By Clint Sanchez · Published · Updated · 6 min read
Quick answer
Brand awareness starts with knowing exactly who your audience is. Joe Burrow shows how it compounds: the victory cigar photo, the 'Get the Gat' locker room song, and Savage Ruthless sunglasses each became part of his brand without a marketing plan. Small businesses can copy the mechanics: use hashtags and contests on social media, consider paid Instagram ads, and partner with brands or people whose audience overlaps yours.
Key takeaways
- The shortest definition of brand awareness in the post: knowing who your target audience is. If you do not, you cannot market to them.
- Burrow's victory cigar became part of his brand after a photo by Baton Rouge native Jeffrey Marx spread on social media.
- 'Get the Gat,' a 1992 track by New Orleans rapper Lil Elt, was introduced to the LSU team in 2019 by Baton Rouge DJ Subtweet Shawn and went viral after the 63-28 win over Oklahoma.
- Savage Ruthless started as a class-project T-shirt in 2017 and gained national attention once Burrow wore its sunglasses in press conferences and on Instagram.
- Social media contests, like Burrow giving away Savage Ruthless sunglasses on Instagram, extend reach through the partner's followers.
- Brand partnerships work when the celebrity's audience and the product's audience overlap; fans buy the sunglasses because Burrow wears them.
Burrow's brand was built in Baton Rouge: the cigar photo by a Baton Rouge native, the Get the Gat song introduced by a Baton Rouge DJ, and the LSU locker room. Local businesses already share that context. A Denham Springs shop that ties a promotion to LSU game weekends is borrowing awareness the same way Savage Ruthless borrowed Burrow's, and the window is the football calendar.
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Brand awareness is a term that seems to be thrown around in business and marketing circles. But what does it actually mean? Most people will know the answer, but there’s a lot of truth to the saying “a confused mind never buys” regarding brand awareness.
The shortest explanation of brand awareness is knowing who your target audience is. If you’re not sure, you can’t market effectively to them. You’ll also come off as disingenuous, and the people who will buy from you won’t feel good about it.
Joe Burrow is a great example of brand awareness. The former Ohio State quarterback redshirted his first year on the team in 2015, which means he wasn’t the starter. Fast forward to 2022, where he’s starting for the Cincinnati Bengals in his first Superbowl!
Everywhere you turn, it’s Joe Burrow, Joe Bureaux, or any other variation of his name. He’s everywhere and embodies the concept of brand awareness – as a relatively unknown player going into the first season, everyone is talking about him now.
Joe’s Cigar Celebrations
Joe Burrow has been photographed with cigars many times, and only recently has the nation noticed.
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One of the most famous instances is the iconic photo taken by Baton Rouge native Jeffrey Marx. We’ve all seen it, and it’s become synonymous with the Burrow brand.
Victory cigar. #LSU #Burreaux pic.twitter.com/ssYZSJyWET
, Walking With Tigers (@LSUTigersBook) January 14, 2020
There’s even a photo circulating around the internet of him as a child holding a cigar, for some reason.
Although he didn’t realize it at the time, Joe Burrow’s love for cigars is now part of his brand.
Get the Gat
Every champion needs a song.
Joe Burrow has had one for a while now, “Get the Gat.”
The lyrics are not very good. But you can hear it in the video–driving, insistent, pounding–a perfect song for the testosterone-driven chaos of a post-victory locker room.
Even though Joe Burrow wasn’t even born in 1992 when Lil Elt, a New Orleans rapper, put out the song, he and his teammates were introduced to the song in 2019 by a Baton Rouge DJ named Subtweet Shawn.
The song has gone viral on social media, thanks partly to a video clip that emerged from the LSU team locker room after putting up a 63-28 beatdown on Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinal game in December 2019. Burrow, who completed 493 yards and seven touchdowns, is featured at the start of the video.
The social media world blew up, and Burrow and his team even recorded another version during their post-championship visit to the White House.
And the rest is history! The song is forever associated with the LSU Tigers and their quarterback Joe Burrow.
But it’s not just about Joe Burrow,
it’s about how brands work. He became associated with cigars, the song “Get The Gat,” and even the Tigers’ locker room antics due to his massive success. All of these things are part of Joe Burrow’s brand awareness.
But his celebrity has also helped other brands.
Savage Ruthless Sunglasses
Malik Dupri Morris’ sunglasses brand has had some significant traction.
During his graduate physical therapy program at Ithaca College in 2017, where he also played on the football team, Morris co-founded Savage Ruthless, a fitness clothing brand, alongside University of Nebraska-Kearney student Corey Van Dorn.
Van Dorn had begun printing “Savage Ruthless” shirts as part of a marketing class assignment, and demand had only increased after the initial batch. Morris brought the company to both Ithaca’s local and college communities. The company continued to grow as Morris and Van Dorn marketed it by word-of-mouth and social media.
The company was founded by Malik Dupri Morris and Corey Van Dorn while in graduate school. They started printing shirts with the “Savage Ruthless” logo as a class project.
Their sunglasses have such a wide appeal that Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback, began wearing them on Instagram and during press conferences. The sunglasses, developed by Dupri, have played an important role in Burrow’s rise to stardom.
Interestingly, the importance of personal branding, especially for artists and athletes, cannot be overstated. The way Joe Burrow leveraged Savage Ruthless Sunglasses mirrors how Lil’ Wayne has effectively branded himself over the years. To go deeper into the art of personal branding, check out our detailed guide on Branding, Weezy Style: How Lil’ Wayne Became a Master of the Game.
Because of the Joe Burrow brand, Savage Ruthless Sunglasses is receiving lots of media attention.
How Business Owners Can Take Note
Joe Burrows’ story demonstrates how a small business or brand can create a lot of noise and start trending on social media. His story is an excellent lesson for those willing to learn from it.
Many benefits come with being associated with success, as proven by the Savage Ruthless Sunglasses.
Take Advantage of Social Media
Burrow’s story is the perfect example of how small businesses can take advantage of social media.
Using hashtags can be an excellent way for brands to make their voice heard and get more exposure. Using popular hashtags will help spread an audience and hopefully garner interest.
Small businesses may even want to consider paying for advertisements on platforms like Instagram to attract more customers.
Brands can also do social media contests to attract customers and keep them engaged. Joe Burrow has done this by giving away Savage Ruthless Sunglasses on his Instagram page, which increased their exposure through his followers and brought in fans of the sunglasses.
Partner with Other Brands
Businesses can also take advantage of partnerships with other brands, as Savage Ruthless Sunglasses has done by partnering with Joe Burrow.
Fans are drawn to the sunglasses because a celebrity wears them. Partnerships between brands can help expand both audiences and increase brand awareness.
Joe Burrow’s story demonstrates how small businesses can take advantage of social media to increase brand awareness. Through his success, Joe Burrow helped Savage Ruthless Sunglasses gain more attention and brought the sunglasses company into the limelight.
Be Like Joe!
There are many ways to make your business or brand known, but it requires a lot of research and hustle… Just like Joe!
Joe Burrow’s story is a lesson for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to create a brand with massive amounts of noise that will drive their company forward.
And it’s not just Joe who has created an unforgettable brand. Learn why Johnny Depp has created a brand that will last way beyond his spat with Amber Heard.
We Can Help!
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With our years of experience, we know what it takes to succeed in the digital world. We’ll help you build a website that’s both effective and appealing, and we’ll create engaging content that will draw in new customers. Plus, we’ll manage your social media accounts so that you can focus on what you do best.
If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, contact us today for a free consultation. We can’t wait to help you achieve success!
Until then, go Bengals!
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About the author
Founder & Lead Developer · Denham Springs, LA
Clint has built and marketed websites for 26 years, since founding BlakSheep Creative in 2000. He is also a 29-year firefighter and a 23-year member of IAFF Local 557, which is where the bias toward plain answers over sales copy comes from.
- Veteran-owned
- Firefighter-owned
- IAFF Local 557
Common questions about graphic design
What is brand awareness?
How did Savage Ruthless sunglasses get famous?
What is the Get the Gat song?
How can a small business build brand awareness on social media?
Do brand partnerships help small businesses?
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