The Oregon Ducks Use Instagram to Create the Ultimate Fan Experience
Have you ever watched a college football game and wondered what it might be like behind the scenes, in the locker room, or inside the huddle as the players are jumping up and down and shouting to rile each other up? The University of Oregon knows just how you feel, and thats why they are the masterminds behind one of the greatest social media campaigns in college sports. In this post I am outlining the formula for success that they have created, so that you can apply the model to your business or brand.
Here we are, just three weeks into the college football season and we all have our favorite teams. With the growing popularity of Instagram and Vine, it was only a matter of time before a team stepped up to the plate and gave us all an inside look. Kudos to University of Oregon for doing just that!
Last year, the Oregon Ducks made their first critical decision in their journey to success when they launched a social media command center that keeps a pulse on everything related to the Oregon Ducks athletics. They are particularly paying special attention on game-days throughout the football season to engage with their fans. This was an important investment the Ducks made in amplifying their social media presence. Even if you are unable to invest in a command center, the lesson here is to be intentional and devote time and resources into a strategy for monitoring and engaging.
In addition to engaging through their command center, they are executing their Oregon Ducks Instagram account to a T.
What are they doing so well?
They are posting no more than 3 times a week which may not sound like a lot, but their content is so good that when it pops up on your feed you’re excited to see it. They have struck the important balance between quantity and quality.
The Ducks are known for having a good partnership with Nike, and have gained the reputation of always having apparel that is cutting-edge. With their Instagram account, they were able to amplify this part of their reputation by letting their audience get a super close look .
Next, they are posting intense Instagram videos of players getting pumped up before a game and practicing on the field . The videos give fans an authentic look into this (once) private experience shared by the players, and they don’t over-complicate by trying to make it too fancy. The lesson here is that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. It’s worth a look for yourself, check out one of their videos here .
Lastly, the number one thing they are doing is putting the camera (a.k.a. the fans) where the average University of Oregon Duck has never been before. They have clearly done their research, and spent time brainstorming what the ultimate fan experience could look like. They took that list of ideas and the rest is history.
The big lesson to learn from all of this, is to think about the story you are not sharing on social media and how can you start to tell that story. We love to hear the ‘inside story’, it’s how TLC and a variety of other cable networks are able to stay afloat. We want to know the story behind the duck call fabrication business (Duck Dynasty), running a bakery (Cake Boss), and fixing failing bars (Bar Rescue) among many other stories. No matter what business or industry, you have a ‘behind the scenes story’ to share with your fans.
I’m sure this will surprise you, but I am actually not a Ducks fan. I never went there, nor do I work for their social media staff. I just know a good campaign when I see one, and have a passion for the creativity we can find in a well crafted digital voice. My two favorite college football teams are Rutgers and Notre Dame. What are your favorite teams?
Instagram: OregonGridIron
Kevin O’Connell
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