatt Blue is nothing special but it tastes like champagne next to the steer piss that is Bud. King of rears.

What the hell is wrong with the youth of Canada? We have very good beer in this country, and if you want mediocrity, drink Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian, but c'mon, don't drink the yank horse piss.

The Americanization of Canadian cultural institutions continues unabated. Whoring Canadian culture for the almighty dollar. Go to hell, InBev.


In other news, Mayor Joe Fontana has been openly musing about name-rights to Victoria and Harris Parks downtown. "Heck, if calling it Coors Light Commons instead of Victoria Park means half a million dollars in revenues for city programs, I am all for it and so too should John Q. Taxpayer," Fontana exclaimed (http://www.lfp.com/news/sellingmygra...rforabuck.html). What else could be renamed? How about Guy Lombardo bridge (Pepsi bridge), London International Airport (Cisco Aerodrome), and the University of Western Ontario (Western U...er wait, that was already done)? "You know, I'd even be open to changing my own name from Joe Fontana to Joe Fanta or maybe Joe Camel for a couple of bucks," Fontana joked. "After all, I still smoke"

WTF? was exactly the first thought that ran into my head when I read about the proposal to rename the JLC and call it Budweiser Gardens. The owners of the JLC have just gone and destroyed whatever goodwill they had developed from the John Labatt name.

I sense that the JLC isn't doing all that well, apart from the revenues brought in from Knights games, and the owners are looking for some fresh juice or 'buzz' to goose the revenues up a bit.

As to Budweiser beer, yes, it is 'horse piss'. When I was a young lad, I sampled a bottle of Bud and found it to be utter swill. But Bud is representative of the way our American cousins can sometimes be: flavourless, lacking in substance, and ultimately insipid.

I'm also mystified as to why my countrymen like such a crappy beer. I too, am disturbed by the increasing Americanization of Canadian culture. A couple of classic cases in point that reflect that Americanization can be found in the way a lot of Canadians under 30 seem to have adopted American accents and say 'zee' and instead of 'zed'. It really grates on my nerves.

But this is what happens when people refuse to develop a coherent identity for themselves. Go around the world, and you can readily identify a German or a Brit. But good luck identifying a Canadian, because everyone thinks we look and sound like Americans.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Stevo26

But this is what happens when people refuse to develop a coherent identity for themselves. Go around the world, and you can readily identify a German or a Brit. But good luck identifying a Canadian, because everyone thinks we look and sound like Americans.

You've got that right. Where I currently work, many people have mistaken me for an American.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

I'm not sure how you gather that all I care about is business. In fact, if you read much of what I write, you would find that is not the case at all. But, it's only a bloody name on a building. It's not that big of a deal!

London is building 1970's style crap concrete buildings everywhere, has a terrible transportation system, is losing jobs like a sieve and has a mess of urban sprawl. We've got much bigger fish to fry than the name on our arena.

This is sort of my attitude towards the whole thing. I think it's an utterly stupid marketing move, but it's not going to be my loss. Someone else will be jumping out of a window or hanging themselves in their closet over this inevitable failure. Perhaps council could put the same energy towards debating something like, oh, the Windermere Bridge.

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Who voted in favor? 12 to fucking 3. Sell their grandmothers for a buck. How low can you go? JLC is first and foremost a HOCKEY arena. Hockey is as Canadian a thing there is. Labatt is local, and for more than a century, a community pioneer and philanthropist family.

They were also instrumental in getting the 402 re-routed, which royally screwed the entire city further down the line. They were obviously concerned with the welfare of others until they were affected personally. As an outsider to London, I can say I find the whole Labatt culture to be extremely overrated- the current company would move out of the city in a heartbeat if they could justify it.

Originally Posted by Stevo26

As to Budweiser beer, yes, it is 'horse piss'. When I was a young lad, I sampled a bottle of Bud and found it to be utter swill. But Bud is representative of the way our American cousins can sometimes be: flavourless, lacking in substance, and ultimately insipid.

Funny, I get the same impression of them when I watch their TV shows or drive their cars. Anyone who has ever been forced to watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager or had to live with a Ford Taurus for any length of time will know what I'm talking about.

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I vote for the Facebook Centre...wait, Facebook is addictive and takes people away from face-to-face communication.

How about Toyota Gardens...wait, cars cause pollution and accidents.

Kidding aside, at least the JLC wasn't originally called Caterpillar Centre...I'm sure City Council (and most Londoners) would've been glad to change that to Budweiser Gardens.

Caterpillar Gardens. Or the Ford Centre (alt. Crown Victoria Arena). Any one would be suitable for a hockey arena in this region

[MolsonExport]

News Local Crews replace John Labatt Centre sign with new Bud Gardens moniker
http://www.lfpress.com/2012/09/17/cr...ardens-moniker

Barf

canoe

LFP poll:
What do you think of the arena's name change?
Thursday, September 20, 2012 (as of 850am)

Vote or view results

15% 232 votes I'm fine with it
63% 977 votes I hate it
22% 350 votes Who cares?

Absolutely not scientific, but safe to say, by and large people hate it.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Absolutely not scientific, but safe to say, by and large people hate it.

It doesn't matter. They want to brand the arena with a name that will be known the world over for the World Figure Skating Championships next year. John Labatt doesn't primarily reference to a brand, and even if it did many people around the world may not know what it is.

Marketing, that's what this all comes down to.

[LondnPlanr]

Originally Posted by haljackey

It doesn't matter. They want to brand the arena with a name that will be known the world over for the World Figure Skating Championships next year. John Labatt doesn't primarily reference to a brand, and even if it did many people around the world may not know what it is.

Marketing, that's what this all comes down to.

Bingo.

I don't understand why people are getting so upset about this. It's going to be referred to as the 'JLC' for years to come. Just ask Rogers Centre/SkyDome...

I didn't see anyone else ponying up more money to name it something else. So people wanted the City to step in and name it something more 'local' friendly by using taxpayer dollars? Or how about a company from out of town comes in, and throws their money at the rink, and then it's the 'RIM Arena' or 'ArcelorMittal Gardens'. Think of the arena in Boston, which is named 'TD Gardens' - oh yes, the arena is Boston actually has another city's NAME in it. It could be much, much, much, much worse.

Regardless of how the beer is viewed by beer snobs and local complainers, Budweiser is brewed here in London by Labatt's Brewery, and it is a VITAL brand to keeping the brewery running full steam ahead.

Let it go, already, and just call it the 'JLC'. Everyone will know what you're talking about!

[MolsonExport]

Of course it comes down to marketing. This is patently obvious to me, a marketing professor. That does not mean I need to rejoice in the choice of brand (an American label of piss-poor beer), nor in the increasing generic urban fabric of London. I felt the same way when the Molson centre in Montreal (my hometown) was rechristened the Bell centre (despite both being MTL-based firms, I have always loathed Bell-the world leader in terrible customer service). Same thing when the (legendary) Montreal Forum was gutted, and renamed the Pepsi Forum (as if that is going to make me drink more pepsi). If most locals dislike the rebranding (here's looking at you "Western University"), it suggests the potential for poorly conceived marketing. The empirical literature on rebranding is quite clear: most efforts fail to achieve stated objectives. In addition, the "mere exposure effect" (see psychology and marketing literature) is extremely overestimated, especially given the excessive marketing clutter of contemporary times. I actually conduct research on this.

And let us not forget, it is the city of London that is claiming benefits, which my calculations show on the previous page, are extraodinarily mediocre at best. In exchange for selling your soul.

See Neil Young (this note's for you).

[flar]

Of course it's marketing. Everyone knows that. I just don't give a shit about marketing and lament that fact that marketing has taken over practically everything in our lives.

EDIT: looks like we think alike, ME

[LondnPlanr]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

...(an American label of piss-poor beer)...

I'd rather drink a Bud/Bud Light than any of the other big brands, that's for sure. I don't think it's 'piss-poor' at all, but I rather like it.

Anyway, I don't see what that has to do with anything. Budweiser/InBev/Labatt put up the money, used their naming rights privileges, and here we are. I could care less. I'll still be calling it the JLC for months as I get used to it.

[MolsonExport]

• Video Link

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by LondnPlanr

I'd rather drink a Bud/Bud Light than any of the other big brands, that's for sure. I don't think it's 'piss-poor' at all, but I rather like it.

Anyway, I don't see what that has to do with anything. Budweiser/InBev/Labatt put up the money, used their naming rights privileges, and here we are. I could care less. I'll still be calling it the JLC for months as I get used to it.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course. Some people like Nickelback, some people like Bach. There is Kool-aid for some and cognac for others.