From the Nominator

Every college faces the same hurdle come May 2: summer melt. The goal across every campus function – from admissions to marketing to student life – is to continue the momentum of deposit day and build enthusiasm toward Welcome Week and move-in. It’s our job to ensure that the excitement is palpable and our incoming classes feel wanted. To that end, we paved the road to move-in day with…hype videos! Bryant’s assistant director of social media conceived and executed a student-centered video series campaign. From point-of-view residence hall tours to “the top things you must bring for move-in” (shot in our local Target), the campaign placed students on campus and in the community long before they left their own driveways. Bryant’s mascot, Tupper, played a starring role, preparing for move-in day by working out, stacking moving boxes, and cleaning campus golf carts. We showcased the eclectic neighborhoods of Rhode Island’s capitol city, Providence, which is a 15-minute ride from campus on free public transportation. The campaign wrapped with coverage of move-in day that was heartfelt and fun – and converted into 11.3 million views. In a time when incoming college students are more anxious than ever, delivering fun content throughout the summer that built excitement and eased tensions was important to our goals. In the end, even alumni added to the Bryant community story by sharing memories of their move-in days from years past. What a beautiful way to welcome the next generation of Bulldogs.

From the Judges

The campaign's impact is impressive. It's a great model for others to follow, with its effective techniques and strategies. We appreciated the detailed data and explanations of how the campaign was executed. It was done without additional resources or funding. This campaign is a great example of how to keep students engaged, interested, and excited about move-in.