Gritty Talk Part III: Cleared after investigation into assault (Feb. 3, 2020)

[BernieParent]

I was in the anti-Gritty group at first glance. What got me, like many, was the nature of the PR campaign, and how they made a horrible-looking NHL mascot into a social and mainstream media superstar. That doesn't happen by chance.

 

[Magua]

I was in the anti-Gritty group at first glance. What got me, like many, was the nature of the PR campaign, and how they made a horrible-looking NHL mascot into a social and mainstream media superstar. That doesn't happen by chance.

It kind of did happen by chance though. Not say he wasn’t an interesting mascot choice, but Gritty’s superstardom was all because of viral memes based on horror show photos and videos released by the team. Dark ominous lighting, creepy crazed still frames......if you look at Gritty in normal lighting or in motion, he’s a weird muppet of a mascot but still on the normal end of the spectrum. Without those few photos, he likely doesn’t register like this. PR has done a tremendous job giving him personality and running with it though.

 

[BernieParent]

It kind of did happen by chance though. Not say he wasn’t an interesting mascot choice, but Gritty’s superstardom was all because of viral memes based on horror show photos and videos released by the team. Dark ominous lighting, creepy crazed still frames......if you look at Gritty in normal lighting or in motion, he’s a weird muppet of a mascot but still on the normal end of the spectrum. Without those few photos, he likely doesn’t register like this. PR has done a tremendous job giving him personality and running with it though.

I don't see it this way. Rather, the photos were a natural response to how he looked, which I will go out on a limb and say it was expected by the PR people. Within 2-3 days he was on GMA and other infotainment shows, and late-night TV lapped him up. An unexpected spike in popularity, like the mascot who shot out his groin with a t-shirt cannon, gets 15 minutes of fame then everyone moves on. There seemed to be a strategy in place for taking the exposure and running with it.

 

[Chinatown88]

It was all the meme creators on this board. They deserve credit.

 

[Magua]

I don't see it this way. Rather, the photos were a natural response to how he looked, which I will go out on a limb and say it was expected by the PR people. Within 2-3 days he was on GMA and other infotainment shows, and late-night TV lapped him up. An unexpected spike in popularity, like the mascot who shot out his groin with a t-shirt cannon, gets 15 minutes of fame then everyone moves on. There seemed to be a strategy in place for taking the exposure and running with it.

This was a blurb from Charlie's article on Gritty from the Athletic:

The making of Gritty, the Flyers' new mascot sensation: Will...

It’s no shock that this version of Gritty blew up on social media — the photos were tailor-made for memes and debate on whether such a mascot was going to work for children.

“I do know what you’re talking about with the still shots,” Allen acknowledged. “I think that’s more of just how some things look better in motion than still. I think maybe the lighting on the photos you’re talking about was maybe too dark or something.” *snip*

Allen’s point regarding the nature of still frame shots is well taken. The “scary factor” of Gritty is certainly undercut by the mascot’s constantly-moving eyes when seeing it in person. As Heller cracked, “Maybe he doesn’t photograph so well.”

The two people quoted are a Flyers VP of Marketing and one of the designers of Gritty. I'm specifically talking about the ~3 photos that have been used in every meme AKA "meth Gritty." I don't doubt they were trying to create a unique mascot, and that article is illuminating, but I think they stumbled backwards into comedic gold with those photos which don't look much like any since. Their PR campaign since though has been perfect, but it blossomed from those photos.

 

[BernieParent]

This was a blurb from Charlie's article on Gritty from the Athletic:

The making of Gritty, the Flyers' new mascot sensation: Will...



The two people quoted are a Flyers VP of Marketing and one of the designers of Gritty. I'm specifically talking about the ~3 photos that have been used in every meme AKA "meth Gritty." I don't doubt they were trying to create a unique mascot, and that article is illuminating, but I think they stumbled backwards into comedic gold with those photos which don't look much like any since.

To-MAY-to; to-mephistopheles. I just applaud the brilliance of the marketing team for squeezing out a whole lot of PR capital from Gritty when the first impression was so negative.

 

[kudymen]

To-MAY-to; to-mephistopheles. I just applaud the brilliance of the marketing team for squeezing out a whole lot of PR capital from Gritty when the first impression was so negative.

I am in the same boat. I mentioned it in the last thread - despite working in marketing and brand management (+ studies), I did not expect that much of an "upswing". The ones responsible did a great job getting a lot of buzz from Gritty. This will be an amazing case study one day.

 

[wankstifier]

I am in the same boat. I mentioned it in the last thread - despite working in marketing and brand management (+ studies), I did not expect that much of an "upswing". The ones responsible did a great job getting a lot of buzz from Gritty. This will be an amazing case study one day.

People had yet to see Gritty in character. Their impression was developed from stills and a bit of lame promotion by the Flyers leading up to the showcase.

Gritty is a lot like the Phanatic, except a bit more unhinged, so I don't find it too surprising that it's a popular character.

 

[WIP CALLER]

People had yet to see Gritty in character. Their impression was developed from stills and a bit of lame promotion by the Flyers leading up to the showcase.

Gritty is a lot like the Phanatic, except a bit more unhinged, so I don't find it too surprising that it's a popular character.

He's the phanatic on a bender, of course hed be popular in Philly.

 

[sabremike]

I plan on partying with Gritty and ending up waking up in a gutter in Fishtown.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I think at first the negativity just came from not really wanting/needing a mascot because most times, they are dumb and useless.

Then with it was announced with the video, it was mostly "wtf, he looks scary, not a kid friendly mascot"

But then when they gave him an "attitude" and a good personality, it was a perfect fit for Philly fans. It was not a pansy mascot. It was one who clapped back at the Pens mascot, Luongo, The Kardashian parody pic, etc...

Making him edgy was a great marketing move.

They tried to make Gritty more like the king of mascots Phillie Phanatic opposed to your run of the mill mascot.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

When the Phanatic does his streaker routine busting out of the gate in right field during a break always has me rolling.

 

[Jray42]

They tried to make Gritty more like the king of mascots Phillie Phanatic opposed to your run of the mill mascot.

That last gif will never get old

 

[IPW]

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

That last gif will never get old

Yeah the little kids love him but so do the adults with his grown up manerisms & ball busting. A true trail blazer.

 

[Rebels57]

They tried to make Gritty more like the king of mascots Phillie Phanatic opposed to your run of the mill mascot.

Omg that last GIF is 24K gold lol

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I think we have a playoff avatar theme. Now it is up to the team and staff.

 

[Jtown]

This was a blurb from Charlie's article on Gritty from the Athletic:

The making of Gritty, the Flyers' new mascot sensation: Will...



The two people quoted are a Flyers VP of Marketing and one of the designers of Gritty. I'm specifically talking about the ~3 photos that have been used in every meme AKA "meth Gritty." I don't doubt they were trying to create a unique mascot, and that article is illuminating, but I think they stumbled backwards into comedic gold with those photos which don't look much like any since. Their PR campaign since though has been perfect, but it blossomed from those photos.

they need to expand the original photoshoot. we need more than those 3 classic photos.

 

[Jtown]

I think we have a playoff avatar theme. Now it is up to the team and staff.

what we need is to have this thread pinned.

 

[Striiker]

Did anyone consider that Lehtera is connected to cocain sellers because he was the middle-man when the organization needed some to lure Gritty out from under the arena?

 

[Ruck Over]

what we need is to have this thread pinned.

At this point, since there is more than one thread, I suggest an alternative.

There's these organic conversation threads, but yes, a sticky thread as well. The first post in the stick thread just keeps track of, archives, the convo threads. All subsequent posts in the sticky thread are repostings of all the meme's, twitter references, made in the first, second, and subsequent posts. There's no back and forth conversation in the sticky thread. Gags only.

Duplicative? Yes. Worth it? Oh, Hell Yeah!

 

[Lord Defect]

Your doing God’s work son. Someday I some to be half as good as you.

 

[JK3]

*Contains salty language.

 

[Jtown]

Gritty is about 71,000 twitter followers away from being the most followed mascot on twitter.....period. Will he do it?

 

[Ruck Over]

Hey guys,

Our new master is the bee's-knees. We all know that. Everyone else should too. Unfortunately they do not. Ricky Gervais, enemy. That pompous little man thought he could lay hands, and throw kicks at Gritty, without any repercussion? He'll get his, at least ten-fold. All of Gritty's enemies should suffer, it is known.

Unfortunately, there's no subtle, nor sufficient, way to say this, but there's a 6-year old girl, somewhere out there, daughter to a writer at the Athletic, whom needs an "attitude adjustment." Read this despicable excerpt from the story: Where does Gritty rank among NHL mascots? Ask a mascot obsessed 6-year-old

30. Gritty, Philadelphia Flyers: Creepy! So creepy. He looks like a muppet and that’s all I’m going to say because he’s too creepy.

No, actually, we're Philadelphia, nothing good can come from this. Try as we might to protect Gritty's good name, there's no action that we can do involving a 6-year old that will be understood by the outside world. As wrong and naive as this child may be, we must stand down. Gritty will bide his time, as shall we, in the hopes that opinions change. Or something.
PS- the comments made about the Blues and Ducks mascots are hilarious.