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Make Berlino the official mascot of athletics
Berlino the Bear was the real star of these championships
No detailed scientific analysis this morning - rather, some sports management and marketing comment, and a dose of humor. Humor, because we all need it especially when we get involved in charged debates around sex testing and doping and cheating and all the other negative press that dominates sport too often.
But this article, from the Times, is a great read, and clever too, following on from my nomination of Berlino the Bear as the greatest sports mascot ever. Tomorrow, Letsrun.com are going to start a petition to make Berlino the official mascot of all World Champs.
Athletics is a sport whose popularity is on the rise - Usain Bolt's performances and personality have given the sport a health-boost like nothing seen before. In my opinion, Bolt is, at this moment, the most charismatic and recognizable face in sport, let alone athletics, and it's a great time for athletics. Any addition that adds to the value only helps, and marketers should take great credit for Berlino - whether his interaction with the athletes was planned, or something he did, I don't know. Regardless, his 'chemistry' with Rogowska, Nerius, Walker, Bolt and Harting made for some great entertainment. And after all, sport competes with entertainment, so let's celebrate, and let Berlino stick around! (if you're getting this as an email, click here to go to the site to watch the video!)
Ross
3 Comments:
Kind a remind me of a beautiful song of someone riding in a train going west and reminisce his past youth. He ends with "and to grab a thousand dollars above my head, I would it give all gladly of our lives could be like that".
I agree, with one exception: a mascot (surely performed by a trained male) should not exploit its/ his position in sort of sexually harrassing female athletes. (he "paid for" his border crossing in the scene with M. Walker by running into a prop car (I think)...)
But apart from that: great fun!!
I think he deserves some kind of medal for that stack he made into the hurdles!
And Berlino would never do this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_aaYih92ss
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