The first official Soca Warriors Retail outlet was opened on Friday as officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and TT/Germany 2006 Limited along with those of Graphix Advantage proudly looked on at several attractive paraphernalia displaying the “Soca Warriors” name and logo.
The outlet comes just in time as the nation prepares for World Cup fever less than 50 days before T&T’s opening 2006 World Cup fixture against Sweden in Nuremberg .
The store which has been opened by top regional signage company Graphix Advantage and sanctioned by the TTFF is located a mere two minutes off the Chaguanas Price Plaza fly over with the exact location being Talia's Courtyard, #3 Mulchan Seuchan Road. It will be opened for business from this coming Monday from 10am.
“Whilst we cannot ignore the negative aspects of life in Trinidad and Tobago today, we can & must celebrate the amazing feat our Soca Warriors have accomplished. When those guys land here to face Peru… come out show your Warrior Spirit Trinidad and Tobago… wear your heart on your sleeve…wave your flags… show off your big badges … show our boys how proud of them we are… support your Soca Warriors,” Graphix representative Karen Baksh stated during the opening launch.
She explained that the idea to open the outlet came from Graphix managing director Imam Baksh as his company was one of the first companies to get involved with the TTFF in the area of producing Soca Warriors promotional items.
“Graphix Advantage’s first foray into Soca Warriors promotional items was with the Warriors Big Badge. Upon observing vehicles sporting the national flag and various pieces of red cloth (esp. during the qualifying matches) Mr. Baksh came up the concept of the Warriors Big Badge. The idea behind the Big Badge was to ensure a consistent and visually appealing type of vehicle branding. The impact of vehicle branding cannot be denied – the Big Badge would be an eye-catching LEGAL way of showing your support for the Soca Warriors,” Baksh added.
“Having gotten the green light from the TTFF to produce the Big Badge and taking part in the official launches held in Nov & Dec 2005 we began our initial marketing plan. We approached various Corporate Clients, banks, financial institutions, NGOs, Governmental Agencies and other companies. The plan was to bring on board as many corporate citizens as possible and have their entire respective vehicular fleets bear the Warrior Big Badge.
“Whilst preliminary feedbacks were encouraging the follow-throughs were not. Some corporate citizens already had in place their own strategies and plans, while others adopted a “wait and see” attitude. Needless to say we were disappointed by the lack of response we received from the corporate citizens. This unfortunate state of indifference continues up to today,” Baksh went on. But Prestige Holdings stepped in and agreed to have the big badges on sale at all their KFC outlets.
Filled with exuberance, Baksh continued: “When Graphix Advantage first came up with the Warriors Big Badge we never envisioned the many various uses for the item, which the public has come up with. We have seen Big Badges on back windscreens, doors, cut to various sizes and installed. There is a house in Cunupia sporting a string of Big Badges along its roof. They really say we Trinbagonians are a creative people.
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“I would also like to make special mention of the Mayor of Chaguanas and the Chaguanas Borough Corporation. Our Borough Corporation’s fleet of vehicles all have a Warriors Big Badge installed. The Borough of Chaguanas is 100 percent behind our Soca Warriors.
“Graphix Advantage did not stop with the Big Badge though. After gaining an Exclusive License and Authorisation Agreement from the TTFF in December 2005 we then proceeded to source, produce and eventually retail approved branded Soca Warriors items. Whilst the going was slow Germany 2006 is now close at hand. Our offices have been inundated over the past three weeks with calls … “Where can I get such and such?.. Do you have such & such?”…
“Once more our intrepid leader Mr. Baksh sprang into action. Thus the Soca Warriors Retail Outlet was born. With the public clamouring for Soca Warriors items we needed to make them more accessible. And accessible they now are…
“It is indeed the sincerest wish of all of us at Graphix Advantage Limited, and our partners in this endeavour that the public will patronise this Retail Outlet. You will not only be supporting the Team visually but also financially. Ladies and Gentlemen we are the smallest island nation to ever qualify for a World Cup. Other countries wrap their buildings with huge banners celebrating their football teams. They brand their public transportation vehicles. They hang buntings and banners in their cities. They go all out to support their Teams. Why shouldn’t we?
“With our only local game against Peru carded for 10th May 2006 and 49 days to go to Germany let us once more show our Warriors our support. Put a Big Badge on your car, your maxi taxi, your truck, your wall, your fence. Wear your Soca Warriors T-shirts and Polos. Don your Soca Warriors’ cap. Put your keys on Soca Warriors key chains. Have a drink from a Soca Warriors cup."