Mission/Purpose:

The #ComeToUSG campaign’s mission is to maximize outreach on social media with University Sporting Goods target audiences by utilizing student-athlete partnerships made possible by new NCAA rules.

Timeline:

The campaign will begin Friday, December 3, 2021, and will run until January 3, 2022.

Goals/Objectives:

 - Use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, and Events to provide valuable content for target audiences

-       Grow social media presence by using Instagram’s collaboration feature with partnered student-athletes 

-       Run a cohesive campaign by connecting social posts. Example: linking blog posts on LinkedIn, using #ComeToUSG in posts, etc.

-       Ultimately grow social media followings and sales by reaching a larger audience, resulting in people coming to University Sporting Goods (#ComeToUSG)

Theme(s):

Community is a major theme communicated throughout the #ComeToUSG campaign as it is targeted towards those who are a part of the Ole Miss family. As members of the Ole Miss family, people are invested in sports and will wear student-athlete merchandise with pride as they look forward to events such as the upcoming bowl game, continuing basketball season, and the upcoming baseball season.

Another important theme in this campaign is passion. Rebel fans are passionate about these sports, and it is because of their passion they are more likely to engage with valuable content and participate in events such as giveaways. Through the #ComeToUSG campaign, we will harness the Ole Miss community on social media and utilize their passion for Ole Miss sports to ensure interaction and involvement in the ongoing campaign.

Competitor(s):

University Sporting Goods’ number one competitor is Rebel Rags, located on Jackson Avenue. Rebel Rags is known for having “anything, everything, Ole Miss!” and for their wide selection of products for the ultimate Ole Miss fanatic. Through the #ComeToUSG campaign, University Sporting Goods will differentiate itself by partnering with student-athletes to create customizable Ole Miss gear, apparel that is not available in competitor stores. University Sporting Goods will also highlight its prominent location within the Oxford community. For instance, on a gameday weekend when Oxford experiences many visitors, Jackson Avenue, where Rebel Rags is located, is the sight of traffic jams consisting of people trying to get to the very place University Sporting Goods is located: The Square. Using this prime location along with maximizing outreach through student-athlete collaboration posts, University Sporting Goods will harness its unique selling points and overcome its competitors.

Target Audience(s):

How #ComeToUSG will reach our audience:

Through University Sporting Goods’ social media platforms, these audiences will be reached by providing them with the content they are looking for. Succinct information on the new NCAA rules, what University Sporting Goods has to offer, and updates on Ole Miss sports are the key points social media content in the #ComeToUSG campaign will hit to satisfy these audiences.

Additionally, a highlighted element of the #ComeToUSG campaign is to use student-athletes, most of which are micro-influencers, to reach the audiences University Sporting Goods could not on their own. By using the collaboration feature on Instagram, University Sporting Goods will reach the followers of several student-athletes, maximizing outreach and creating new customers.

The campaign will strategically communicate on platforms that reach the audiences directly and will provide consistent, cohesive information across platforms. 

Publication Schedule per platform:

Blog: One long-form post per day, published to the blog.

LinkedIn: Four posts per week: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Sharing blog content, Ole Miss content, and store content. 

Instagram: One post per day: share blog content, new arrivals, student-athlete collaborations, announce events, share user-generated content.

Twitter: Post six times a week: include polls, graphics, blog content, etc.

Facebook: One post per day: post new merchandise arrivals, announce events, share blog content.

Events: At least two events will be held by University Sporting Goods: Lane Kiffin signed football giveaway at the store, student-athletes come sign customized merchandise for customers.