Rutgers Athletics needed to drive consideration and ticket sales in a professional sports-dominated market, while helping unite and fill the seats for other revenue-generating athletic teams. Spitball was tasked with developing a new creative platform, media planning and buying that would rally the state of New Jersey to get behind their state university.
New Jersey is part of one the most competitive DMAs, in the shadows of the biggest city in the world. The quest for eyeballs let alone fandom is challenging in the NY market, with every major sports team fighting for loyalty. Rutgers had to carve its unique space to gain attention and vie for tickets sales among other die-hard sports spectators.
In a state where teams are leaving or call themselves New York instead of New Jersey (we’re looking at you Jets and Giants), Spitball had the tough task to keep fans loyal within the great garden state. But it’s within this challenge that we find opportunity. "Get Your Jersey On" tapped into the unique Jersey pride as an invitation to join in. There’s nothing like big time college football in your backyard, and Rutgers is the only place to experience it in New Jersey.
Putting the spotlight on fans and inviting them to be part of the campaign moved beyond featuring players and the on-field product. It celebrated the immersive game day experience and minimized the factor of wins and losses. Diehard fans to everyday families within the backdrop of various Rutgers sports helped unite the state behind Rutgers, as well as provided a rally cry for the various sports at Rutgers.
