Latest news with #AudiField
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
D.C. United-Chicago Fire game briefly paused after toddler runs onto field
An MLS game between the D.C. United and Chicago Fire was interrupted Saturday by a field invader of the cute variety. In the 50th minute, a toddler ran onto the field and was seemingly in danger of getting caught up in the action around the ball, but Chicago defender Omar González noticed the child and warded him away. A member of stadium security quickly swooped in and picked him up, returning him to a woman on the sideline. Advertisement The broadcast booth was amused. As were the Fire. Given that the United were down 4-0 and went on to lose 7-1 at Audi Field, you couldn't have blamed the kid for thinking he could help out the home team. This isn't the first time a child has made it onto the field in an MLS game this season. In October, a young fan raced on the field while Toronto FC was facing Inter Miami. In that case, he just wanted to meet Lionel Messi,
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Shorthanded D.C. United gets blown away by visiting Chicago, 7-1
Time and time again Saturday night, Chicago Fire attackers drifted away from D.C. United's defense with nary a hint of resistance. When Tom Barlow capped his hat trick in the 65th minute at Audi Field, stationing himself in the heart of the D.C. box and calmly slotting home a loose ball, the visitors' sixth goal felt as inevitable as it was effortless.
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Beyond DEI Fatigue: How CARES Framework Builds Authentic Brand Trust
Image showing the Five CARES dimensions of consumer social well-being that drive brand trust. Navigating the complex landscape of today's market, many CMOs are grappling with "DEI fatigue" and a growing skepticism around corporate social initiatives. Yet, in this environment, building authentic brand trust has never been more critical. This article introduces a powerful new CMO strategy for achieving true consumer trust and lasting loyalty: The CARES Framework. We'll demonstrate how brands can move beyond performative gestures to genuinely resonate with their audience, as exemplified by the surprising, yet brilliant, move from menstrual care startup, Sequel. When Sequel recently signed a stadium sponsorship deal with Audi Field - home of D.C. United men's soccer - it wasn't merely a PR stunt. It was a strategic masterclass in embedding utility and visibility to earn deep brand trust where it's long been overlooked. This initiative builds on the core insights from our series, which first explored how corporate DEI efforts faltered under the weight of overpromising and underdelivering, implicating marketing strategy in exposing that gap. Subsequent articles examined consumer backlash, revealing how a lack of alignment can erode trust, and introduced the psychology of social threat and reward as a key lens for understanding consumer reactions. This brings us to the CARES Framework, the core of modern brand trust. It proposes that the next era of brand trust will be shaped not by ideology, but by how five core dimensions of consumer well-being are proactively addressed by brands: Connection, Agency, Recognition, Equity, and Security. The CARES Framework captures how consumers assess brand experiences not only for functional value, but for how they impact emotional and relational well-being. It's not just about what brands do - it's about how brands engage with the social threat already present in consumers' lives and actively deliver consumer reward. Marketers leveraging CARES are urged to: In today's landscape of hyper-visibility and heightened sensitivity, many brands hesitate to take bold action, fearing the kind of backlash that has sunk campaigns, derailed careers, and diluted missions. Yet, it's precisely these moments that call for a new CMO strategy and market-driven innovation. Sequel isn't just avoiding triggering social threat - it's meeting the moment with clarity, confidence, and cultural intelligence. By addressing an often-ignored population in a high-profile men's sports venue, the brand signals a new standard for strategic resonance and market relevance. This pivotal moment is also made possible by D.C. United and, more broadly, Major League Soccer (MLS) - a league that increasingly understands that expanding the fan experience means recognizing, not marginalizing, its full audience. In supporting Sequel's presence, MLS shares the spotlight and helps create a platform for consumer reward. This isn't just a one-off headline; it's a powerful blueprint for emotionally intelligent branding and a direct activation of consumer reward across all five CARES Framework domains. Here's how Sequel exemplifies each: 'We Actually Recognize That Men's Sports Have Female Fans' This quote from Sequel cofounder and CMO Amanda Calabrese captures a long-overdue shift in brand thinking. Female fans have always been in the stands, but rarely acknowledged as core customers. Sequel's presence in Audi Field doesn't just say you belong here; it says you always did, fostering immediate consumer connection and building brand trust. Unlike brands that isolate female fans through pinkwashed marketing or "separate but unequal" experiences, Sequel builds genuine connection through integration - making menstrual care a seamless part of the shared sports experience. This is a crucial lesson for market-responsive marketing. D.C. United's openness to the partnership reflects a broader shift within Major League Soccer (MLS) toward recognizing all fans, not as niche markets, but as core participants in the culture of the game. Sequel's innovation isn't superficial; it's about genuine product empowerment. Their spiral tampon was designed based on the needs of elite women athletes – optimized for comfort, performance, and movement. This isn't cause marketing; it's a commitment to user control and experience. Rather than rebranding existing products in pastel colors, Sequel focuses on giving users more control over their physical comfort and experience. This isn't just marketing to women - it's designing with them in mind, a crucial lesson for any CMO seeking to build consumer trust through tangible value. D.C. United's decision to give Sequel a platform within MLS reflects an organizational commitment to giving fans – and the brands that serve them – room to operate with dignity and relevance. When leagues remove outdated gatekeeping, they unlock agency for both athletes and audiences, deepening brand loyalty. Sequel's move isn't about claiming elite sponsorship real estate. It is about recognition – elevating an essential need that had long been overlooked. By embedding menstrual care visibly into the stadium experience, Sequel validated the presence and importance of female fans. This strategic visibility is a powerful way to cultivate brand trust. This contrasts sharply with traditional sponsorships that prioritize visibility for luxury goods or entertainment tie-ins. Sequel recognizes that providing for basic needs can be a powerful form of respect – one that turns silent necessities into visible norms. This approach provides a clear example for CMOs seeking to enhance brand recognition through genuine utility. D.C. United amplifies that recognition by treating Sequel's partnership as a mainstream, not marginal, part of the stadium experience, further cementing consumer trust. In Sequel's deal with Audi Field, menstrual products won't be offered only during women's games or in separate zones. They'll be available at every event, for every attendee who needs them. That signals equity - not accommodation. When brands and organizations assume the presence and needs of all consumers from the outset, they level the playing field. Fairness isn't positioned as an extra favor; it becomes basic design logic. This proactive approach to broad market appeal is essential for building foundational brand trust. MLS's role isn't passive. By enabling equal access across all games - not just women's matches - D.C. United and the league will institutionalize fairness as a feature of the venue, not an exception for special circumstances. This commitment to strategic relevance strengthens consumer loyalty. Events are high-stakes experiences. Whether you're at a game, concert, or public rally, no one wants to worry about whether basic needs will be met. By offering free, high-quality menstrual products in public restrooms, Sequel removes uncertainty and potential embarrassment. That's how brands create emotional safety: not through slogans, but through preparedness - a core element of authentic brand trust. The fact that a major men's sports venue, under MLS leadership, embraces Sequel's integration sends an even bigger signal: you are not an afterthought. Embedding care into infrastructure - not just messaging - helps reduce stigma and build real consumer trust. For CMOs, understanding this aspect of consumer reward means recognizing that when people don't have to think about whether their fundamental needs will be met, they can fully engage in the experience – and deepen their connection to the brand and environment, providing that essential security. The most effective brand strategies aren't built on risk aversion; they're built on insight, courage, and a profound commitment to delivering what consumers actually need to feel seen, secure, and respected. As demonstrated by Sequel's innovative marketing strategy, Connection, Agency, Recognition, Equity, and Security aren't just soft goals. They are hard drivers of consumer trust, loyalty, and sustainable growth. If your brand hasn't yet mapped how its actions affect each of these critical dimensions, now is the time for a crucial CMO strategy session. Ask yourself: Where might we be complicit in social threat? Where are we silent when we could be supportive? And where can we go beyond risk mitigation to deliver real, resonant consumer reward? The CARES Framework offers a practical tool for navigating these complex questions - not as a rigid checklist, but as an essential compass for modern marketing innovation. Let it guide your next product decision, your next campaign brief, and your next boardroom conversation. Because the future of brand relevance isn't neutral. It's built on authentic brand trust, emotional safety, human connection - and bold, insightful moves like Sequel's that show consumers they truly belong. To explore how the CARES Framework builds on foundational neuroscience while moving beyond outdated identity-based segmentation, read the full Forbes CMO series on consumer social well-being - and how social threat and reward now drive brand trust.
Washington Post
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
In dire need of a spark, D.C. United goes meekly in loss to Red Bulls
D.C. United performed with few ideas and little imagination Saturday night, a recurring theme for a team that has not scored an MLS goal in weeks and continues to drop points at Audi Field. Three days after a three-goal aberration in the U.S. Open Cup, United labored to sustain meaningless possession and barely threatened to score during a 2-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls before an announced sellout of 19,290. United (3-7-5) has gone 405 minutes without a goal in league play, and while the absence of injured star Christian Benteke is playing a big part in the scoring scarcity, the attack continues to show no creativity or punch, and Benteke's replacements haven't offered much. Saturday's best chance came early in the match, when striker Jacob Murrell failed to finish a one-on-one opportunity in the penalty area. United continued to show defensive improvement, but goals from Cameron Harper just before intermission and substitute Mohammed Sofo just before the final whistle made the difference for the Red Bulls (6-6-3), who avenged a 2-1 home loss to D.C. last month in Harrison, New Jersey. The Red Bulls were down two starting defenders serving yellow-card suspensions — Sean Nealis and Noah Eile — but it was United's defense under early duress. Luis Barraza, who has played well in goal since becoming the starter six weeks ago, made a one-on-one save on Emil Forsberg after United was caught in transition. Moments later, New York's Carlos Coronel matched Barraza's exploits, making a kick save on Murrell's clear threat. The Red Bulls went ahead in the 42nd minute, ending United's shutout streak in league play at 246 minutes. United's defense lost its shape after Garrison Tubbs's intercepted pass. Forsberg supplied Harper free on the right side for an angled eight-yarder that beat Barraza to the far corner. When the intermission whistle sounded, United had gone eight consecutive halves without a goal in MLS play. The last time D.C. scored was May 3 against the Colorado Rapids in first-half stoppage time — twice, in fact. D.C. Coach Troy Lesesne made two changes at halftime (Matti Peltola and Jackson Hopkins for Tubbs and Brandon Servania) and, with no improvements in the attack, two more in the 59th minute (Jared Stroud and Kristian Fletcher for Murrell and Hosei Kijima). Hopkins's night ended abruptly in the 72nd minute with an apparent groin injury — just weeks after he returned from a nine-month ankle injury. Gabriel Pirani, who missed five games with a knee ailment, entered. United's energy and urgency increased, but scoring chances remained few. Aaron Herrera crossed to Stroud alone eight yards from the target, but Stroud's header was meek. In stoppage time, Barraza made fabulous saves on consecutive shots before Sofo scored on a low attempt from 10 yards. That goal not only secured the victory but helped the Red Bulls retain the Atlantic Cup, the annual series between MLS founding members. New York has won it eight of the past nine seasons. Here's what else to know about United's loss: Benteke, United's top scorer who has missed two league matches and a U.S. Open Cup game with a sprained ankle, has yet to resume training but 'had a good week — a very good week,' Lesesne said. Lesesne said the team is targeting an absence of three to four weeks since the May 14 injury, which would probably keep the Belgian striker out until June 14 at Real Salt Lake. Dominique Badji, Benteke's backup, has resumed light training after straining a hamstring early this month. Center back Lukas MacNaughton (hamstring) is still not training, and midfielder Randall Leal (minor knee ailment) wasn't in uniform. Paul Pogba, the French superstar weighing his global options after completing a doping ban, on Friday posted video of himself training on his own in Miami, where he has a home. 'Let's get it,' he wrote. United has exchanged contract proposals with the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder, The Washington Post reported last month. D.C. owns his MLS discovery rights, meaning no other team in the league is allowed to negotiate with him. European and Middle Eastern clubs were primed to reach out as well. United is bracing for several international call-ups that would affect the roster June 7 against Chicago. Unlike most first-division leagues, MLS does not usually pause the schedule for such windows. Peltola (Finland), Herrera (Guatemala), Fletcher (U.S. under-20s) and Kye Rowles (Australia) are the top candidates. Final decisions by their federations are expected this coming week. After joining the senior squad, Peltola is then expected to play at the under-21 European Championship in Slovakia. That tournament is not a mandatory release, but with Hopkins back from a long-term injury, D.C. would allow Peltola to go.
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
D.C. United prevails over Charlotte FC in a wild U.S. Open Cup clash
A small crowd turned out on a cool, soggy Wednesday night to watch a U.S. Open Cup match between teams stumbling through MLS's regular season. Ho-hum. It did not exactly portend an entertaining evening at Audi Field. What transpired, though, was a bonkers affair that included an equalizer late in regulation, goals by both teams in extra time and third-string goalkeeper Jordan Farr, a late substitute, saving four of five attempts in a shootout as D.C. United prevailed over Charlotte FC, 2-1, following a 3-3 draw through 120 minutes.
