Big Ten Conference Best Practices: Coach Izzo Defines the Michigan State Brand

This blog is all about inspiration. We're spending 3 days elevating best practices from the squads that make up the Big Ten. You can tune in on this blog, or you can follow along on Facebook (linked here) or on Twitter -- I'm @pawlow34.

What makes something a best practice? This isn't about the most intricate experience. It's about looking at the world from your consumer's point of view and delivering something that hits it right smack on the head. In the case of colleges, I'm treating the primary consumer as that prospective student athlete.

Cool?

Thus far we've checked out how Minnesota defines player development (here).

Let's move.

After visiting the MSU Spartans Athletics page, I moved directly to Coach Izzo's website, available here and imaged below. This site is a fantastic site, not because of the dynamic content but because Coach Izzo is able to illustrate the MSU brand in a powerful combination of images and words. This also shows us what Coach Izzo values as a leader, further connecting us to his work.

The series of images below all come from the home page. But it is this combination of images that really serves as a place of leadership.

First, you'll see a gorgeous shot of LA Laker and former Spartan Shannon Brown. Coach Izzo is immediately congratulating someone else, and that's the first thing we see. Once you leave East Lansing, you are not forgotten. Few programs leverage the success of their alums like this!

Up next, team success. Michigan State - Destination Final Four is the theme. And why not, with 6 Final Four appearances under Izzo it is something that feels a part of their brand. You'll also note in all of these images MSU is including the 6 NCAA Final Four logos across the bottom. There's something about imaging all of them, with their own logo, that makes it feel even bigger than it is. (And it is a big deal already!)


Coach Izzo elevates the players. Raymar Morgan was named 3rd Team All-Big Ten...

Kalin Lucas was named Big Ten Conference MVP...


And Draymond Grean was named Big Ten Conference 6th Man of the Year. All 3 are fantastic awards, and all 3 are celebrated in a consistent way -- bold imagery and simplicity in copy. Solid.

Finally, Coach Izzo is shown. His accolades are mind blowing: MSU's All-Time Winningest Coach, National Coach of the Year 4 times, and my favorite, "Every 4-year player recruited by Tom Izzo has appeared in at least one Final Four." Wow. Wow. Wow.

As you can see, the site sets a tone that is around emotion and success. Pictures really drive this home.

How could this be better? I am focused in on the 6 Final Four logos, and the fact that every 4-year recruit under Izzo has played in at least one Final Four. I see this as an opportunity to give a little bit of insight around each team that made it to the final weekend. What made them special? It could be accomplished just like the rest of the site -- with bold imagery and simplicity in tone.

That's it.

Tune in tomorrow as we share more inspiration from the Big Ten! And, don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm @pawlow34.