<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">HOUSTON -- Yao Ming is back in Texas and once again looming large over his peers. He didn't even have to return from China to do it. The 7-foot-6 big man is instead towering over Houston on a billboard that was unveiled Tuesday morning. On the giant sign, Yao's piercing set of black-and-white pupils -- and little else of the center -- is intently glaring down at the cars that pass below him on I-45 and other locations throughout town. The organization behind the massive pair of focused eyes believes in this case a simple look speaks volumes. "We've got a number of pairs of eyes looking down on traffic around town just like it," said Rockets Vice President of Marketing John Dillon, referring to the outdoor billboards featuring Tracy McGrady, Shane Battier and Yao that kick off the the team's 2006-2007 marketing campaign. By design we start by focusing only on the eyes," Dillon added. "We picked these powerful images because we believe it simply and clearly communicates where we are as an organization as we head into the year. There are all kinds of different ways to say it, but out of the gate there?s really no better way to communicate where the Rockets are and what we?re thinking than to see the look in these guy?s eyes." No flexing muscles. No flashy dunks. No smirks after a big play. Just intense, focused sets of eyes. The Rockets have chosen such a simple, focused way to begin their marketing campaign because the team is returning one of the NBA's best duos with Yao and McGrady and the addition of Battier and others has created excitement and a win-now philosophy at Toyota Center. Houston was expected to make plenty of noise in last year's playoffs heading into the year, but injuries derailed those hopes midway through the season. The franchise is counting on the intense focus of its star players to deliver the message that the Rockets are determined for a postseason return. "Coming off last season, we felt it was important to make a very clear statement to our fans that we haven't lost our focus. The focus is there in the eyes," Dillon said. "Without question this team is determined to not just make the playoffs, but to make a deep postseason run." The first television spot, which is set to premiere next week and can already be viewed on Rockets.com, takes fans inside the eyes of the players showing their intensity, focus and desire to win now.</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">Great marketing plan + Terrible offseason moves= Disappointed fans</div> hahahaha i like the idea, but lets just see how well they actually do. i hope battier brings a spark there, i love him.
