Are Ray Hearn and Tom Doak "household" names?

[PCCraig]

Just a moment ago while listening to ESPN Chicago online (not sure I'll ever adopt the native Minnesota teams ) they played a radio advertisement for "Pure Michigan." It went something like this: "Come play golf on championship golf courses designed by Hearn, Fazio, and Doak."

Sure, we know the names Hearn and Doak on GCA, but have they reached the level of Fazio on with casual golfers as "household" names? 

[Matthew Petersen]

Just a moment ago while listening to ESPN Chicago online (not sure I'll ever adopt the native Minnesota teams ) they played a radio advertisement for "Pure Michigan." It went something like this: "Come play golf on championship golf courses designed by Hearn, Fazio, and Doak."

Sure, we know the names Hearn and Doak on GCA, but have they reached the level of Fazio on with casual golfers as "household" names? 

I'm not even entirely sure Fazio is a truly household name. I suspect Palmer and Nicklaus make a lot more ears perk up.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Ray who? and Tom What?  What do they do?

Melvyn

[PCCraig]

Just a moment ago while listening to ESPN Chicago online (not sure I'll ever adopt the native Minnesota teams ) they played a radio advertisement for "Pure Michigan." It went something like this: "Come play golf on championship golf courses designed by Hearn, Fazio, and Doak."

Sure, we know the names Hearn and Doak on GCA, but have they reached the level of Fazio on with casual golfers as "household" names? 

I'm not even entirely sure Fazio is a truly household name. I suspect Palmer and Nicklaus make a lot more ears perk up.

I know Arnold and Jack have built courses in Michigan (as many GCA's have) but they picked Hearn, Fazio, and Doak to represent the state's golf offerings.

[John_Conley]

The name Thomas Hearn still carries a lot of weight around Detroit.

[Randy Thompson]

Where is Detroit?

[Tom_Doak]

Pat:

That ad campaign was surely influenced by a marketing person who worked for both Ray Hearn and myself in the past.  I was waiting at the Secretary of State's office to get one of my kids their driver's license a while back, and we both heard it, and laughed out loud ... it sounded so forced.

I'm not a household name, and I agree with Matthew, I don't think Tom Fazio is, either.  Plus each of us has done ONE public course in the state.  [I did have two, but one is gone.]  Maybe Ray Hearn is a better choice ... but he's certainly not a household name, either.  At least he and I do pay taxes here.

[PCCraig]

Pat:

That ad campaign was surely influenced by a marketing person who worked for both Ray Hearn and myself in the past.  I was waiting at the Secretary of State's office to get one of my kids their driver's license a while back, and we both heard it, and laughed out loud ... it sounded so forced.

I'm not a household name, and I agree with Matthew, I don't think Tom Fazio is, either.  Plus each of us has done ONE public course in the state.  [I did have two, but one is gone.]  Maybe Ray Hearn is a better choice ... but he's certainly not a household name, either.  At least he and I do pay taxes here.

 

The shared marketing person is surely the answer to the question as to why they picked the three GCA's they did.

However, I was just interested as to if the average ESPN Chicago listener (think one of SNL's Superfans, but better looking ) and casual golfer would have any idea if Hearn, Fazio, or Doak's courses are great, or if it even matters in the advertisement at all who's name is used.

I do like the music they play in those Michigan ads though...

[Dan Kelly]

Just a moment ago while listening to ESPN Chicago online (not sure I'll ever adopt the native Minnesota teams ) they played a radio advertisement for "Pure Michigan." It went something like this: "Come play golf on championship golf courses designed by Hearn, Fazio, and Doak."

Sure, we know the names Hearn and Doak on GCA, but have they reached the level of Fazio on with casual golfers as "household" names?  

I've never heard of Hearn. I wouldn't guess that most people susceptible to a radio campaign for Michigan golf would know about any of them  -- though they might well think: "Those guys must be damned good designers if they don't even need first names anymore!"

Oh, and by the way: I predict that you'll adopt the native Minnesota teams when the Chicago teams suck even more completely and uniformly than their Minnesota brethren. In other words: could be awhile....

[PCCraig]

Just a moment ago while listening to ESPN Chicago online (not sure I'll ever adopt the native Minnesota teams ) they played a radio advertisement for "Pure Michigan." It went something like this: "Come play golf on championship golf courses designed by Hearn, Fazio, and Doak."

Sure, we know the names Hearn and Doak on GCA, but have they reached the level of Fazio on with casual golfers as "household" names?  

I've never heard of Hearn. I wouldn't guess that most people susceptible to a radio campaign for Michigan golf would know about any of them  -- though they might well think: "Those guys must be damned good designers if they don't even need first names anymore!"

Oh, and by the way: I predict that you'll adopt the native Minnesota teams when the Chicago teams suck even more completely and uniformly than their Minnesota brethren. In other words: could be awhile....

Hey,

The Vikings helped their cause this year when they brought in my Chicago Catholic League homeboy Donovan McNabb. However I'm Cubs and Hawks through and through!

[Kalen Braley]

Cmon guys,

Don't sell Minnesota short.  Any football team that has a sweet fight song like this is a force to be reckonded with!!   

Go "Purple and Gold"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDs3U9IeYg0

[David Egan]

Just a moment ago while listening to ESPN Chicago online (not sure I'll ever adopt the native Minnesota teams ) they played a radio advertisement for "Pure Michigan." It went something like this: "Come play golf on championship golf courses designed by Hearn, Fazio, and Doak."

Sure, we know the names Hearn and Doak on GCA, but have they reached the level of Fazio on with casual golfers as "household" names?  

I've never heard of Hearn. I wouldn't guess that most people susceptible to a radio campaign for Michigan golf would know about any of them  -- though they might well think: "Those guys must be damned good designers if they don't even need first names anymore!"

Oh, and by the way: I predict that you'll adopt the native Minnesota teams when the Chicago teams suck even more completely and uniformly than their Minnesota brethren. In other words: could be awhile....

Hey,

The Vikings helped their cause this year when they brought in my Chicago Catholic League homeboy Donovan McNabb. However I'm Cubs and Hawks through and through!

You can't support someone from Mt. Carmel. Not allowed.

[Dan Kelly]

Cmon guys,

Don't sell Minnesota short.  Any football team that has a sweet fight song like this is a force to be reckonded with!!  

Go "Purple and Gold"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDs3U9IeYg0

That was cruel, Kalen.

To get it out of my head, I tried singing it in the style of Bob Dylan's Christmas album.

Didn't work.

These did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4mKSUfe7V0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG81FBa6feY

Not sure how to handle this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAxVNQTqU1s

[Ryan Kelly]

Pat,

[Kalen Braley]

Awesome stuff Dan,

I'm nowhere close to being a Vikings fan, but I'm convinced that Prince Song did them in two years ago with the Brent Favre int.

What? You say you don't recall that?   "This is no Detroit man, this is for the Super Bowl"  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Iw2YejS9A&feature=related

[Andy Stamm]

My 2 cents,

I don't think it's so crazy to name drop some architects in that ad. First, it's not just any household, it's targeted to Chicago sports nuts (more or less). And if golfers are at all familiar with rankings and architects they'll probably know Fazio and maybe Doak with as many top ranked courses as he now has. Finally, if the listener doesn't recognize the names, just the fact that individual names are given indicates that probably the courses are noteworthy.

For instance pininfarina is a design company that designs tons of things, including cars (Ferrari, Cadillac among others). Typically, the do the a design for another company and nobody really knows that they were involved, but sometimes the pinanfarina badge and name is right on the car. I don't think that's only because people might know pininfarina (which is not too many people). Rather, just the fact that the name is worthy of placement indicates that it must be good and also mean that the Ferrari is really good.

[PCCraig]

David,

It's called clawing for some sort of rooting interest!

[PThomas]

Cmon guys,

Don't sell Minnesota short.  Any football team that has a sweet fight song like this is a force to be reckonded with!!   

Go "Purple and Gold"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDs3U9IeYg0

no wonder they havent won a Super Bowl

[PThomas]

Awesome stuff Dan,

I'm nowhere close to being a Vikings fan, but I'm convinced that Prince Song did them in two years ago with the Brent Favre int.

What? You say you don't recall that?   "This is no Detroit man, this is for the Super Bowl"  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Iw2YejS9A&feature=related

Kalen, that clip is exactly what I was going to pull up, thx

Favre's playoff performances are SO bad...couldnt happen to a nicer diva...i mean , guy (i guess)

[Dan Kelly]

Awesome stuff Dan,

I'm nowhere close to being a Vikings fan, but I'm convinced that Prince Song did them in two years ago with the Brent Favre int.

What? You say you don't recall that?   "This is no Detroit man, this is for the Super Bowl"  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Iw2YejS9A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoJ_K4Mlt4w&NR=1

[Kalen Braley]

Awesome stuff Dan,

I'm nowhere close to being a Vikings fan, but I'm convinced that Prince Song did them in two years ago with the Brent Favre int.

What? You say you don't recall that?   "This is no Detroit man, this is for the Super Bowl"  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Iw2YejS9A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoJ_K4Mlt4w&NR=1

Dan,

Nice work, that version was even better.

P.S.  I never realized that Minnesotans can even say "No" with a Canadian accent on it!!  


P.P.S   As a life long 49er fan, I offer rebutall with this.  Still gives me the chills seeing that some 20, damn i'm old... 30 years later

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7WzvBDTvS8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cQRlrg6FMA&NR=1

[Dan Kelly]

P.S.  I never realized that Minnesotans can even say "No" with a Canadian accent on it!!  

That's a Scandihoovian accent, don'tcha know.