Branding Gets Personal For U of O Athletes
Division Street’s Personal Branding Workshops offer U of O athletes a brand new opportunity.
U of O athletes have plenty of experience honing the unique talents and attributes that allow them to compete successfully in their sport. But when it comes to establishing a personal brand in the competitive world of marketing, most are still novices.
Or at least they were.
In October, Division Street offered all Oregon Duck student-athletes an exclusive opportunity to attend a Personal Branding Workshop led by Jordan Rogers, a NIKE Brand Marketing alum who has helped build brands for some of the most iconic athletes and entertainers in the world.
During the class, over 200 students representing every sport at the University, were asked to explore what makes them unique and compelling as individuals, focusing on the three elements of a successful personal brand: being Distinct, Defined and Real.
Jordan even raised the provocative question “Can your sport be the least interesting thing about you?” sparking lively discussion about how sharing interests, talents and struggles outside of one’s sport can help athletes connect to people and create their own unique brand.
Finally, Jordan challenged attendees to give back to others, and offered three fundamental avenues this can take, buy sharing their Time, Treasure or Talent.
“I really appreciated that (the workshop) covered not just how to go about marketing yourself, but also how to think about giving back or paying it forward.”
The workshops marked the initial foray into the educational aspect of Division Street’s mission to serve all U of O student-athletes.
And while the practical goal was to provide valuable insights into establishing their personal brands, the event’s larger goal was to help them develop tools that they could apply throughout their lives.