Few brands have been as troubled for as long as the New Orleans Saints football team.  Founded 43 years ago, the team has spent most of their existence with losing seasons.  For a large part of the 1970’s and 1980’s, the fans that bothered to attend games did so with bags on their heads with “Aint’s” written on the outside.  At one point there was even a sign on a local highway that read “Interstate 10, Saints 0″.

Yet, despite all of that, we all stuck by them.  In some ways, the losing streak of the team represented how we all felt about our state.  It’s not perfect, but we love it anyway.  This belief in ourselves and belief in our state manifested itself into a belief in the team we loved.  Their brand wasn’t about winning - even though they were able to manage that occasionally.  Their brand wasn’t about superstar players - although we had a few of those…Archie Manning.  The brand of the Saints was about believing.  Believe in the future.  Believe in who we are.  Believe in who we could become.  The very definition of an emotional connection between a product and it’s consumer.

And now, so much is changing.  Louisiana is starting to show up on the top of some great lists - “Happiest state in the US”, “Best place to start a business”, “Hot Market in a Cold Economy” and “Top 10 place to run a small business” as well as dozens of others.

We believe in ourselves.  We believe in our state’s future.  We believe in the Saints.

This video, The Soul of New Orleans, does an incredible job of capturing why we believe.  Win or lose on Sunday, it won’t change how we feel.  It won’t change what we believe.

We are a “Who Dat Nation”.  This chant is a symbol of our belief.  It’s been around for decades and is our greeting to one another.  It represents the years we have all waited to be on the good list.  The years we have waited for this team and this moment in time.  Yet, now the NFL is sending cease and desist letters to vendors who sell “Who Dat” merchandise.  Whether they have a legal right to the trademark of the phrase no longer matters.  They don’t own our history.  They don’t own our passion.  They don’t own our belief.

No matter what happens in Miami for the Super Bowl it won’t change how we feel.  We believe in the brand.  We love our team.  Geaux Saints!

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