Guilt Trip Advertising

The WNBA has began a new advertising campaign that is being shown during the NBA Play-offs. What they do is they take one of their "Stars" from the league and have them say common stereotypes about the WNBA as if they were those same people saying those terrible things about girls basketball. At the end a voice over says, "They wouldn't say that... Would you?"

So essentially they are trying to guilt trip all the NBA fans into also watching a WNBA game. I'm not sure that is the right approach. I think if you want to PROVE the stereotypes wrong, their is a better way to go about it, that wouldn't come off as being a "guilt trip."

This is all hypothetical because most of the stereotypes are true. This isn't to say that the WNBA isn't competitive, and or entertaining. It's just that it is basically like going to a guys Varsity High School game. I mean I try watching a WNBA game and I see girls getting rebounds without even jumping? I don't need to see people dunk to be entertained, so it isn't about NOT being able to dunk (yes I know there are girls that can dunk, whoopidy doo dah!) I don't need to see behind the back passes. I'm perfectly happy watching a 7 footer knock down threes, or a guy like Tim Duncan, who is the definition of fundamental, knock down a 15 footer off the backboard. In the NBA you got clutch guys like Kobe Bryant who can manage to knock down BIG shots in the 4th quarter regardless of who is guarding him or how many guys are guarding him. The NBA is truly, "Where Amazing Happens."

There is no denying that their is a HUGE difference between the NBA (Which is full of a bunch of 6'6 - 7'0 tall athletic FREAKS) and the WNBA (which is full of a bunch of 5'0 - 6'5 tomboys), and it isn't just about dunks and behind the back passes. I'm not trying to say that girls can't play basketball, because they can. Just not at the same level or ability that a male can. Their bodies just aren't made for it. A guy can't have a baby, does that make him less of a human being? Their are other things besides child baring that women are good at. All I am really trying to say is you can't compare girls to guys in any way. Not in sports, not in any way....

I don't want to take this into a Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus discussion, but it's true.

The real point is, guilt tripping people into doing something is NEVER the way to go about getting things done. If they want fans, then they have to earn fans. The NBA didn't start out as globally or nationally successful as it is now. So go back and research how the NBA gained a fan base, and how they went about getting people into stadiums to watch the athletes play. I can bet you that they didn't try "guilt tripping" anyone into it.