Building a Buzz in College…the Old-fashioned Way

Nope. Not on the heels of Woodstock’s anniversary would I venture into the flashback frenzy of those halcyon days by suggesting a return to the extended Summer of Love that many those my age enjoyed.

No. I am talking about the recent College Administrator Uprising from universities, such as the one at I am employed, and that, of course, involves the steadfastly popular brew we know as beer.

College administrators from a dichotomy and diverse set of schools are upset that a beer company has launched a series of aluminum atom bombs that look a lot like each school’s color scheme.

You know, cream and crimson, black and gold, purple, white, red… Well, the list goes on.

I love it when a company hits the marketing mark better that a cruise missile. Who wouldn’t want a tailgater replete with snazzy libations matching the flags on the Winnebago and 50 percent of the shirts at the stadium that day?

Even if you don’t like the beer, it’s a color feat left untouched by just about any insulated cozy you have currently molding in last season’s tote-along cooler.

But what I really envy is the beer company can do this with a marginal advertising budget. Instead, the buzz is being built (here, I am speaking in terms of the duality of alcohol and public relations) by the university administrator.

You cannot buy the hype created by learned leaders at universities who are simply, “opposing” this marketing ploy by beer manufacturers. That’s what the beer boys wanted.

It is a simple law that I just created — well, actually it’s been around for awhile: The best way to get college students to desire something is to get (1) parents to oppose it or (2) the university to oppose or ban it or (3) maybe have it manufactured by Apple®.

This, my friend, is a surefire roadmap to success.

Cheers.

3 thoughts on “Building a Buzz in College…the Old-fashioned Way

  1. Promoting beer cans in the colors of each respective school is nothing less than a brilliant idea — and universities should agree … What better way to tailgate than with a beer can supporting your school!

  2. fully agree. What a great marketing idea. Well, they got a ton of attention. Then, a bunch more attention when they pulled the idea. Do you think they may have planned it that way?

  3. Students were buying beer without it being their school colors, so for university administrations to step in and say, “you’re stealing our colors and promoting alcoholism” is completely out of line. No one owns these colors, no one has them trademarked. They’re up for grabs, and if Coors wants to put cream and crimson on their beer cans, let em. I think it’s great and it makes the tailgating experience that much more fun. College students will continue to buy them, no matter what the administration thinks. Beer is beer, and nothing will change that.

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