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Promotional Ideas

You are here: Involvement & Leadership » Promotional Ideas

Compiled by Beth Triplett,
University of Charleston (WV)
(Edited, UW-Stout 1997)

• Buy an Ad:             
  • Athletic Programs
  • Bowling Score Sheets
  • Class Schedule Books
  • Desk Calendars and Blotters
  • Grocery Bags, Bookstore Bags, etc.
  • School Newspapers
  • Laminated Memo Boards
  • Student Directory
• Alumni Newsletter/Magazine
• Animals walking on campus with a sign
• Announcements:     
  • at Athletic Events
  • read in class or made before other programs
  • printed on Student Government or other meeting agendas
• Backdrop:                (use at all events; put up on stage day of event)
• Banners:
  • from an airplane
  • across the main street in town
  • along main stairwells
  • in the dining Commons
  • hanging from the Student Center
  • along fences at athletic games
  • have a contest between houses/floors to design the best
  • oversize banners printed by computer
• Bike flags
• Bookmarks
• Display in kiosks at malls
• Distribute free popcorn & flyers or program of the event
• Door knob flyers (in residence halls, apartment complexes)
• Faculty/Staff newsletter (Community News)
• Fluorescent poster board signs
• Flyers to look like money (left laying on sidewalk, tables)
• Flyers:                  
  • in orientation packets
  • in weight room and on gym lockers
  • in bookstore bags
  • in fast food restaurant bags/ trays
  • on pizza boxes
  • in campus newspaper
  • with 2 stapled together on opposite edges so they stick out from bulletin boards
• Food sculptures with signs
• Footprints leading to an event (use fluorescent paper)
• Fortune cookies (with message inside)
• Framed posters on the walls
• Free samples with promo ( i.e. suntan lotion for beach party)
• Free tickets           
  • to highest score in Rec. center
  • stapled to popcorn, snack bags, etc.
  • to free events!
  • inside textbooks
• Friends! (word of mouth)
• Giant letters:         
  • one per window in residence hall rooms
  • key rings ( “The key to involvement is…)
  • matchbooks
  • memo board with schedules on all residence hall rooms
  • messages on suckers or candy
  • mugs (with series or semester calendars of events)
  • paper lunch bags (put film schedules on them & use for popcorn)
  • painter’s hats
  • pencils (give to other offices to distribute or give away at test time)
  • pens
  • pillowcases (with schedule of events for residence hall students)
  • post-it pads
  • shopping bags
  • squeeze bottles (print schedules on them, bring to events for free pop)
  • swizzle sticks (have local restaurants use them)
• Instant photos in front of a promotional backdrop
• Information corner on test or study sheets (if you find a cooperative professor!)
• In-store appearances by performer (record store, bookstore, etc.)
• Interview/talk show segment, local radio or T.V.
• Kiosk or large box outside (put posters on all sides)
• Kites with a message
• Letters through campus mail to faculty and staff
• Letters to student organizations
• List “Top 10 Reasons” why people should attend an event (do 1 per day)
• Mail (for season, series or special event)
• Mail unusual items: people always open a package
• Man-on-the-street type of radio or TV ad
• Mannequins wearing a sign
• Marquees of area businesses
• Posters on easels in student center hallways
• Poster painted (with bright tempera paint) on old newspapers
• Pre- or post- event reception (tie in with mailing list)
• Press releases (about several aspects of the event)
• Printed invitations
• Progressively-filled jigsaw puzzle ads
• Promo put into the snow banks
• Public Service Announcements/Calendar info. on radio or TV
• Radio interview
• Record/book autographing
• Residence halls/Greek newsletter
• Road signs:  Posters shaped like traffic signs (stop for this event, yield to your urge to go)
• Roller skater wearing costume or signs
• Rubber stamp logo onto napkins
• Sandwich board outside buildings
• Schedules printed on stickers for people to put on their calendars
• Shredded currency in bag with message attached
• Skits
• Sky writing (at football game, over beach, etc.)
• Show of last year’s events (video/ interactive CD)
• Short video before feature film/event
• Socks: mail out messages inside socks for sock hop dance; hang from clothes line with messages
• Solicitation table:                          
  • in residence halls
  • outside cafeteria
  • in student center hallway
• Something crazy on campus with a sign “This is a publicity stunt for…”
• Speak at campus meetings, hall meetings
• Spray paint snow
• Statues or stuffed animals around campus (i.e. vultures to promote scavenger hunt)
• Stickers

Promoting Your Event
Fliers--different colors, different shapes
Posters--banners, bright colors, poster maker
Mannequin--dressed for next big event
Displays--in display cases, theme displays on campus lawn, tables at events
Signs--different shapes (traffic signs, tombstones), put on campus with stakes
Chalk on Sidewalks--body outlines, footprints
Paint Windows--fun colors, big letters
Announcements--TV/VCR in lounge, cup in snack bar

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