The marketing of the Bradford Bulls is such a success story that experts in corporate communications are taking a look at how they developed the brand.

A party of senior executives, who have relocated the base of their prestigious conference in Bradford from Paris, were yesterday hearing the Bulls story from some of the people who changed the face of the Rugby League club.

The 18 executives are all corporate communication specialists from companies including Electrolux, Fuji and Hermes Group.

They are spending the week taking a look at firms and organisations in the area and are based at Bradford University's Management Centre which is hosting the International Week of Rotterdam Business School, which is part of the University of Erasmus.

The Bulls success story was explained by marketing and public relations manager Stuart Duffy and marketing executive Ryan Duckett.

Mr Duffy said: "We told them about the changes we have made in the last four years which have resulted in Odsal Stadium attracting an average of 15,000 supporters compared to the 5,000 we used to get.

"The changes took place when we became part of Rupert Murdoch's Super League in 1996 and we took our lead from the marketing carried out by the Chicago Bulls who play American Football in the USA."

He said the club changed its name from Bradford Northern to Bradford Bulls and conducted market research which showed women were in charge of weekend leisure activities in the home so they made the game more attractive to them.

"We started playing summer games and provided all-round entertainment which would be appealing to all the family.

Matches were rescheduled for 6pm on Sundays to give families a chance to go out, take in a Bulls match and still have their children home in time for bed with school the next day. We also gave out free tickets for children in schools and community centres because we discovered that if we pleased the children the mums would follow," he added.

Marketing and communications director of Bradford Council Owen Williams also hosted a meeting to compare notes with them on how create 'brands' for cities.

The programme, led by Professor Cees Van Riel, is the culmination of three years focused on corporate communication.

He has been working with Professor John Balmer, recently appointed chairman of corporate identity at the Management Centre. Robert McClements, chairman of the Executive Development Programme at the Centre, said: "We are delighted with the international interest in corporate communication activity in the Bradford district."

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