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  4. title => "Making a case for Red Tails as Washington Football Team's new name"
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  6. article_body => "<p><em>It's been several weeks since the Washington Football Team&nbsp;announced&nbsp;it was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/washington-retires-redskins-name-and-logo-good\">retiring its&nbsp;former name and logo<\/a>&nbsp;after more than 80 years.&nbsp;Ever since FedEx became the first known sponsor to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/major-disruption-fedex-formally-asks-redskins-change-team-name\">formally ask<\/a> Washington to change its name, fans have taken to social media to voice some of their favorites among&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/comprehensive-list-potential-redskins-fan-generated-name-changes\">potential&nbsp;replacements<\/a>.&nbsp;I spoke with several marketing experts about a few of the fan-generated&nbsp;names, and will use their&nbsp;responses to make a case for some of the most&nbsp;popular suggestions. This is the case for Red Tails.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<h2>Case for: Washington Red Tails<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cRed Tails\u201d might\u2019ve been the favorite among fans and others on social media before the \u201cRed Wolves\u201d hype train started gaining traction.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The origin of the name comes from the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black pilots in the United States military. A group of Tuskegee Airmen known as the Red Tails --&nbsp;because of the paint on the tails of their planes --&nbsp;made up the 332nd Fighter Group during World War II. The Red Tails had one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalww2museum.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2017-07\/tuskegee-airmen.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">lowest loss records<\/a> of all escort fighter groups.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>CONCEPTS: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/washington-football\/top-5-new-fan-generated-washington-redtails-uniform-helmet-designs\">TOP 5 NEW FAN-GENERATED WASHINGTON REDTAILS UNIFORM, HELMET DESIGNS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Brad Nierenberg, CEO of RedPeg Marketing, an Alexandria, Virginia-based marketing agency, thinks the history of the Red Tails provides an opportunity for Washington to attach itself to a powerful story, particularly in a time where conversations about social justice have been amplified.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cThe Red Tails is an incredible opportunity for [Washington],\" Nierenberg said.&nbsp;\"I don\u2019t know of it as a major team name. I think that it allows them at this time to take a leadership role in this time of changing of understanding of social justice.&nbsp;And I think that their recognition of the Red Tails could be a dramatic, great first step for them as a brand that I think is overcoming\u2026 there\u2019s a great story behind it. They can run with that story that already exists.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\"And at the time to actually capitalize on this, you can get a lot of wind beneath your wings on that one. I think there\u2019s a lot of energy there with society. I think this town would wrap their arms around it. As a company and as a team, as an ownership group, recognizing this incredible story could be powerful forever. And it\u2019s a fighter group, it\u2019s a fighter, it\u2019s an overcoming odds -- there\u2019s a tremendous story there, and I think that with today\u2019s society doing what it is, I think it could be an incredible time for them to take advantage of this groundswell of energy. And it\u2019s not going backwards, it\u2019s only going forward, so I think they could be in a very positive position.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/washingtons-new-nfl-name-more-future-dc-football-fans-current-ones\">WASHINGTON'S NEW NAME MAY BE MORE FOR FUTURE FANS THAN CURRENT ONES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Additionally, the Red Tails name allows the team to maintain its \"warrior\" ethos, according to Matt White, president of the marketing and ad agency WHITE64. White also likes that the name provides the&nbsp;opportunity for Washington to stick with its traditional burgundy and gold color scheme.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\"Graphically, the [old] logo on the helmet had the feathers. So you could certainly see how that could be very consistent,\" White said.&nbsp;\"And certainly with the colors of the uniform.\"<\/p>\n<p><strong><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/washington-football&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1596402337906000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF1btn7Gn78GOMVIgpWVlaljY6lyw\" href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/washington-football\" target=\"_blank\">CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TALK PODCAST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/washington-football\/episodes\/51a45ab0-dc5c-4b8d-be8b-23f2965c7e92\/embed?theme=light-custom\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p dir=\"ltr\">Most marketing experts have stressed the advantages of a team's name drawing a connection to the city it plays in. While Red Tails doesn't immediately evoke thoughts of Washington, Tim Derdenger, associate professor of marketing and strategy at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, thinks there's a strong enough connection for it to work.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\"It\u2019s a strong choice for multiple reasons. One being that it relates to D.C. and the military,\" Derdenger said.&nbsp;\"It keeps the team colors. If you keep 'red' in [the name], it has to be the right name.&nbsp;And I think Red Tails is one of those right names. It has a strong connection to the city, to the military, the colors, it still can pay homage to the team, the players of the past with keeping the 'red' name in there. It should be a strong candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Stay connected with the&nbsp;MyTeams app.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&amp;creative_id=nbcswash1200&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcswash1200\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE TEAM NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Wanderers: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/washington-football\/wanderers-emerges-newest-fan-generated-name-washington-football\">Emerges as new fan-generated name<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Arrowheads? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/washington-football\/washington-arrowheads-seems-bit-too-similar-kansas-city-chiefs\">Too similar to the KC Chiefs<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Red Wolves: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/washington-football\/washington-red-wolves-design-would-be-easy-transition-washington-football-team\">This design could be easy transition<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Washington Football

Washington Football

It's been several weeks since the Washington Football Team announced it was retiring its former name and logo after more than 80 years. Ever since FedEx became the first known sponsor to formally ask Washington to change its name, fans have taken to social media to voice some of their favorites among potential replacements. I spoke with several marketing experts about a few of the fan-generated names, and will use their responses to make a case for some of the most popular suggestions. This is the case for Red Tails.

Case for: Washington Red Tails

“Red Tails” might’ve been the favorite among fans and others on social media before the “Red Wolves” hype train started gaining traction.

The origin of the name comes from the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black pilots in the United States military. A group of Tuskegee Airmen known as the Red Tails -- because of the paint on the tails of their planes -- made up the 332nd Fighter Group during World War II. The Red Tails had one of the lowest loss records of all escort fighter groups.

CONCEPTS: TOP 5 NEW FAN-GENERATED WASHINGTON REDTAILS UNIFORM, HELMET DESIGNS

Brad Nierenberg, CEO of RedPeg Marketing, an Alexandria, Virginia-based marketing agency, thinks the history of the Red Tails provides an opportunity for Washington to attach itself to a powerful story, particularly in a time where conversations about social justice have been amplified.

“The Red Tails is an incredible opportunity for [Washington]," Nierenberg said. "I don’t know of it as a major team name. I think that it allows them at this time to take a leadership role in this time of changing of understanding of social justice. And I think that their recognition of the Red Tails could be a dramatic, great first step for them as a brand that I think is overcoming… there’s a great story behind it. They can run with that story that already exists.

"And at the time to actually capitalize on this, you can get a lot of wind beneath your wings on that one. I think there’s a lot of energy there with society. I think this town would wrap their arms around it. As a company and as a team, as an ownership group, recognizing this incredible story could be powerful forever. And it’s a fighter group, it’s a fighter, it’s an overcoming odds -- there’s a tremendous story there, and I think that with today’s society doing what it is, I think it could be an incredible time for them to take advantage of this groundswell of energy. And it’s not going backwards, it’s only going forward, so I think they could be in a very positive position.”

RELATED: WASHINGTON'S NEW NAME MAY BE MORE FOR FUTURE FANS THAN CURRENT ONES

Additionally, the Red Tails name allows the team to maintain its "warrior" ethos, according to Matt White, president of the marketing and ad agency WHITE64. White also likes that the name provides the opportunity for Washington to stick with its traditional burgundy and gold color scheme. 

"Graphically, the [old] logo on the helmet had the feathers. So you could certainly see how that could be very consistent," White said. "And certainly with the colors of the uniform."

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TALK PODCAST

Most marketing experts have stressed the advantages of a team's name drawing a connection to the city it plays in. While Red Tails doesn't immediately evoke thoughts of Washington, Tim Derdenger, associate professor of marketing and strategy at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, thinks there's a strong enough connection for it to work.

"It’s a strong choice for multiple reasons. One being that it relates to D.C. and the military," Derdenger said. "It keeps the team colors. If you keep 'red' in [the name], it has to be the right name. And I think Red Tails is one of those right names. It has a strong connection to the city, to the military, the colors, it still can pay homage to the team, the players of the past with keeping the 'red' name in there. It should be a strong candidate.”

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