Gene Detroyer

Best Buy Theater Reaches Times Square

August 26, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
The Nokia Theater in Times Square will become the Best Buy Theater in mid-September. The theater will mark Best Buy's first foray into naming rights for any entertainment site. What do you think of naming rights deals for retailers and consumer goods companies?      [more...]

This discussion is appropriately listed under "Brand Image."

Naming rights are most often overdone and sometimes downright silly, precisely because the connection with brand image is lacking. It most cases, purchasing naming rights seems more ego than marketing.

In the case of the BestBuy Theater this is perfect. BestBuy is all about entertainment. It becomes a showcase not just for Nokia phones, but for everyone's phones, everyone's TV, etc... It sends a message that BestBuy's focus is the same as their customer.

The local connections also work. It makes the companies that want to be part of the community, part of the community, i.e. Heinz Field and Target Field.

On the other hand, do we really want to see our bank spending millions to name PNC Field or CitiPark? I think not.