"Can U Feel It" -- USF Unveils 2008 FB Marketing Campaign

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

the people that keep bringing up the WVU fans in the background are really overreacting.

it's not the WVU fans in the picture per-se, but the fact that they include more WVU fans than practically anything else in the photo.

Also, white "middle aged men" is the target demographic for collegiate athletics.  I don't have numbers, but I would be SHOCKED if they are not far and away the biggest spenders when it comes to athletic events.  And, it's not like they have a bunch of 40 year olds, not that there is anything wrong with that, in the picture.  The group they have is probably in the 25-30 range and from the times I have seen them, they are having more fun/doing more things than 90% of the students 

once again, nobody is saying USF shouldn't market to the "middle aged white male" demographic.  the issue is marketing to MORE than just that demographic.  face it: Tampa is only 51% white.  half of that population is women.  that leaves roughly 25% of the population of Tampa being white males, and a significant portion are either younger or older than "middle aged." 

if targeting "middle aged white men" and ONLY "middle aged white men" is the marketing strategy, how smart is that when that demographic probably only comprises about 15% of the total population?

and again, when have pictures of "approximately" middle aged men ever been an effective marketing strategy to attract other "approximately" middle aged men?  i've never known a man who was compelled to attend an event full of other men.  that's just not the way it works.

if that were the case, why bother having cheerleaders and sun dolls?

[___ Eats It]

Who said they are 'only' marketing to that demo?  You're assuming...

[Matt]

bully, if this was a studio creation i could see your points being valid but it was a live shot, game photo.  now, is it possible that there is a section in RayJay that fits what you described (diversity)....sure...there probably is one somewhere.  but when you are talking about a section that is clearly visiable from field level (where the photographer obviously was) then you are pretty limited.  infact, the section they choose is probably the youngest per chair section in the whole stadium (minus student section obviously, but we all know that those front rows are filled with the dreaded beef studs) 

overall, its just a wallpaper.  its not going on a billboard or full page ad in the tribune.

i think USF does an exception job on all non-athletics related marketing in terms of diversity.  if you look at any school program, brochure, website, etc  you will find a vast array of ethnic groups, male/female ratios, and even age groups.

what we are doing here is like taking 1 leaf from a rainforest; putting it under a microscope and then drawing a conclusion about leaves in a rainforest.

when its time for the season to start there will be hundreds of different promotional items put together by the marketing department and at that time if we see shoop and his crew over all of them....then we can complain.

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

Who said they are 'only' marketing to that demo?  You're assuming...

it's not an assumption if it is based on observable evidence.

where is the marketing to other demographics?  there hasn't been a single wallpaper released this year that has included any other demographics...

except this one, although i'm sure someone will insist that 10 year olds are a highly targeted demographic that "actually PAY for tickets":

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

Bear in mind... the picture you're complaining about is a WALLPAPER ...

actually, it is being used as a marketing flyer for its "alumni ticket package" as well.

i don't recall the exact diversity statistics for USF, but from my own experience and from the statistics i remember seeing, USF has one of the most diverse student bodies in the Florida university system.

if this flyer is being used to market to alumni, why does it offend you so much that someone would expect the flyer to represent the diversity of the USF student body and the alumni which were once part of that student body?

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

what we are doing here is like taking 1 leaf from a rainforest; putting it under a microscope and then drawing a conclusion about leaves in a rainforest.

isn't that what this thread is about--- taking a 1 or 2 leaves from the forest and patting the marketing department on the back for it?

so it's cool to use those 1 or 2 "leaves" to congratulate marketing, but we should verbally abuse everybody who uses those same 1 or 2 "leaves" to point things out that could use some improvement?

let's be objective now, sir.

[Matt]

i cant speak for everybody who posted on this thread but any congratulations that i have given is for taking a step in the right direction.

all previous campaigns were a lot worse than this one.  so i am congratulating progress. 

i guess this is just discussion is just a product of the off-season.  give bulls fans such a long time away from football and the first sign of football arriving and we get all worked up

[Guest]

Who said they are 'only' marketing to that demo?  You're assuming...

it's not an assumption if it is based on observable evidence.

where is the marketing to other demographics?  there hasn't been a single wallpaper released this year that has included any other demographics...

except this one, although i'm sure someone will insist that 10 year olds are a highly targeted demographic that "actually PAY for tickets":

there are two -- TWO -- kids in that picture.  Mutt, Bubbles, and the rest of the people actually holding the signs in the background are not 10 year olds.

And you need to see the line that says:

"Additional Can You Feel It? Wallpapers will be released each week during the summer. Stay tuned..."

[Guest]

oh, and the only shot of fans in the commercial appear to be students... so you must not be observing much.

[Triple B]

except this one, although i'm sure someone will insist that 10 year olds are a highly targeted demographic that "actually PAY for tickets":

So I guess all toy companies should stop using kids in their ads since they don't actually PAY for the toys ...