Exeter brand change was key to success

I WISH to put another side to the opinion of Colin Boag regarding the Exeter Chiefs brand especially him saying it was “silliness” and a “daft soubriquet”.

When I played for Exeter Rugby Club in the late 60s and early 70s we were known then as the Chiefs meaning you were selected to the 1st team and not the A team or B team. The Chiefs was not a reference to an Indian Chief !

I have several Press cuttings saying I or another player was in the Chiefs team this Saturday etc. In my career I then went to work in London as a senior marketing manager. When I returned to Exeter I was asked to help Exeter Rugby Club on their marketing. Those were the days before the club beat Bristol in the play off final to get into the Premiership.

I took up the role of business development manager which I must add was not a paid position. After discussions with the board and members I talked to the local and very small design and marketing company who were already involved with the club. After a discussion, and me mentioning the Chiefs Press items, we decided to use that name as the brand.

At the time many sports teams in various parts of the world were using names like the Bulls, the Sharks and in America you already had a Chiefs brand. The designer hand-drew and coloured the present Chiefs brand for consideration. I remember well making small changes to the logo before we agreed on it.

The Chiefs brand has been a major success bringing much needed capital to the club with sales of shirts and many, many goods.

To change it now would cost many, many thousands of pounds. I can assure you if the club had remained as just ‘Exeter Rugby Club’ as Colin Boag suggests the Exeter Chiefs would not be the major success they are today with a massive support especially with women and children. Our back up team are the Exeter Braves so I suppose they are also a target. Where will this ever end, this ‘silliness?’.