From the roar of the crowd to the thrill of competition and the quirky rituals of fans, college athletics ignite a fervor among students, families, alumni, and the local community. Interest in college sports is high — in fact, one survey found that more than half of respondents consider themselves a college football fan, with devoted followings to the entire roster of sports teams.
That makes athletic departments a significant player in driving college loyalty — a factor more critical than ever, as schools fiercely compete for a shrinking pool of potential students. As they aim to preserve enrollment, athletic departments are in a unique position to tap into their power to nurture loyalty among a diverse group of audiences — from the fans, which comprise a mix of students, alumni, and local community members, to the athletes themselves.
“Athletic departments are embracing the power they have to unite these various audiences behind one “’loyalty program,’” explains Donna Kuppers, commercial sales manager for FedEx Office®. “They recognize they are on the front lines as ambassadors for the university and can harness that excitement with their communications along all touchpoints.”
Yet with so many opportunities, they can use a print provider to help them identify best practices for managing on-campus graphics and allocating their funds for maximum effect.
Developing a game plan
The first step for deciding how best to use your budget is setting and prioritizing goals, starting with your audience groups, both external and internal. Then think through the communications that will resonate with them most at all touchpoints — from feeding into pre-season anticipation to hyping them up at the game and celebrating an unforgettable win.
Earlier is always better when engaging with a print provider, to be as productive as possible with the school’s resources. “Collaborating with decision makers upfront helps us understand the long-term vision so we can be creative with our recommendations for everything from technology to materials and then consolidate the deliverables,” says Kuppers.
One frequently overlooked group is the athletes themselves, says Kuppers, whose team is often asked to add engaging messaging inside athlete-centric spaces, such as practice gymnasiums, weight rooms, tunnels, locker rooms, and other facilities.
Strategic budgeting to meld peak season excitement with the long game
Sometimes you need a full court press to captivate fan hype in the moment, while other circumstances call for evergreen messaging.
One of the most impactful projects universities undertake is a brand refresh, from a complete transformation, to a logo or mascot redesign or a re-imagining of distinct brands for individual teams. “When a school has redesigned one of these branding elements, FedEx Office can come in and help with those changes quickly and easily, even across multiple campuses or locations, so it’s turnkey for the school and helps protect their brand integrity,” Kuppers says.
For defined spaces where a university is aiming to capture a moment, smaller installations can stretch their budget while still engaging the intended audience. For example, FedEx Office recently worked with a university to install a 45-foot mural with immersive, action-oriented graphics featuring life-size images of the gymnasts.
Some schools might opt to hang simple graphic signs themselves to preserve budget, or they can tap into installation services that handles some of the trickier installations, like buildouts or wraps that offer a real “wow” factor, Kuppers says.
The utility player your department needs
Athletic departments harness print solutions for a wide array of needs in addition to signs and graphics. This includes promotional materials, from iconic branded merchandise for supporters eager to showcase their lifelong allegiance, to timely products like weekly programs and playbooks.
Kuppers says her team especially loves brainstorming impactful projects that capture fans’ passions by capitalizing on a viral moment, a special event or championship excitement.
“The account management team at FedEx Office is invested in helping the customer achieve their goals. We bring forward solutions that have worked in the past with other universities, while being on the cutting-edge of new options and fresh ways to bring a university brand to life,” Kuppers says.
No detail is overlooked; for example, the FedEx Office team realizes that a careful color match is imperative. “We’re able to determine the color requirements upfront during the consultation process to ensure the graphics we produce meet brand requirements.”
Would you like to learn more about how a dynamic communications strategy can rally supporters and propel your brand and vision? Contact FedEx Office’s dedicated higher education team today.