College event marketing

(Forbes.com 5/9/2012) The 2012 college football season doesn’t officially begin for several months, but CBS Sports has already begun selling advertising spots for next season’s SEC football games. The network is reportedly well ahead of competitors ESPN and Fox, which are in discussions with existing partners but have yet to test the open market.

But what is perhaps most striking is that CBS is reportedly using the Super Bowl as leverage in negotiations with prospective SEC advertisers. In February, I predicted that Super Bowl ad rates will double within the next decade, partly because the networks will need to cover the increased rights fees for carrying NFL games. CBS has the rights to the 2013 Super Bowl, and leveraging those rights into attracting more sponsors to SEC games is a great way to wring even more value out of the most popular televised event of the year.
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Students have made it half way through the semester. They have crunched in everything they could for midterms and are finally getting ready to enjoy their much needed Spring Break. Finals are quickly approaching and many college students are focusing on these exams, plus final presentations.  For many consumer brands, the season may offer a perfect opportunity to initiate their college marketing efforts.  During the final weeks of school, student’s priorities tend to shift gear from social activities over to academia. Large crowds of students will flock all over campuses including, coffee shops, the library, and campus lawns, reviewing lecture notes and reading material.

That is why at Campus Solutions we believe that it’s a great opportunity for clients to start their marketing efforts towards the college demographic. Using snack brands as an example, the weeks leading to final exams is ideal timing for product sampling initiatives and fitting messages recognizing students’ efforts and promoting healthy study breaks. Brands may choose to promote a study break contest or offer students products on the go. Here at Campus Solution we are staffed with people familiar with each campus and acting as your company’s liaison. We could use street teams to engage the students, and other opportunities include campus postering and signage opportunities through our network of local coffee shops frequented by students.

For more information, please visit us at Campus Solutions. Lets talk and create a unique college marketing plan just for you!

March Madness, the NCAA Men’s Division Basketball Championship, is hot right now.  College students are looking for a larger place then their dorm to gather around and watch it together. A Fan Zone is the perfect place for students to watch and companies to host, advertise, and provide snacks for these students.

The Fan Zone can be placed in a common area, such as the student union, with several places to sit. This designated area can be the host to the rest of the March Madness games, providing students with an awesome place to hang with friends and enjoy the madness that is March Madness.

Campus Solutions understands the frenzy and wants to work with you to create Fan Zones on college campuses across the United States.

For more information visit our website, www.campussolutionsinc.com

Who is in your final four?

Going green has become a trend that many college students are becoming more and more aware of, especially in fraternities and sororities. This past February, 29 Greek houses participated in the “do it in the dark” contest.  It’s a newly created energy sustainability contest that will hopefully grow within in the next few years and cut across many of the US college campus. In its first year, they have estimated that roughly 6,000 students in the Greek organizations are participating. According to Ian Champ, who is one of the co-founders of the contest, “the Greeks love competition” and “everyone seems excited about the contest”.

There are three prizes that will be awarded at the end of the following month. The 3 housed with the highest kilowatt-hour reduction compared with their February 2011 bills will when the “Green Gorilla” prize, which is a $750 donation to any charitable organization.  When it comes to the smaller houses they will base the winner off the percentage of reduction in kilowatt-hour.

Campus Solution sees this as a great opportunity for businesses to jump in on the action and help inform students on how to conserve energy. It’s a great way for companies to utilize our extensive “Greek organization network” to help these houses conserve energy, while being informed of your products. We can have street teams that go directly to the houses and offer your products with energy saving tips. We can also have company branded t-shirts with quotes like “ I can shower quicker then you can” or “Turn me on by turning (picture of a switch) me off”. Our brand ambassadors can also hand out flyers and inform students face to face, while providing information on your company and brands.

For more information on Campus Solutions’ college marketing and out-of-home media, please visit our website at www.campussolutionsinc.com.

There is something to be said when millions of Americans tune in to watch a college basketball game. Either watching it live on the bleachers or at home with friends surrounding a 52-inch TV or by hitting up the local bars or restaurants. Basketball has a strong affect on people, and there is more then one explanation why. Some watch it for entertainment, while others get a rush from the competitive nature of the Sport. Some view it as a way for the community to come together and interact with other members of the community, becoming a point of interest that unites people.

Campus Solutions understand the frenzy of March Madness and wants to work with you, to find ways to tap into this phenomenon. Last year, networks such as CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV broadcasted the games. CBS alone drew in 9.6 million viewers. Campus Solutions wants to focus our attention on the masses of people that actually attend the games. By Setting up street teams, table events, and bar parties we are able to make contact with actual game goers. Reaching out to a large number of potential customers.

Here is a list of the top 25 college teams to look out for:

Kentucky                               Wichita State                       Indiana

Syracuse                                Florida State                        Wisconsin

Kansas                                    San Diego State                  Georgetown

North Carolina                   Creighton                              Murray State

Missouri                                UNLV                                       Baylor

Duke                                         Temple                                   Michigan

Ohio State                              Florida                                   Iowa State

Michigan State                    Notre Dame

Marquette                             Gonzaga

For more information on Campus Solutions’ college marketing and out-of-home media, please visit our website atwww.campussolutionsinc.com.

Freshmen orientation is a fun, exciting, and adrenalin-pumping week for many freshmen entering college for the first time.  Freshmen orientation is the schools informal introduction and inauguration to the college, which hold activities ranging from campus tours, physical activities, games, and seminars. Seniors and juniors lead the new students in the activities, so that the new student can bond with one another.  Many of the colleges also encourage that parents come to the first day of orientation, to help with paper work, moving into the dorms, and help the student get situated.

That is why Campus Solutions is organizing street teams on campus during orientation week to help brands make contact with future and potential customers. By having our street team on campus during orientation week we are able to introduce new products not only to the students but also to their parents.

A few of the things our street teams do during freshmen orientation week

• Pass material to parents and students during seminars

• Help in the moving process and by providing boxes with a certain brands logo

• Offering promotional coupons to certain stores in return for joining certain companies social media sites

• And the list of ideas are endless……

Come and speak with Campus Solutions and let’s talk about what we can do for you! Freshmen orientation is just around the corner and we feel confident that we can give your brand the edge it needs to penetrate campuses around the nation.

For more information please visit our Website or email Bryan

This Spring brings a unique college marketing opportunity for brands to gain awareness on campus by sponsoring Penn State University’s 37th annual University’s Movin’ On annual Spring Music Festival.  Considered possibly the largest student-run music festival in the U.S., Movin’ On combines a mashup of today’s and yesterday’s music.

Event: Movin’ On- Penn State’s Annual Spring Music Festival

Date: April 29th, 2011

Location: Penn State- University Park, IM Field West (Near Beaver Stadium)

Event Time: 3:30pm – 11:00pm

Ticket Cost: Free

Expected Attendance: 10,000 at peak hours

For more information on Movin’ On or any other college media, feel free to contact Campus Solutions at www.campussolutionsinc.com.

Halloween is a perfect opportunity for brands to implement a residence hall product sampling distribution on campus.  In addition to samples, a door hanger promotion is a great way to generate buzz for your brand during Halloween.  Students’ doors are often decorated for the holidays offering creative branding opportunities for your company.

Campus Solutions has developed strategies for marketers to implement student-generated video contests to encourage positive impact on college communities.  This year, advertisers have the opportunity to focus their college marketing strategies around ideas that impact the community by awarding students with grants for submitted ideas.

A strategy involving several college media offerings will generate awareness and video submissions while your company’s college street teams will assist students submit videos and promote the campaign.  Campus Solutions is one of the the country’s fastest growing college marketing and OOH media companies in the country.  For more information on Campus Solutions’s college marketing and out-of-home advertising, please visit our website at www.campussolutionsinc.com.

A study released this month by Arizona Republic tested 84 reusable grocery bags for contamination and discovered that more than half were contaminated with bacteria that could cause serious illness.  The findings suggests that by unknowingly placing raw meat in reusable bags, consumers may be taking serious health risks if they are not consistently washing the cloth bags with detergent and water.  At Campus Solutions, we see this as an opportunity for marketers to implement a branded detergent distribution within grocery stores and health nutrition stores.

Campus Solutions is the country’s premier college marketing and OOH media company offering brands non-traditional media opportunities to reach niche consumer groups.  Your company may reward shoppers for being eco-friendly and bagging their groceries with reusable grocery bags by providing each customer with your company’s branded detergent.  Through Campus Solutions’ network of national grocery store chains and natural food health stores, your promotional materials may be distributed by your company’s branded green team or distributed by the cashiers at venues within your top markets.

For more information on Campus Solutions’ college marketing and out-of-home media, please visit our website at www.campussolutionsinc.com.