FOX Sports West is developing a new campaign to promote its website with the help of a USC Annenberg communication management class that worked through the fall semester to conduct in-depth research and pitch proposals aimed at boosting the network's Web traffic.
"The students love it, because they're engaged in a process where they get to come up with an idea that's actually going to come to light and be on TV and online, where they can see it," said Chris Hannan, senior vice president of marketing for FOX, Regional Sports Networks. Throughout the semester, Hannan and other FOX Sports West executives sat alongside students to give them feedback on the project in Kim Stephens' graduate CMGT 587: Audience Analysis class.
"It's ideal for us, because we want to reach the younger demographic; the class allows us to engage with very sharp young minds. Their thought processes are unbelievable, and they come back with fantastic ideas that will appeal to their generation," Hannan said.
The class split into five groups that competed to come up with the winning campaign. Ultimately, Hannan and his colleagues chose a program anchored by the slogan "Are You In?" They will use elements from other pitches as well. (FOX Sports West is working now to make sure the tagline isn't intellectual property already claimed by another campaign.)
"It was one of the most rewarding feelings. Instead of just getting a grade on something, this is actually going to be something live and people are going to see this," said Susan Zeile, a first-year graduate student who worked on the winning campaign. "It's such an interesting bridge between the scholastic and the real-world experience."
The project wasn't just about pitching a winning slogan, Zeile said. They were presented with a challenge: How to attract more fans and viewers to FOX Sports West's year-old website, FoxSportsWest.com, and build an audience--using the site and other digital platforms--that would keep coming back.
Students dug into their research by first conducting Web usability studies, then online surveys, and finally--focus groups.
"It was helpful to go through the whole marketing process, to understand--when you're presented with a problem--how to figure out your next steps based on the understanding of what your solution needs to answer," Zeile said. "In the end, we got a good base of knowledge that really did cater to the specific needs of the problem. Instead of just figuring out a slogan."
Stephens also required students to come up with a research presentation, aside from the pitches they offered to FOX Sports West.
"Classroom learning is an important part of the education process, but when that theoretical learning meets the practical aspects, it's really a different ball game," said Stephens. "This program allows the safety of the classroom but the complexity of the real world. It's an experience you just can't get from a contrived exercise or assignment that I could come up with."
The perspective students bring is different not just because they're on Facebook a lot, Hannan said. They instinctively use media in a different way than a generation ago.
"While other generations may embrace new models of entertainment, they often follow traditional models. Students today live in the online world," Hannan said. "They see brand identity differently. They see it as consumer interaction: How am I, as an individual, involved in the interaction with you? They want to be engaged. It's not about the brand telling them why this is important."
The students who came up with the winning concept now have a chance to work with FOX Sports West outside the classroom to develop the campaign.
"I can't wait to get started and be onboard with the executives and creative minds of FOX Sports West," said student Ben Guttierez. "I hope to gain more practical knowledge from the collaboration, and, needless to say, expand my professional network."
This is FOX Sports West's third year working with USC Annenberg classes to collaborate on marketing campaigns. Past classes have contributed to campaigns targeting Los Angeles Angels baseball and Los Angeles Kings hockey. The projects are part of a FOX Sports education platform called Creative University that includes programs at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Arizona State University, the University of Florida and others.
