Ole Miss Women's Basketball: Developing an Integrated Marketing Campaign

GRADUATE STUDENTS: BEN AIGAMAUA AND PARIS BUCHANAN

OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN

ADVERTISING AGENCY

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: MICHALA BURMAN, CAROLINE CALLAHAN, KEELY NADEN, REBECCA NORTON,

AND ERICKA SCHNEIDER

PRESENTED BY:

BACKGROUND OF OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

• IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI ATHLETICS PROGRAM– EST. 1974– RICH, WINNING HERITAGE• SEVERAL APPEARANCES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT AND

ONE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP

• AS SHAPED BY FUNCTIONAL EXPERIENCES– INSIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF ENTERTAINMENT VALUE

• BELOW-AVERAGE SKILL LEVEL• NOT AS EXCITING AS OLE MISS MEN’S BASKETBALL GAMES• ONLY TWO CONFERENCE WINS OF 16 CONFERENCE GAMES IN 2013-14 SEASON

– NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS• … TOWARD WOMEN’S SPORTS IN GENERAL• HEADLINES IN THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN: “LADY REBELS FALL TO…”

– LACK OF AWARENESS• AS SHAPED BY EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES

– SOCIAL STATUS• NOT “COOL” TO ATTEND OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAMES• NO PERSONAL CONNECTION OR RELATIONSHIP WITH PLAYERS

CURRENT STATE OF OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MARKETING RESEARCH• OBJECTIVES AND GOALS– TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CONSUMER

BEHAVIOR, ATTITUDES, AND FEELINGS TOWARD THE OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM

• METHODOLOGY– QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH• INVESTIGATE: WHAT, WHERE, AND WHEN?

– VIA SURVEYS

– QUALITATIVE RESEARCH• INVESTIGATE: WHY AND HOW?

– VIA FOCUS GROUPS

SURVEY RESULTS

SURVEY RESULTS ... CONTINUED

FOCUS GROUP RESULTS• WORD ASSOCIATIONS WITH “WOMEN’S BASKETBALL”– “BORING,” “NO CROWD, NO HIGH ENERGY, NO

SOCIALIZATION WITH FRIENDS,” “NOT AS AGGRESSIVE AS MEN’S BASKETBALL”

• AWARENESS OF WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAMES– “WE WOULD RAISE AWARENESS IF WE WON BECAUSE WE

WOULD TALK ABOUT IT”• LACK OF PERSONAL CONNECTION OR RELATIONSHIP

WITH PLAYERS– “THEY COME TO CLASS AND SIT IN THE BACK WITH THEIR

HEADPHONES IN, LISTENING TO MUSIC”

DATA MEASUREMENT• COMPILE AND EXTRACT DATA FROM MARKETING

RESEARCH INTO MEANINGFUL INFORMATION– RECOGNIZE NEW INSIGHTS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND

POSITIONING STRATEGIES– USING INFORMATION TO INFORM AND INSPIRE THE

CREATIVE STRATEGY

DEFINING THE BUSINESS PROBLEM

• OBJECTIONS/BARRIERS– BASED ON RESEARCH, WHAT PREVENTS CONSUMERS

FROM ATTENDING OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL EVENTS?• LACK OF AWARENESS• LACK OF ATTENDENCE• LACK OF AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT• LACK OF SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY AND STUDENT

BODY

THE ULTIMATE GOAL:• TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A UNIQUE BRAND IMAGE – STRONG, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH CONSUMERS

• TO CHALLEGE CLAIMS/BELIEFS– GAIN SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE IN ATTENDING OLE MISS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL EVENTS• TO ANSWER CONSUMERS’ MAIN QUESTION– WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?

• WORK TO CREATE AN INCREDIBLE, EXPERIENCED-BASED “HIGH” UPON ATTENDING AN OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME

SWOT ANALYSIS: STRENGTHS• CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW, MULTI-PURPOSE ARENA

– TO BE COMPLETED IN 2015• UPDATED AMMENITIES• PRIVATE STUDENT CONCOURSE• COURTSIDE/BASELINE SEATING

– TO SEAT 9,500 FANS• THREE PREMIUM CLUB AREAS• OVER 1,500 PREMIUM SEATS

• STEADY AND PROMINENT FAN BASE– iGEN (GENERATION Z)– MATURES (SILENT GENERATION)

• COST-EFFICIENT– $5/WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME (CONFERENCE OR

NONCONFERENCE) VS. $20/MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME (CONFERENCE); $15/MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME (NONCONFERENCE)

SWOT ANALYSIS: WEAKNESSES• LACK OF AWARENESS

– INEFFICIENT MEDIA OUTLETS• LOW ATTENDENCE RATES• LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT– LOW EFFORT IN ENCOURAGING FANS TO ATTEND (AND

RETURN)– NO “SPECIAL” EVENT/IDEA

• FOOTBALL: THE GROVE• BASEBALL: BEER SHOWER• MEN’S BASKETBALL: LANDSHARK

• LACK OF SUCCESS– POOR RECORD

SWOT ANALYSIS: OPPORTUNITIES• PROGRESSION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS– CREATE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE UPON THE NEGATIVE

ASSOCIATIONS CONCERNING WOMEN’S SPORTS• EMPHASIS UPON THE CLEAN, PURE FORM OF WOMEN’S

BASKETBALL OPPOSED TO MEN’S

• NICHE TARGET MARKETING– INVITE MULTIPLE, UNIQUE GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS TO

PARTICIPATE IN EXCLUSIVE EVENTS• ESTABLISH A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OLE MISS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM AND MEMBERS OF THESE UNIQUE GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS VIA BASKETBALL CAMPS, TRYOUT CLINICS, STUDENT NIGHT, ETC.

SWOT ANALYSIS: THREATS• PURE DISINTEREST– DIFFICULT TO CHALLENGE OTHERS TO THINK

DIFFERENTLY ABOUT WOMEN’S BASKETBALL• PREJUDICE TOWARD WOMEN’S SPORTS IN

GENERAL• SUCCESS RATE– DEFICIENT IN WINS OPPOSED TO LOSSES

SEGMENTING THE AUDIENCE• UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI– STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND ALUMNI

• SPORTS-MINDED COMMUNITY MEMBERS• YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS– OPC, LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ETC.

• GENERATIONAL SEGMENTATION

OBJECTIVES• INCREASE AWARENESS– RESEARCH: ATTITUDES, USAGE, AND MESSAGE EFFECTIVENESS

• INCREASE ATTENDENCE– RESEARCH: PRODUCT CONCEPT, USABILITY, PRICING, AND

ADVERTISING TESTING• INCREASE AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT• INCREASE COMMUNITY AND STUDENT SUPPORT– RESEARCH: CONSUMER SATISFACTION AND BEHAVIORAL

INSIGHTS

SINGLE-MINDED PROPOSITION:

UNCOVER YOUR INNER REBEL!• ENCOURAGE CONSUMERS

TO FEEL CONNECTED WITH THE OLE MISS COMMUNITY

• “UNCOVERING” WHO THEY TRULY ARE WHILE DEFINING WHAT MAKES THEM A “REBEL”

TARGETING THE AUDIENCE• SEGMENTS PROVIDING THE MOST VALUE:– STEADY AND PROMINENT FAN BASE• MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS RATHER THAN

ESTABLISHING THEM– GENERATIONAL SEGMENTATION• MATURES (SILENT GENERATION)

– BORN BETWEEN 1909 - 1945– “EXPERIENCED”

• iGEN (GENERATION Z)– BORN FROM 2001 - PRESENT– “CONNECTED”

• BORN BETWEEN 2001 AND THE PRESENT DAY• MOST CONNECTED AND MOST MOTIVATED

GENERATION OF ALL TIME• MEDIA CONSUMERS– CONSTANTLY SEEKING STIMULATION

• ALWAYS SENDING/RECEIVING INFORMATION UPON THE NEWEST TRENDS

• MULTITASKERS• SOCIAL• CREATIVE

CHARACTERISTICS OF iGEN

MEET CONNOR AND SARAH:

TACTICS: SERVING iGEN

OLE MISS SWISH CLUB SMARTPHONE APP

• QR CODE– UNIQUE TO EACH MEMBER– SCAN FOR ADMISSION,

PROMOTIONS, ETC.• SCAN QR CODE UPON

ATTENDING THREE HOME GAMES AND RECEIVE A FREE “UNCOVER YOUR REBEL SIDE” T-SHIRT!

• GAME SCHEDULE• TEAM MEMBER BIOS AND

STATS• MOBILE GAME FOR KIDS

“UNCOVER YOUR REBEL SIDE!”

ACCESS PLAYER STORIES VIA SMARTPHONE APP

• ESTABLISHES A SENSE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN SWISH CLUB MEMBERS AND OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS

– SHORT STORIES AND PHOTOS CONCERNING PLAYERS’ YOUTH• WHAT CAN PLAYERS DO TO MAINTAIN THIS SENSE OF CONNECTION?

– VISIT STUDENTS AT SCHOOL AND READ TO SWISH CLUB MEMBERS– HOLD EXCLUSIVE TRYOUT CLINICS, BASKETBALL CAMPS, ETC.

OLE MISS SWISH BUCKSUSED TOWARD FREE SOFT DRINKS AND SNACKS AT

CONCESSION STANDS THROUGHOUT THE “TAD PAD”

PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY• CONNECTING SWISH CLUB MEMBERS AND OLE MISS WOMEN’S

BASKETBALL PLAYERS VIA MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

#UncoverYourInnerRebel

• BORN BETWEEN 1925 AND 1945• HARDWORKING• LOYAL• SUBMISSIVE• TECH-CHALLENGED• TRADITIONAL

CHARACTERISTICS OF MATURES

TACTICS: SERVING MATURES• Basketball Bingo– Win free breakfast

for two from BBB– Golf Give-A-Way

• 50’s-Themed Night– Dance during Halftime

• Consignment Sale– Donations will go to charity of their choice

USE OF MULTIPLE MEDIA PLATFORMS

• TRADITIONAL MEDIA• PUBLIC RELATIONS• INTERACTIVE

PUBLIC RELATIONS: PRESS RELEASE

TADITIONAL MEDIA: RADIO• REBEL RADIO 92.1• SUPER TALK MS 105.5

TRADITIONAL MEDIA: LOCAL TV

• NEWS WATCH

TRADITIONAL MEDIA: NEWSPAPER• THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN• THE OXFORD EAGLE• THE DAILY JOURNAL

TRADITIONAL MEDIA: MAGAZINE

• INVITATION OXFORD

INTERACTIVE: OLE MISS ATHLETICS WEBSITE

Print AdvertisingRadio AdvertisingSocial Media AdvertisingSwish Club/Promos

OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM BUDGET ALLOCATION

BENEFITS OF BUDGET SPENDING

• INCREASES AWARENESS• INCREASES ATTENDANCE • ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY

• INTRODUCES THE SWISH CLUB PROGRAM

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1ST WEEK OF OCTOBER

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

ALL OF OCTOBER

EVERY OTHER HOME GAME

1ST HOME GAME

MARCH 2, 2015

FINAL WEEK OF OCTOBER: SEASON HOME OPENER

“UNCOVER YOUR INNER REBEL!”