Challenge
How can Clemson University deliver the #1 student experience and attract the highest quality students? How can we recruit elite athletes by highlighting the non-athletic benefits the university offers?
Student Athlete Feature Series Case Study
Opportunity
By leveraging a targeted media campaign, we can bridge the gap between Clemson student-athletes and the broader student community. This campaign will utilize the influence of athletes to promote programs and opportunities, highlighting how student-athletes prepare for success in life beyond sports.
For many Clemson student-athletes—especially those outside major sports like football, baseball, basketball, and soccer—college athletics serve as a pathway to a quality education and professional development rather than a professional sports career.
Take Mia, for example—a dedicated student-athlete who actively participates in both athletics and academic programs. Her daily life mirrors that of many non-athlete students, allowing her to connect with them on a personal level. By showcasing her involvement in initiatives like the UPIC internship and the Sales Innovation Program, we can illustrate the real-world benefits and career readiness that come from engaging in Clemson’s offerings.
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Clemson has a unique opportunity to highlight its student-athlete development programs and experiences as a key recruiting tool, setting itself apart from competitors. The intersection of Mia's experiences with the broader student body creates a relatable narrative that enhances the brand value of various programs.
Drawing a connection between active participation in Clemson's opportunities (e.g., UPIC, SIP) and achieving high performance can effectively position these experiences as integral to student success.
Solution
To effectively promote this campaign, we first needed to identify our target audience, as this influences the approach we take for distribution. The primary audiences for this campaign are current Clemson students, Clemson alumni, and prospective students. While our productions are typically released on Clemson Student Affairs accounts across various platforms, this content intersects with numerous organizations that have their own channels.
For instance, Mia, a Clemson volleyball player, could feature in a collaboration post with the Clemson Volleyball account if our target audience were primarily sports fans. However, this might create the impression that the content focuses mainly on volleyball, when in fact it highlights Mia’s well-rounded experience as a Clemson student. The same logic applies to the various clubs and organizations she is involved in. To avoid narrowing the scope to one aspect of Mia’s life, we opted to share the content on the main Clemson Tiger account. This account has the most followers and interactions, reaching a broad spectrum of people who may be interested in different facets of Mia's story and the content we provide.
Methods of Engagement
The best approach for reaching each audience varies. For alumni, who are generally older, meaningful contact is best achieved through email or direct mail. Generation Y and older groups tend to place higher value on emails, often reading them and clicking on attached links. They are also more likely to have a stable mailing address and check their mail regularly.
In contrast, current Clemson students and prospective students—who belong to a younger, more digitally engaged demographic—are best reached through social media. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are ideal for reaching these groups and encouraging engagement with the content.
Key Message and Desired Outcomes
The core message of this campaign is that Clemson is thriving and continually striving to achieve the goal of being the #1 student experience in the country for all students.
Current Clemson Students: The goal is to inspire them to become more involved on campus and understand the long-term benefits of engagement in university programs.
Prospective Students: The objective is to convince them that Clemson is the best choice for their college experience, positioning it as their top pick.
Clemson Alumni: The aim is to demonstrate that their donations are making a positive impact, motivating them to continue or increase their support to the university and IPTAY.