Final Project: Cougar Club Campaign

Cougar Club Billboard PR Campaign

BYU Athletics has a special place in my heart. I'm from Provo, and I was raised just a few houses down from Coach LaVell Edwards. I was weaned on stories of the '84 National Championship game, and have been totally psyched year after year about how great "next year's team" is going to be. Recently, BYU fans have been let down though. One of BYU's biggest problems is that a lot of the teams lack depth because the athletic department has a relatively small amount of funds compared to other schools for athletic scholarships. The amount of money BYU has for academic scholarships compared to the University of Oregon--for instance--would be equivalent to playing against a full football team of 11 players with only 6 players of our own on the field. It's no wonder it's been 30 years since we brought home the Coach's trophy.

The Cougar Club is the school's official BYU fan club, and all BYU athletic scholarships come from gifts given by Cougar Club members. In return for their generosity, Cougar Club members receive a few perks, including priority when buying season tickets to football and basketball games. The problem is that most BYU fans have a bad taste in their mouths about the cougar club, thinking those who are members are all really wealthy. Indeed, some members of the Cougar Club do donate thousands of dollars to the athletic department every year, but others donate much less. For instance, I maintain my membership in the club with only $50 annually. 

The two main purposes of this campaign are to (1) inform BYU fans that joining the club will directly help BYU's teams succeed, and (2) convince BYU fans to go online and learn about Cougar Club membership. 

Design Principles

1. The first principle I used in this billboard was the rule of thirds. I wanted attention to be drawn to the National Championship trophy. Anyone familiar with college football is familiar with this trophy, and any true BYU fan wants another one.

2. Shade was another important principle I implemented in this billboard. I wanted the stadium background to appear dark: quiet, lonely, and empty. Seeing a dark, empty stadiums show that nothing is happening in them. This is, of course, an exaggeration, but the stadiums are rarely full either, which is the goal.

3. Connotation was important to me in the campaign as well. Using the word "another" tells the audience not only that we already have a National Championship, but also that there's hope for us to win another one. 

*Other principles I implemented were contrast, color, shade, continuance (with the arrow) and figure-ground.

Design Principles

1. I also used the rule of thirds in this billboard. The soccer ball is a major theme in the billboard because it gives meaning to the copy to its left. Soccer isn't as popular a sport at BYU as football and basketball, but its one of BYU's most successful programs, and deserves attention.

2. Again, shade was a very important principle here. The dark, emptiness of the stadium background should be a little depressing to BYU fans. It kind of says to the fans, "imagine if this stadium was always empty." 

3. Contrast was important to me in this billboard as well. Tinting the soccer ball to make it really stand out tells BYU fans that the Cougar Club isn't just for football and basketball fans, but for all BYU sports. This is important for people who like not only soccer, but also other BYU sports teams.

*Other principles I implemented were color, tint, and figure-ground.

Design Principles

1. Again, I shaded the stadium image to simulate dim lighting. This was a major emphasis throughout the entire campaign.

2. My choice of font in this billboard was also important. I wanted the bracket portion to look like it came from a chalk board. It's an interesting touch make people want to read what it says. The words "not us" are repetitive, and tell the sad story that last year we didn't even get to participate in the NCAA tournament. 

3. Connotation was extremely important in the copy of this billboard. We ask the question, "Remember last year?" to remind BYU fans of their disappointment last year, and hopefully to motivate them to pitch in this year and in the future.

*Other principles I implemented were contrast and figure-ground.