Cone, Ginebra and ‘disruptions’

Advertising likes to use creative disruptions to catch your attention while pitching products. Often, you don’t expect to see them, but they are so powerful that you can’t help but remember them the next time you’re about to make a purchase.

It could be the price, the way a product is used or what a new service means to you. Often, you could be mesmerized by a powerful visual or line that you end up never forgetting.

To a large extent, the naming of multititled coach Tim Cone as the new head coach of Ginebra has caught many in a disruption.  They never thought it was possible, but given the bumpy journey of one of the PBA’s most popular clubs of late, something drastic had to be done to shake things up.

You simply can’t go on being popular without delivering a title to your faithful who have been waiting for so long.

Fans accustomed to Cone’s 1990s image of battling Ginebra while winning titles for Alaska is a difficult visual to forget. For Ginebra fans, he was the Dark Side who complained over calls and fought hard along the sidelines to rev up his team.

Later on, Cone was still the opponent as he led another familiar Ginebra foe, the Purefoods franchise. It pained Ginebra loyalists that he would win a Grand Slam with them while they had nothing but lost chances.

And now, the biggest disruption of all will be Cone walking their sideline, surrounded by the Ginebra logo and colors and with the faithful chanting their familiar three syllable chant (Gi-ne-bra! Gi-ne-bra!).

That image will take some getting used to next season.

But you can’t blame the decision-makers at San Miguel Corp. They’ve tried a slew of coaches since Jong Uichico last gave the popular club a title in 2007. They have a potent lineup in Ginebra with almost two men for every position and that’s what has baffled many of their fans—why they can’t go deep every conference.

The missing elements might be a fresh framework for winning and a renewed passion for competition that Cone can clearly provide. You don’t win that many PBA titles including two Grand Slams by simply ranting and complaining.

An adjustment period will ensue for all: Cone’s former teams, two of Ginebra’s fiercest rivals, will just have to get used to the disruption. Barangay Ginebra will also try to get accustomed to having a former opponent calling the shots and making changes for their town.

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