2008 Woodie Awards
USM advertising should use student input wisely
Nick Payne
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Opinion
I do not understand why Southern Miss does not make better use of its students.
For weeks now I have been hearing about how bad the student powered videos have made the school look. Even an article by our editor failed to raise a response. I'm not putting down any of the students in the commercials, but how they have been put together and presented. It comes off making the university look like a low-budget, boring school.
I understand getting students to be in ads and video spots; that's a great idea. But why not let students get involved in the brainstorming or planning stages of these campaigns? After all we would be selling what we love.
There are student organizations on campus for just about anything you can think of. Advertising, marketing, film, public relations, design, you name it. I mean come on. That's everything you need to create a stellar ad campaign right there.
The best part is that most students will help just on the chance to get their work published. Imagine that, cheap work for a better product. I'm not quite sure some people around here grasp that.
It seems like there is someone in an office somewhere trying to make ads about USM when they have no idea what it is really like. We are paying for a first class education. Almost every professor I have ever had has said that experience is the best method of learning the way the real business world works.
Giving students more input on all aspects of USM's advertising couldn't do anything but help.
The student videos aren't the only bomb they have come up with. Ever noticed the huge banner hanging off of the science tower? Some of you may remember, but there used to be four or five of those on buildings all over the place. Ugly, pointless, and directed at people that are already at school. Not to mention the thousands of dollars they cost to design, print, and hang.
So, I propose to whomever it concerns: Give us rookies a chance, I guarantee that you will either find a great idea or at the least learn something. Create a committee to represent current students to help approve and create new marketing campaigns for the school. At the very least put some real time and effort into getting to know the campus and people that you are promoting.
As a graduating senior, I would hate to see the place that I not only will call my alma mater, but a place that I gave thousands of dollars to tarnished due to bad publicity. It's a media world and you have to stay on top of the game to stay competitive.
For weeks now I have been hearing about how bad the student powered videos have made the school look. Even an article by our editor failed to raise a response. I'm not putting down any of the students in the commercials, but how they have been put together and presented. It comes off making the university look like a low-budget, boring school.
I understand getting students to be in ads and video spots; that's a great idea. But why not let students get involved in the brainstorming or planning stages of these campaigns? After all we would be selling what we love.
There are student organizations on campus for just about anything you can think of. Advertising, marketing, film, public relations, design, you name it. I mean come on. That's everything you need to create a stellar ad campaign right there.
The best part is that most students will help just on the chance to get their work published. Imagine that, cheap work for a better product. I'm not quite sure some people around here grasp that.
It seems like there is someone in an office somewhere trying to make ads about USM when they have no idea what it is really like. We are paying for a first class education. Almost every professor I have ever had has said that experience is the best method of learning the way the real business world works.
Giving students more input on all aspects of USM's advertising couldn't do anything but help.
The student videos aren't the only bomb they have come up with. Ever noticed the huge banner hanging off of the science tower? Some of you may remember, but there used to be four or five of those on buildings all over the place. Ugly, pointless, and directed at people that are already at school. Not to mention the thousands of dollars they cost to design, print, and hang.
So, I propose to whomever it concerns: Give us rookies a chance, I guarantee that you will either find a great idea or at the least learn something. Create a committee to represent current students to help approve and create new marketing campaigns for the school. At the very least put some real time and effort into getting to know the campus and people that you are promoting.
As a graduating senior, I would hate to see the place that I not only will call my alma mater, but a place that I gave thousands of dollars to tarnished due to bad publicity. It's a media world and you have to stay on top of the game to stay competitive.
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