Marketing Idea: Underutilized Resource College Organizations

Your company is most likely neglecting a great resource that is inexpensive to use.  College Organizations, there is a college organization or group for anything you or your company needs to do or have done.  I was a member of the American Marketing Association at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.  As a member I was able to   meet with many company representatives that spoke at our meetings.  The representatives talked about their jobs, their company, and answered questions.  I was able to network with many individuals and different companies through the AMA, but that is where my relationship stopped.  These companies that spoke were helpful and informative but all came down to finding some perspective employees.  That is great for the company and the AMA members, but the company could have utilized the AMA more.

The AMA chapters participate in case competitions where they create detailed marketing campaigns for the selected company or organization.  As a member if a company asked me or the UWM AMA to help create a marketing campaign, slogan, plan, etc.  I would have been happy to do so.  All a company would have had to do was ask or make a proposal, for about a tenth of what it would have cost the company to do it the AMA could have.  I realized this and instead of waiting for a company to make a proposal I wrote one to Joe Sorge of the now famous AJ Bombers.

Part of the proposal: "An American Marketing Association fundraiser at AJ Bombers will increase the level of awareness University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee students have of AJ Bombers, while providing additional funding for the UWM Chapter of AMA. This will be done by promoting the menu and specials of AJ Bombers on campus by the use of strategically placed posters and flyers, and by word of mouth. The fundraiser will consist of promoting a new Burger of the Month, for the month of November 2009, called “The AMAzing Burger,” where one dollar of each burger sold will go to the UWM AMA."

While the fundraiser did not yield the projected results, it did increase the awareness of AJ Bombers on campus and gave me and other AMA members valuable experience in creating a marketing campaign. Most importantly it provided additional funds for the AMA so the organization could continue to provide their members.  So on behalf of myself and the UWM AMA I would like to thank Joe Sorge and AJ Bombers again for taking the chance with us.

So that was my personal experience with the underutilized college organizations.  

Why you should consider using a college organization?

1. The number of college organizations and ability to find one just right for what you need.
2. The ease of finding that college organization and making contact with the president, a simple search on the campus website for organizations should provide you with a list that you could use.  Or a Google search if you know what organization you would like to use.
3. It provides valuable experience to the college students in the organization.
4. Costs less than using an agency or going in house (or it should)
5. The money goes to the organization and is used for its members benefit.

I am not saying that using a college organization is perfect for every situation but it should be considered.

Do you or your company have any personal experience?  Do you know any college organizations that would fit with what you intend to do?  Have you considered using a college organization?  Any other reasons why you would or should consider using a college organization?

Marketing Idea: College Video Game Tourney

Large Marketing Budgets for upcoming games, even larger for the highly anticipated titles.
Video game companies invest a large amount of time, money, and effort in upcoming games and new releases. This is so the interest and awareness is there, but isn't the awareness already there. Avid gamers already know the release date to the titles they want, from numerous magazines, tv shows, web shows, websites, posters, store listings, and blog posts. Most of which cost the companies little to nothing for advertisements.

Should the advertising and marketing budgets be cut?
No if anything the budgets should be increased. A larger investment in advertising and marketing will result in more sales. Their is a point when more advertising will not result in more sales. Tradition advertising does work but more can be done to improve sales and awareness. Bungie and Microsoft spent over 250 million on the creation and promotion of Halo 3. This allowed for one of the best first day sales ever, as well as the best selling game in 2007. What should happen is the budgets should be adjusted to allow for new ideas and avenues for advertising.

One idea would be for hosting a video game tournament at college(s) around the country.
Taking 10 million from the budget, or cutting the number of commercials by as little as 10 airings could cover setting up and running a tournament at a large college. College students are one of the main demographics of video game players. Video game tournaments have been around since the days of the arcade machines. Many movies about video games and tournaments have been made including The Wizard showed the popular Nintendo World Champion Tournament. Tournaments are continually becoming more popular with profession circuits, teams, advertisements, fans, in all aspects a sport.

Tournament logistics for a successful event:

• The tournament should be held on a campus with the resources and size to be able to host a large gaming tournament in both space and utilities.
  
• The tournament should be the weekend prior to the release date, this will allow for fair play, the game will be completed, as well as the most "buzz" will be generated.
  
• There will be a tournament entry fee and prizes similar to other cash tournaments.
  
• Each participant will have 1 hour practice time to get accustomed to the controls of the new game and strategize.
• The platforms and games will be provided for the tournament from Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo.
• The number provided will be dependent on the number of entrants and size of campus but between 100 and 200 platforms and copies of the game.
• The televisions will be rented out as well as anything else that is required.
  
• The game chosen will be one with multiplayer, a highly anticipated release, and can have quick yet detailed matches.
• The format will follow standard cash tournament setup with matches, eliminations, and rules.
• Held once a semester, at different campuses.
  

Simplified Logistics
Basically the rules and set up will follow those of other cash tournaments. The systems, games, and anything else that is needed will be rented or provided from the game system's company, who ever the tourney is for. The game will be one that will be released in the upcoming week and has multiplayer.

Halo 3 Tournament: What could have been
As stated earlier Halo 3 had one of the largest budgets for a video game. There was a lot of press for the release of the game and numerous parties. Bungie and Microsoft could have also held a video game tournament with Halo 3 the weekend prior to its release at one of numerous colleges. This tournament would have brought numerous popular video game all stars to the event and press coverage. College students would also attend and compete and the hosting college and city would receive a large amount of press and increased revenues from the travelers and event. For the cost of about 10 national commercials Microsoft could have paid for the tournament, or had the fees cover a majority of the costs. To also help with the costs, which are minimal for the amount of exposure that will be received, many sponsors could help spread the costs. Some sponsors could include beverage or retail companies including Walmart, Best Buy, and GameStop. Additional PR is always a benefit especially when its free and gets covered and picked up all over, which this tournament would have.

Would you like a tournament like this at your college, city? Would you attend a tournament? Would this make you more likely to purchase the game?