Bare marketing

Andrew Wainer

Although former Huntington Beach water polo prodigy David Breihan helped

lead his Cal Poly San Luis Obispo team to a national championship in

Arizona this month, they literally gave their shirts -- and a lot of

other clothing -- to get there.

Because the club team receives no funding from the university, the team

shot a fund-raising calendar featuring all of the players totally nude --

save for a well-placed water-polo ball gingerly suspended in mid-air.

The former Golden West College player said he hopes to bring in $7,000

for the team this year through selling the calendar.

Proceeds will help cover training and travel expenses.

The risque fund-raising technique was a success for the team last year

when it raised about $4,000. But it was the source of some controversy

within the university, where some of the administrators in the school’s

club sports department objected to its provocative nature.

“We had to digitally alter some of the photos by painting in a Speedo

swimsuit,” Breihan said.

Even the toned-down the calendar photo, it was still popular with female

students.

“We sold 2,000 copies last year,” Breihan added.

Breihan, a marketing student who will graduate this year, said he learned

from his experience last year and went about this year’s calendar

differently.

Cat Cramp is director of club sports at the school and responsible for

giving the go-ahead to the calendar project.

“I spent 12 months building a relationship with Cat,” Breihan said. “We

learned in marketing class that you get stuff done by creating good

rapport with others.”

Breihan’s marketing skills have already paid off.

This year’s calendar will feature no digital altering and is expected to

bring in almost double that of last year’s.

Sales began last week and already hundreds of calendars have been sold,

Breihan said.

In fact, the calendar was part of his year-long senior project for his

marketing major.

And even before he earned his degree, Breihan has learned that success

and a good product can overcome even hostile opposition.

“This year they had to let us do the calendar again because it sold so

well last year,” Breihan said.