MEDIA ADVISORY Pitt Faculty Expert Says 'Steely McBeam' Could Set Back City's Initiative to Lose Its 'Steel Town' Image

PITTSBURGH-J. Jeffrey Inman, Pitt professor of marketing and business administration, says the new Steelers mascot is not a bad choice because his rugged appearance is consistent with the image of the Steelers. 'Steely McBeam,' the mascot unveiled yesterday, conveys the image the Steelers are trying to present with the brand, which is exactly what you want a mascot to do, Inman says.

But, Inman says, the mascot could be a drawback for the city. "The city has been trying for years to get away from the image that Pittsburgh is just a blue-collar steel town. It wants to communicate that it is more service oriented and excels in medicine and education. Having a mascot that wears a hard hat will set that initiative behind a bit," he says.

Inman is the Albert Wesley Frey Professor of Marketing in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh.

For a list of Pitt faculty experts, visit http://www.umc.pitt.edu/m/experts.html

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8/9/07/scl