Akron’s Latest Marketing Ruse a Hit: When you’re the Akron Zips and a kangaroo named Zippy is your mascot, you need a creative marketing team to instill respect — nevermind intimidation — in your athletic programs. But Akron has struck a well of success with a new slogan — Fear the Roo — and a new line of products that features a glaring kangaroo and that slogan. Coupled with recent MAC championships by the women’s cross-country, men’s soccer and football teams, the Zips are on a roll. Local stores can’t keep the Fear the Roo paraphernalia on their shelves.
The campaign launch coincided with the holiday season and helped produce $100,000 in merchandise sales in December, more than 14 times the total of $7,000 for the same period a year ago. Of course, no marketing campaign works quite as well as winning conference championships, so the basketball Zips now have some pressure to continue the success and force opponents to fear the ‘roo. [12/30/05]
