The Canucks' new marketing and ad campaign features
"lots of names and numbers, but few recognizable faces" of
the team's players, according to Grant Kerr of the Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, who notes that bus billboards show the backs
of five Canucks players "lining up for the anthem before the
opening face-off." Kerr: "[Though] the numbers are clear,
the names on the sweaters are not." Meanwhile, the team is
making "little mention of the Sedin twins, the celebrated
rookies from Sweden," as management "may be waiting for the
Sedins to reach Vancouver before promotion of the talented
19-year-old forwards begin." But Canucks Senior VP/Sales &
Marketing John Rizzardini said the campaign is designed to
familiarize fans with the young team: "We heard back from
our fans last season that they wanted to get to know the
players a little better." Rizzardini: "People like where
we're going. It's all about our faces, not their backs.
The phones are ringing and we're happy." Season ticket
renewals are at 85%, "and so far 8,000 season tickets have
been purchased" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/15).