Senior Seminar Paper

Running head: CATCH THE BADGER SPIRIT 1
Catch the Badger Spirit: Building a Social Media Presence
Maegan Celeste Lynch
Spring Hill College

CATCH THE BADGER SPIRIT 2
Abstract
Studies show that a funding crisis is present within the NCAA that has impacted colleges
and universities across divisions. The month long Catch The Badger Spirit campaign was
conducted to build a social media presence for the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams in hopes that
it would build a relationship with its audience and eventually yield sponsorship and donation
opportunities in the future. The public relations campaign targeted potential donors (25 to 44
year olds) and Spring Hill College Students (18 to 24 year olds). A majority of the campaign
used Facebook; however, Instagram and a digital media kit were also used. The project planner
sought to determine the effectiveness a public relations campaign would have on the social
media presence of the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams, asking the question, Can a social media
campaign be utilized to influence post engagement (post clicks, likes, shares and comments) and
create a social media presence? Data collected from these efforts was thoroughly analyzed and
examined through the lens of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. The project planner did find
that it is possible to influence post engagement and build a social media presence through a
public relations campaign, however the specific goals set by the project planner were not attained
due to the time constraint of the campaign.

Contents
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Rationale .................................................................................................................................................... 6
Purpose ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Research Question ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Literature Review ........................................................................................................................... 6
Branding .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Social Media Presence............................................................................................................................... 8
Media Kit ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Uses and Gratifications Theory ................................................................................................................. 9
Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 10
Goals ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
Objectives ................................................................................................................................................ 11
Strategy.................................................................................................................................................... 11
Tactics ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Timeline................................................................................................................................................... 12
Results ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 17
Reflection ...................................................................................................................................... 19
References ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 24
Introduction
Spring Hill College is considered to be a NCAA Division II school, which means it,
offers a partial-scholarship model for financial aid in which most student-athletes college
experiences are funded through a mix of athletics scholarships, academic aid, need-based grants
and/or employment earnings, (About NCAA Division II, n.d.). This is due to the revenue
produced (Bass, Schaeperkoetter & Bunds, 2015, p. 9) by the athletics program at Spring Hill
College with the top revenue producers funneled into Division I, (Bass, Schaeperkoetter &
Bunds, 2015, p. 9) then into Division II and lastly into Division III with the least amount of
revenue received. The relationship between revenue made from sporting events to support the
college and athletics relying on fundraising efforts or subsidies from the college at-large just to
support itself has created a funding crisis within the NCAA which can be seen across divisions.
Athletic departments strategize to attempt to close the gap between revenues and (ever-
expanding) expenses by relying both on athletic department fundraising efforts and on subsidies
from the university at large The department funding gap is not solely limited to non-name-
brand athletic departments. These funding issues face many flagship universities as well (Bass,
Schaeperkoetter & Bunds, 2015, p. 26).
This funding crisis impacting the NCAA can be seen at The University of New Orleans.
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, the universitys enrollment decreased by
7,000 students causing the Division I school to move to Division III. A smaller division with
lower operating costs where athletic scholarships are not offered (Bass, Schaeperkoetter &
Bunds, 2015, p. 27). With other universities and colleges having the same experience, some have
opted to rely on student fees or fundraising (Bass, Schaeperkoetter & Bunds, 2015, p. 28) to
support the athletic department. These fees, however, are nothing new to the world of college
sports. During the 2008-2009 school year, students nationwide were charged more than $795
million in student fees to subsidize athletic departments at 222 Division I schools (Bass,
Schaeperkoetter & Bunds, 2015, p. 31). If this is happening at Division I schools where revenue
from athletic departments should not be a problem, then it is probable that it is also occurring at
Division II schools as well.
According to an article written by Samm Brown, Spring Hill College wanted to, invest
in its athletic department (Brown, 2017) after transitioning from the NAIA to the NCAA;
therefore, the school promoted a fundraising campaign called Back the Badgers. This was a
crowdfunding campaign that included multiple donors from across the United States. The need
for this fundraising campaign leads to the idea that Spring Hill College may be experiencing the
same funding crisis as other NCAA schools. Alyssa Paesano, Spring Hill College Spirit Teams
coach, contributed to this assertion by explaining that the Spirit Teams were $8,000 in debt (A.
Paesano, personal interview, August 23, 2017) to the school.
After an interview was conducted with Jim Hall, athletic director at Spring Hill College,
Hall explained that it is not necessarily a crisis that Spring Hill is experiencing. Hall did,
however, say that funding for the athletic program is set up similarly to other schools in Division
II. Unfortunately, a detailed budget was not allowed to be accessed. Hall explained that because
Spring Hill is a private school the records were not allowed to be made public, even for scholarly
research (see appendix 15). The athletic department receives subsidies from Spring Hill that
covers the minimum costs for the department to function. Everything else the department needs
is left up to fundraising. In the case of the Spirit Teams, between costs for competing, uniforms,
and tumbling, the team exceeded its assigned budget one year. This caused the Athletic Director
to pull money from other accounts to assist the Spirit Teams financially. Hall then explained that
he allotted the Spirit Teams a certain amount of time to pay back the department (J. Hall,
Personal Interview, November 10, 2017).
Rationale
Due to the NCAA funding crisis mentioned above, the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams
are facing financial challenges that have impacted not only these teams but also other athletic
programs. With the college promoting fundraising campaigns such as Back the Badgers and
leaning towards social media in order to promote the athletics department so that it may receive
the funding needed, this leads to the idea that the Spirit Teams may also need to do the same in
order to repay its debt to the department.
Purpose
Considering this funding crisis, the purpose of this project will be to explore the
effectiveness a public relations campaign will have on the social media presence of the Spring
Hill College Spirit Teams through the lens of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. This will allow
the project planner to build a campaign that may influence potential donors and sponsorships by
building a community for the Spirit Teams through social media.
Research Question
Can a social media campaign be utilized to influence post engagement (post clicks, likes,
shares and comments) and create a social media presence for the Spring Hill College Spirit
Teams?
Literature Review
For the past few years, nonprofits have used social media to build engagement around
their causes. But, more recently, they have started using social and digital media to directly drive
fundraising communications (Digital: Nonprofits, 2010, para. 1). While fundraising is

important, this article from PR Week also mentions that fundraising should not be the main goal
when developing content. Instead, a PR professional should focus on the engagement in the
posts, Nonprofits can't simply have a social media widget and expect donations to come in; they
need to engage on those sites as well (Digital: Nonprofits, 2010, para. 11). The same can be
said for the Spirit Teams. Although the Spirit Teams have various financial needs, the content
should focus on audience engagement and building a community to further the teams social
media reach through a PR campaign. This may then, generate conversation, facilitate brand
positioning, and maintain a continued brand sustenance (Allagui & Breslow, 2016, para. 1) such
as donations and sponsorships later on, but obtaining a relationship with the audience is
necessary to be successful in the future.
Branding
According to the Journal of Strategic Marketing, Lack of funding is often attributed to
insufficient marketing activities. Sports organizations need to secure their survival on a long-
term basis (Gallagher, Gilmore & Stolz, 2012, p. 231). Small sports clubs, like the Spirit Teams,
can be compared to nonprofit organizations. With this in mind, the teams social media may be
presented and modeled similar to other nonprofits that have had success with various marketing
strategies, but how can it do this and be successful? Like all products and services, sports
organizations have brand personalities which shape the way consumers (fans) interact with the
organization, attend events, purchase merchandise, and generally view different sport
(Greenhalgh, Dwyer & LeCrom, 2017, para. 2). Within that sport, the brand personality of a
team can impact the way fans of that team view them, as well as the way fans of other teams
view the organization. Brand personality differences provide product differentiation
opportunities for teams in a number of ways. Thus, building a brand personality should
positively impact the Spirit Teams. This can be done by creating recognizable logos that can be
identified across platforms to set them apart from other local teams as well as other athletics on
campus. A favorable and unique brand personality can create positive brand equity which in
turn can lead to a competitive advantage and subsequent revenue generation via ticket sales and
sponsorship (Greenhalgh, Dwyer & LeCrom, 2017, para. 7).
Social Media Presence
To obtain a social media presence, success depends on the time and effort put into the
social media sites. It will not just magically happen; quality content is a must. You also want to
make your postings not only popular, but to last as long as possible. To do this you can create
posts based on the following popular themes: Top 10 lists, controversy, "how to" tutorials,
reviews, humor, news, resource lists, debate/attack something, comedy, interview people, and go
behind the scenes (Piscopo, 2012, p.156). This is favorable with the Spirit Teams since the sole
purpose of the program is to entertain. It will allow for more engagement opportunities since the
content will be naturally interesting because of the athleticism and skill which can be easily
captured in video and photographs. This may also add to the retention rate, because if the content
is visually interesting the consumer would continue following the page and building a
relationship with the program which could possibly lead to donation and sponsorship
opportunities for the team. If they can be recruited and retained, they may provide larger
contributions later (Tysiac, 2016, p. 37). Building a social media presence is also about doing
more with less (Media Firms Web Site, 2007, para. 11), so if the quantity of content is not
able to be achieved, quality must be a top priority. If not, this could negatively impact the
organization and its social media presence, Many vendors are missing opportunities to advance
sales due to poor digital materials (Media Firms Web Site, 2007, para. 4).
Media Kit
Media kits can also benefit a company, nonprofit, or sports team by extending on the
branding of it. However, everything associated with the kit must contribute to the overall brand
identity of the organization, if not, a press kit can appear like a disembodied limb (Inside the
Mix, 2004, para. 3). Media kits may also be used to change the perception of a brand, Used
well, a press kit can actually be a linchpin in something as dramatic as changing a whole mindset
about a product category (Inside the Mix, 2004, para. 4). An example of this is when Crest, an
oral hygiene brand, decided to expand their business into the beauty industry. Crest sent out a
press kit every day over that time, each containing the day's 'dose' of white strips and a white,
beauty-related freebie, such as a makeup compact and a feather boa. By sending this to beauty
editors and speaking their language, today's acceptance of teeth-whitening products as a worthy
player in the beauty-media firmament was cemented (Inside the Mix, 2004, para. 5).
Therefore, the Spirit Teams could be presented as not only athletes, but also as ambassadors for
Spring Hill College. This could positively impact the audiences perception of cheerleaders and
dancers which may lead to more appearance and volunteer opportunities.
Uses and Gratifications Theory
The audience, by all means, is the most important factor when applying any type of social
media strategy. Brands, in this case a sports team, can evaluate which type of tactic to use by
applying the Uses and Gratifications Theory to predict what type of content the audience will
respond to, this is why understanding what the audience wants and how the audience reacts is a
key aspect to any successful strategy. Unlike other communication theories, the Uses and
Gratifications Theory looks specifically into what the receiver wants out of a particular media. It
also, highlights the audience as a source of challenge to producers to cater more richly to the
multiplicity of requirements and roles that it has disclosed (Katz, Blumler & Gurevitch, 1973,
p.521). This theory is not limited to audience expectations; it is changing and growing with the
technology of which it is being used. A person will use media to satisfy needs such as
entertainment, information, personal identity, and relationship/personal interaction. According to
Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch even one set of media materials are capable of serving multiple
needs and audience functions (p. 517). Therefore, the Spirit Teams would be able to target
multiple needs in one post, such as posting a video that would fulfill the need for entertainment
and information. Dainton and Zelley explain that when using media for entertainment, specific
subtypes such as relaxing, escaping daily problems, passing time or enjoying artistic pleasure are
under this umbrella term. The need for information in media outlets presents individuals with
opportunities to learn about current events, obtain advice, and feel secure or satisfy curiosity by
acquiring general knowledge. Individuals may use media outlets to reflect, reinforce, or contrast
their personal identity, meaning they could use the media to help develop their own attitudes or
beliefs. The need for personal relationships and social interaction in media outlets can help
individuals learn about or connect with others, and certain media can even serve as a substitute
for real life relationships (p.187-188). By acknowledging the receivers needs, a brand can create
content specifically for the gratification the receiver seeks from viewing it.
Methodology
For this applied research project, the participation of the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams
were essential. This included Coach Alyssa Paesano, cheerleaders, dancers and both of the
Badger mascots. This applied project consisted of a public relations campaign through Facebook,
targeting potential donors (25 to 44 year olds) as well as the Spring Hill College community (i.e.
students). It also included a media kit to further the Spirit Teams social media and community
presence. The project planner carried out all work with a Nikon D3300, an Apple IPhone 6s and
various Adobe products (Spark, Illustrator, InDesign) which helped create the visual content for
the PR campaign and for the media kit. This included pictures/videos to be posted mainly on
Facebook and some on Instagram.
Goals
The project planners goals for the Spirit Teams Facebook page was to double the
engagement with posts which where at 204 at the start of the campaign and to obtain 800 fans by
the end of October. Goals were not set for Instagram since the majority of the campaign would
be based off of the Facebook account.
Objectives
The objectives for the social media campaign were to build a community with the Spirit
Teams, to receive more appearance/volunteer requests, and to ultimately create a stronger social
media presence for the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams.
Strategy
The strategy for the campaign was to present the team as student athletes and as
ambassadors for Spring Hill College, while keeping in mind that the mission of the Spirit Teams
is to create and promote school spirit throughout the college.
Tactics
The project planners tactics were to post content that was visually interesting,
informative, and entertaining to the audience by using the research from the Uses and
Gratifications Theory.
Timeline
On August 23, the project planner met with Coach Alyssa Paesano to discuss possible PR
themes as well as the limitations of the project. At this meeting the project planner was given
access to the dance and cheer teams Instagram accounts but could not be given access to the
Spring Hill College Spirit Teams Facebook. The previous Coach, who created the Facebook
account, was the only one with access and the Athletic Department nor Coach Paesano could get
in touch with her. This delayed the project for two weeks since the majority of the campaign was
to be on Facebook. During this time, the project planner determined the hashtag
SHCBadgerSpirit and created a logo for the Spirit Teams in Adobe Illustrator which could be
used for branding throughout the project (see appendix five). The project planner decided on this
hashtag because it was not being used by Spring Hill College or other organizations; therefore,
all content from the campaign could be easily accessed by potential donors, the SHC community,
and by professionals viewing the media kit.
Since the Athletic Department and Coach Paesano could not contact the past coach to
gain access to the Facebook account, the project planner decided to reach out to the past coach
herself and received access to the Facebook on September 13, 2017. The project planner then
planned to link the Facebook page with the cheer and dance Instagram accounts so that analytics
could be accessed. However, it was discovered that it was not possible to link two Instagram
accounts with one Facebook page. The project planner suggested to Coach Paesano that deleting
the two Instagram accounts and creating one Spirit Teams account on Instagram would be
beneficial, but after further discussion, Coach Paesano considered the loss of followers if the
accounts were deleted and decided to keep the Instagram accounts separate and connect
Facebook to the cheer account only.

Before any pictures or videos were taken to create the content for the PR campaign, a
waiver of participation was handed out to all team members so their image or likeness could be
used on social media and in the media kit (see appendix three and four). During this time the
project planner attended practices, appearances, exhibition games and other events where the
Spirit Teams would be present in order to build content for the upcoming campaign. The PR
campaign Catch The Badger Spirit then took place throughout the month of October. To start
off the campaign, a pump up video was filmed and edited by the project planner in IMovie, a
video editing program on the MacBook Air, to introduce the Spirit Teams back to Facebook (see
appendix 16). Since the Athletic Department had no access to the Facebook after the previous
coach left in January, the Facebook account was nonfunctional, which led to the loss of 23 fans
and prevented new followers to the page.
At the start of the campaign, most of the content consisted of pictures until a thematic
analysis was conducted on October 16. The analysis was created on Google Forms with four
opened ended questions (see appendix eight and nine). This evaluation of the Spirit Teams social
media pages by the audience prompted the project planner to rethink the type of content that was
being posted. Most consumers expressed that they wanted to see more video content, such as
practices and performances. Meet The Team video posts were then created by the project
planner to satisfy the wants and needs of the audience. These posts featured each team member
in a 15 second video saying their name, hometown, major, class, and a fun fact about their self
(see appendix 18). Videos of the Spirit Teams performing were also posted by the project
planner (see appendix 17).
Once the PR campaign concluded at the end of October, a digital media kit was then
created from the content produced during the campaign. The media kit was created using Adobe
Spark and included an About Us, Game Day, Volunteering and Appearances, and a
Contact Us section (see appendix 11). Since the project planner pays monthly for the Adobe
products, she was also given access to the branding section of Spark which allowed the planner
to add the logo throughout the kit and in videos edited in the Spark software. Although the
project planner originally planned to do a paper media kit for the Spirit Teams, a digital media
kit seemed to be a better option because videos of the team could be easily accessed. The digital
media kit was published on November 1 and was distributed to three marketing/communication
professionals who conducted a thematic analysis (4 open-ended questions) of the kit to determine
the success it may have in the field (see appendix 11 and 12).
Results
Following the end of the PR campaign the project planner created an account with Sprout
Social, an online resource, to acquire the needed information from the social media accounts.
The project planner was to originally only use the analytics software provided by Facebook and
Instagram, but Sprout Social allowed for more insights to be accessed and presented, unlike the
in-app analytics. The project planner was also able to access the analytics to previous months in
Sprout Social to see how much the Spirit Teams social media presence had changed (see
appendix 13 and 14).
Before the campaign began, the Spirit Teams had a total of 678 Fans on their Facebook
page with only 7,406 impressions, 204 post engagements and 149 link clicks from January to the
end of September. During this time the Spirit Teams also lost 23 fans, with women between the
ages of 25 to 34 being a leading force among those who follow the page. During the course of
the one-month campaign, the Spirit Teams increased to 762 fans, made 43,962 impressions, and
had 1,029 post engagement and 86 link clicks.

A total of 34 posts were published during the campaign including 18 video and 9 photo
posts by the project planner with the other 7 being posted by Coach Paesano. The most
successful post from the campaign was the Spirit Teams performance video which received 157
reactions, 19 comments, 23 shares, 2,400 views and a reach of 5,503 (see appendix 17). Almost
all of the top posts from the campaign came after October 16, when a questionnaire was
published online asking the audience what type of content they were most interested in seeing.
During this time is also when the Spirit Teams Facebook suffered no loses and grew by 55 fans,
unlike the weeks before when four fans were lost at the beginning of the campaign.
Following the Spirit Teams performance video, in popularity, were the Meet The
Team videos. These videos received up to 79 reactions, 30% post engagement and a reach of
773 (see appendix 18). Coming up next in popularity was the pump-up video that was released at
the beginning of the month of October. This was also the only video that was boosted ($5)
throughout the entire campaign. Although the video had 1,500 views and a reach of 3,255 it
ranked lower in Sprout Social because it only had 66 reactions and a 5.9% engagement rate.
However, the post was shared 13 times and could have possibly been shared more if it had been
posted towards the end of the campaign when a more engaged audience had been established
(see appendix 16).
Overall, the Spirt Teams Facebook page had a fan increase of 12.39%, with 1,273
impressions and 30.3 engagements per post. Fans from the ages of 18 to 24 also rose from 23.9%
to 27.3% by the end of the campaign. Women between the ages of 25 to 34 are still the leading
force at 28.5% of all fans, but this increase in college aged fans shows that the project planner
was able to reach out to one of the intended target audiences and still maintained its leading fans
(25 to 34 year olds) which could also be considered potential donors.

Since neither of the Instagram accounts were set up as businesses, no prior analytics were
able to be accessed. Sprout Social was able to receive analytics from the Cheer Instagram
because it was connected to the Spirit Teams Facebook, but only for the month of October and
even then the analytics seemed to be off. Due to this, the project planner took screen shots of
both pages before the campaign started so the amount of followers gained or lost could be
tracked (see appendix six and seven). At the beginning of the campaign the Cheer Instagram had
468 followers and the Dance Instagram had 339 followers. The Cheer Instagram gained 15 (483)
followers and the Dance Instagram gained 10 (349) by the end of the month, however, Sprout
Social only tracked 2 followers gained in its analytics. Sprout also tracked 60 engagements in the
posts for the month of October for the Cheer Instagram, but it also showed one of the top posts
for the month having 99. Because of this, the project planner decided to manually count all
engagements with the posts instead of going by Sprouts analytics. With a combination of all
posts, the Cheer teams Instagram had 1,064 post engagements (i.e. likes/comments) and the
Dance teams Instagram had 515 post engagements. A total of 15 posts were published for the
Cheer Instagram and 13 posts were published for the Dance Instagram.
Throughout the campaign, most of the Facebook posts were shared by the Spring Hill
College Athletics page and Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center page which added to the
impressions made. However, Spring Hill College Admissions would not share the posts from the
Spirit Teams Facebook. Instead, Admissions would save the pictures individually, publish the
post from their page and then tag the Spirit Teams. Furthermore, after the project planner
published a post for Breast Cancer Awareness Month stating the Spirit Teams were trading their
purple for pink at a themed practice, Spring Hill College Admissions began using the hashtag
purpletopink instead of the pages official SHCBadgerSpirit hashtag (see appendix 19).
Once the digital media kit was created and published on November 1, the project planner
used the analytics provided by the Adobe Spark software to determine engagements. Within a
week of the kit being published, it received 752 views and 6 appreciates (see appendix 20).
These appreciates are the equivalent to a like on Facebook. The first video in the digital media
kit had 32 views and the second video had 28. The results from the thematic analysis through
Google Forms was also collected and examined. One of the professionals expressed that the
overall branding elements (i.e. logo, color, font) where all appealing and the steps needed to
get in contact with the Spirit Teams could be easily found. These features are both needed to
create a successful media kit. Other suggestions were also made to add a more persuasive
element to the kit; one suggestion being to add a short video of the coach speakingsimilar to
an interview or a short paragraph stating how it would benefit the consumer to have the Spirit
Teams at their events (see appendix 11 and 12).
Conclusion
The relationship between revenue made from sporting events to support the college and
athletic departments relying on fundraising efforts or subsidies from the college at-large just to
support itself has created a funding crisis within the NCAA. This has impacted schools similar to
Spring Hill College and Division I schools as well. Due to this issue, most athletic departments
have turned to social media to obtain the necessary supports and funds. However, this is easier
said than done. The Spring Hill College Spirit Teams also faced the same funding crisis, but
because of a poor social media presence was not able to receive the donations needed when the
SHC Athletic Department conducted its own fundraiser.
According to the Uses and Gratifications Theory, a person will use media to satisfy needs
such as entertainment, information, personal identity, and relationship/personal interaction. Even

one set of media materials are capable of serving multiple needs and audience functions (Katz,
Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1973, p. 517). By applying this theory to a PR campaign and
acknowledging the receivers needs, the Spirit Teams could create content specifically for the
gratification the receiver seeks from viewing it and in return begin to establish a relationship
with the viewer.
At the beginning of this project, the project planner asked, Can a social media campaign
be utilized to influence post engagement (post clicks, likes, shares and comments) and create a
social media presence for the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams? Results of the project indicated
that a PR campaign can indeed influence post engagement. During the campaign, the Spirit
Teams post engagements went from 204 over almost eight months to 1,029 within a month,
furthering the social media presence of the Spirit Teams. The Uses and Gratifications Theory
was also deemed useful in this project; once the needs of the audience were established the
project planner was able to create content that would gratify those certain wants and needs.
Allowing the Spirit Teams Facebook to continually grow.
Ultimately, by the end of the campaign the goal for 800 fans was not met and Coach
Paesano received no appearance or volunteer requests, which is what the project planner
originally said would determine her success of the campaign. However, the engagements from
the posts completely surpassed the project planners expectations. Although the project was not
considered successful in the planners eyes, the campaign still had a positive impact over the
teams social media presence and will hopefully lead to sponsorship opportunities down the road
if the team can keep the social media pages up-to-date. With this in mind, if the project was to be
attempted again, the campaign should be done over a longer period of time and the media kit
should be made at the beginning if at all possible. This was the type of campaign that would have
been very successful if it was done over a year instead of a month. If this is done, then it may
lead to the desired expectations of the campaign with all goals being met.
Although the project planner had past affiliations with the Spirit Teams (member of the
cheer team for two years), the project was never taken as a project of convenience for the
planner. At the beginning of the semester, Dr. Babington gave a speech influencing his students
to take on a project that exemplified their passions and their lifes work. After reflecting on
this inspirational speech is when the project planner changed the project from strictly research to
an applied project. The project planner saw that the Spirit Teams were in desperate need of help
due to the inexperience of the new coach, so she wanted to assist in any way possible. This is
when the need was established after a meeting with the Coach Paesano and the project planner
began to build a campaign that would benefit the Spirit Teams as a whole. Professionalism was
the hardest to keep because of the past affiliation with the team, so the project planner decided to
only go to practices and events when deemed necessary and made sure to only speak to Coach
Paesano about the details of the PR campaign. This allowed for the project planner to be
involved in minimal drama and to keep a professional planner-client relationship.
Reflection
I think I started realizing my lifes work when I was a senior in high school. I originally
wanted to be a teacher, but my parents were completely against that, so I considered pre-law.
However, it wasnt until I did a campus tour at the University of Southern Mississippi and talked
to a professor that I found out that communication was actually a major. This lead me to
applying for an internship after graduation at a steel mill in Calvert, Alabama. After two
interviews I got a call saying that I was one of the lucky students picked for the internship. This
began my journey into the communications field and I loved it.

Throughout this entire process I have really thought, Is this the right major for me?
People often joke about how they think I chose the wrong one because I am not out going at all,
but I think that is why I like it so much. Communications has always pushed me outside my
comfort zone, especially this project. I have had to go out of my way, reach out to people I didnt
even know, which was very difficult for me. I also struggled with my confidence. I kept thinking
what if this isnt enough? Is it as good as everyone elses? which really hurt me. It distracted
me so much from the actual point of the project that I struggled through most of the process.
For post-graduation plans, I think this project was very helpful in preparing me for
graduate school. I do plan on taking a break for a year or two, but I would like to eventually
obtain a masters or doctorate in communication studies. This is so I will have the option to teach,
which is something that I am still very passionate about. My high school AP English teacher
even suggested that I look into a communications job at Mobile County Public School Systems
main office.
Going back to the project, I think the videos ended up turning out pretty well, but it did
take me a little while to get started on the campaign and I even missed a few days of posting
through out the month. I also really liked my media kit. I think it turned out way better than I
planned so I am extremely proud. But overall, I felt like I was all over the place and was really
struggling with explaining the why part in terms good enough for my research paper. If I could
do it all over again I would have definitely made the campaign longer so my goals could have
been met and I think the time constriction is why they werent.
References
About NCAA Division II. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2017, from
http://www.ncaa.org/about?division=d2
Allagui, I., & Breslow, H. (2016). Social Media for public relations: Lessons from four effective
cases. Public Relations Review. 42 (1), 20-30
Bass, J. R., Schaeperkoetter, C. C., & Bunds, K. S. (Eds.). (2015). The front porch:
examining the increasing interconnection of university and athletic department funding.
Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Brown, S. (2017, October 3). Fundraising for Badger Athletics. Retrieved October 20, 2017,
from http://newswire.newscoop.pro/en/2/2/476/Fundraising-for-Badger-Athletics.htm
Dainton, M., & Zelley, E. D. (2015). Applying communication theory for professional life: A
practical introduction. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE
Digital: Nonprofits discover power of social media fundraising. (2010, July 6). PR Week [US],
18. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.shc.edu:2048/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=PPCM&sw=w
&u=naal_shc&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA230768262&asid=a2b031b6ee812b0969deb
87b98e252ca
Dolan, R., Conduit, J., Fahy, J., & Goodman, S. (2015). Social media engagement behaviour: a
uses and gratifications perspective. Journal of Strategic Marketing. doi:
10.1080/0965254X.2015.1095222
Gallagher, D., Gilmore, A., & Stolz, A. (2012). The strategic marketing of small sports clubs:
From fundraising to social entrepreneurship. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 20(3), 231-

247. doi:10.1080/0965254X.2012.657225. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.shc.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true
Greenhalgh, G., Dwyer, B., & LeCrom, C. (2017). A case of multiple (brand) personalities:
expanding the methods of brand personality measurement in sport team contexts. Sport
Marketing Quarterly, 26(1), 20+. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.shc.edu:2048/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITBC&sw=w&
u=naal_shc&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA491781967&asid=9c7997a3f99b60bb158151
e4c9ccf353
Inside The Mix: To be effective, consumer-media press kits should impress reporters on multiple
levels. (2004, December 13). PR Week [US], 10. Retrieved from
&u=naal_shc&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA126077087&asid=eb97a31c85d7b632a173a
73478dc92e1
Katz, E., Blumler, J., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and Gratifications Research. The Public
Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509-523. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2747854
Ko, H., Cho, C.-H., & Roberts, M. S. (2005, Summer). Internet uses and gratifications: a
structural equation model of interactive advertising. Journal of Advertising, 34(2), 57
Media Firm's Web Site Can Give Insight; Online Presence-or Lack Thereof-Shows How
Company Can Help You. (2007, October 22). TelevisionWeek, 26 (39), 12. Retrieved
from
&u=naal_shc&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA170298436&asid=b64ae3c3598958475a1fe
6693fdd1ec7
Piscopo, M. (2012, April). Social media marketing: the next best thing? Shutterbug, 41(6), 34+.
Retrieved from
&u=naal_shc&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA394111534&asid=85f05278ad9b50a19f56a
962b4cc032b
Tysiac, K. (2016). Getting creative in fundraising. Journal of Accountancy, 222(1), 34-40.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ooscSzAAsAZXNpa3lZVW9KR0k
Appendices
Appendix 1 Weekly Schedule
Appendix 2 IMC Framework (Personal Use)
Appendix 3 Waivers for Participation
Appendix 4 Completed Waivers for Participation
Appendix 5 Logos Created for Spirit Teams
Appendix 6 Screen Shots of Instagram Accounts Before PR Campaign
Appendix 7 Screenshots of Instagram Accounts After Campaign
Appendix 8 Blank Spirit Teams Social Media Evaluation Questionnaire
Appendix 9 Results of Spirit Teams Social Media Evaluation Questionnaire
Appendix 10 Screenshots of Digital Media Kit
Appendix 11 Blank Digital Media Kit Thematic Analysis
Appendix 12 Results from Digital Media Kit Thematic Analysis
Appendix 13 Sprout Social Facebook Analytics
Appendix 14 Sprout Social Instagram Analytics
Appendix 15 Email Screenshot from Jim Hall
Appendix 16 Screenshot of Pump-Up Video
Appendix 17 Screenshot of Performance Video
Appendix 18 Screenshot of a Meet The Team Post
Appendix 19 Screenshot of SHC Admissions Post
Appendix 20 Screenshot of Media Kit Analytics

Appendix 1
Weekly Schedule
What Who No Later Than

Brainstorm senior seminar ideas ML 15 weeks out
Meet with Spirit Teams Coach ML Aug. 23
Turn in Pitch Letter to Dr. Babington ML Aug. 25
Meet with Spirit Teams Coach and determine PR Strategies ML 14 weeks out
Create Spirit Teams Logo ML 13 weeks out
Get access to Spirit Teams Social Media ML 12 weeks out
Make sure accounts are business accounts ML 12 weeks out
Take APA Reference List Quiz ML Sept. 15
Work on Annotated Bibliography ML 12 weeks out
Start developing content for campaign ML 11 weeks out
Turn in Annotated Bibliography to Dr. Babington ML Sept. 22
Work on Method assignment ML 10 weeks out
Meet with Spirit Teams Coach ML 10 weeks out
Go to team practices to get media release forms signed ML 10 weeks out
Turn in methodology to Dr. Babington ML Sept. 29
Begin PR Campaign ML Oct. 1
Start working on proposal ML 9 weeks out
Build Alumni relations ML 9 weeks out
Create thematic analysis questionnaire for the PR campaign ML 8 weeks out
Post info about Midnight Madness ML 8 weeks out
Turn in Proposal to Dr. Babington ML Oct. 13
Attend Midnight Madness to take pics and videos for the ML Oct. 14
Spirit Teams
Edit Proposal ML 7 weeks out
Schedule meeting with Dr. Broussard ML 7 weeks out
Post Thematic Analysis on Spirit Teams Facebook ML 6 weeks out
Adjust content to audience preference ML 6 weeks out
Collect analytics from PR Campaign ML 5 weeks out
Build digital media kit for Spirit Teams ML 5 weeks out
Meet with Dr. Babington to discuss paper ML 5 weeks out
Work on finalizing paper ML 4 weeks out
Get paper nicely printed ML Nov. 13
Turn in Paper to Dr. Babington ML & BG Nov. 15 @ 4
Prepare for Presentation ML 2 weeks out
Present project ML Nov. 27 @ 11
Enjoy Christmas break because I hopefully passed seminar ML & BG
and wont have to take it again.
Appendix 2
IMC Framework
1) Situation Analysis
a. Mission Statement
i. The SHC Spirit Teams aim to promote school spirit throughout Spring Hill
College
b. What is the problem?
i. Funding crisis in the NCAA, no social media presence
c. General
i. They have a Spirit Teams Facebook account, Dance Instagram and Cheer
Instagram. However, the Facebook has been down for a couple of months so
they are behind and the Instagrams are not business accounts so it is harder to
track progress.
d. Research
i. Facebook: 679 total likes
ii. Instagram
1. Dance: 339 followers
2. Cheer: 469 followers
2) Goals
a. Build a social media presence on Facebook for the Spirit Teams
i. Try to get at least 800 likes/follows on the Facebook by the end of the PR
Campaign
b. Hopefully by building a social media presence this will help them with donations
later on.
3) Target Audience/Publics
a. Spring Hill College Students & Potential Donors
i. You need current students to share your posts (most are social media savvy)
and you need to alum to follow or like, these will most likely be the people
who donate to the program.
4) Objectives for each audience
a. My objective for Spring Hill College students will be for them to develop a
relationship with the Spirit Teams to better understand what they do on campus.
b. My objective for Potential Donors would also be to establish a relationship that will
hopefully foster into donations for the Spirit Teams
c. I hope to see an increase in likes and follows from the Spring Hill College
Community as well as more interaction with the content such as comments and
shares.
5) Strategies
a. I am going to approach my objective by using the Uses and Gratification theory when
considering content on Social Media.
b. Create meet the team Videos
c. Post pictures and videos showing the teams athleticism
d. Post the team supporting other athletics
e. Message Development
i. Branding
1. The Spring Hill College Spirit teams are the ambassadors for the
college as a whole.
2. I want people to be able to respect the Spirit Teams and think of them
as Athletes even though they are not considered one by NCAA
regulations.
3. The are unique because they promote the school year round. Unlike
other sports who have off seasons the spirit teams do not. The spirit
teams also support all athletics on campus which is unlike other
colleges. They have attended basketball, volleyball, rugby, soccer and
baseball games to cheer on the Badgers.
ii. Platform
1. The key theme will be Badger Spirit showing how much the Spirit
teams loves and support the Spring Hill College community and how
hard they work to be able to do this.
2. Benefits greater social media presence
3. Appeals I will emotionally be able to tie the Spirit Teams to the
target audience by showing that they are students too. They work hard
and devote a lot of time to the program. I think the Meet the team
videos will help tremendously with this.
6) Tactics/Activities
a. Social Media Campaign (Catch the Badger Spirit)
i. Content
1. Team bonding
2. Practices
3. Stunting/Tumbling Videos
4. Performances
5. Support of other athletics on campus by sharing their content (i.e.
Badger Athletics Facebook)
6. Meet the Team Videos
7) Materials/Budget
a. Media Kit
b. Its Free! Yay!
8) Timetable/Task List
a. Working on that
9) Measurements/Evaluation
a. I will determine success by the likes and follows received on the Facebook.
i. Hopefully 800
ii. Facebook Analytics showing the progress of the page from the start of the
campaign to the end.
iii. Observation of engagement with the posts. What worked and what didnt.
Appendix 3
Blank Waiver for Participation
WAIVER FOR PARTICIPATION
I give permission for Maegan Lynch to

use my likeness for a PR Campaign and a Media Kit (Senior Seminar). I
understand the image could be used by the project planner for
promotional purposes. I agree to hold harmless Maegan Lynch and
Spring Hill College for any issues that may result from my participation.
I understand that I will not be compensated for my participation.
_____________________________________________
Appendix 4
Completed Waivers for Participation

Appendix 4A
Appendix 4B
Appendix 4C
Appendix 4D
Appendix 4E
Appendix 4F
Appendix 4G
Appendix 4H
Appendix 4I
Appendix 4J
Appendix 4K
Appendix 4L
Appendix 4M
Appendix 4N
Appendix 4O
Appendix 4P
Appendix 4Q
Appendix 4R
Appendix 4S
Appendix 4T
Appendix 5
Logos Created for Spirit Teams

Appendix 6
Instagram Accounts Before Campaign

Appendix 6A
Appendix 7
Instagram Accounts After Campaign

Appendix 7A
Appendix 8
Blank Spirit Teams Social Media Evaluation Form
Spirit Teams Social Media Evaluation Form

This brief survey collects information for the purpose of examining the content through social
media for the Spirit Teams at Spring Hill College. It should take about two minutes to complete
this questionnaire. By providing written responses, you acknowledge that you are age 19 or
older, and that you are giving voluntary consent for your answers to be included in the data
analysis. Note that you are free to withdraw your participation at any time, you will not be linked
to your responses in any way and the information obtained from you will remain confidential.
What Spirit Teams social media pages do you follow? (Please check all that apply)
Check all that apply.
o Spirit Teams Facebook

o SHC_Cheer on Instagram
o SHCDance on Instagram
Why do you follow the Spirit Teams on Facebook or Instagram?
What do you like or dislike about the content posted on the pages?
What would you want to see more of?
Any other suggestions, comments or concerns?

Appendix 9
Results of Spirit Teams Social Media Evaluation Questionnaire
Spirit Teams Social Media Evaluation Form

What Spirit Teams social media pages do you follow? (Please check all that apply)
Value Count
Spirit Teams Facebook 9
SHC_Cheer on Instagram 12
SHCDance on Instagram 7
Why do you follow the Spirit Teams on Facebook or Instagram?

1. Its cool to watch them
2. Friends
3. My daughter is on Dance Team
4. Daughter and friends from hs are on dance and cheer
5. I cheer
6. I am a former member
7. Love the girls
8. Im on the team
9. Keep up to date info
10. My daughter is the coach!
11. Bc I'm on the team
12. I'm a cheerleader
13. Support the team
What do you like or dislike about the content posted on the pages?
1. I like when they post tumbling or stunts
2. Great images
3. Love seeing it all. Miss not being able to watch her perform.
4. Quality photos
5. I wish there was more performance content posted for people who cannot attend events.
6. Not enough posts
7. I like the action shots
8. They need to be updated more often
9. Love following the team & seeing their progression.
10. I like it all
11. Constant posts, and the posts reflect positively
What would you want to see more of?

1. More intermediate skills
2. Videos. Cool tricks.
3. live performances
4. Meet the team posts

5. The current team
6. videos of performances/practices
7. More posts and pics of girls
8. Videos
9. All sports
10. Action shots
11. Stunting, team intros
Any other suggestions, comments or concerns?

1. No
2. Hope to see performances live since can't make it there to watch in person.
3. Shout outs
4. Meet the cheerleaders. Show case one each day and talk about where they are from and
their major and year
5. You're doing a great job with social media! Keep it up!!
6. You are doing great :)
Appendix 10
Screenshots of Digital Media Kit

Appendix 11
Blank Digital Media Kit Thematic Analysis
Digital Media Kit Evaluation

This brief survey collects information for the purpose of examining the usefulness of the digital
media kit created for the Spirit Teams at Spring Hill College. By providing written responses,
you acknowledge that you are 19 or older, and that you are giving voluntary consent for your
answers to be included in the data analysis for this students Senior Seminar. Thank you so much
for your time.
Digital Media Kit can be found here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/m4wGLX5A48Ff5/
Does this media kit grab your attention? Why or why not?
Does this media kit create enough interest that you would be willing to contact them for
more information? Why or why not?
Are there any additions that need to be made to the media kit to further the branding of
the Spirit Teams?
Additional Comments
Appendix 12
Results from Digital Media Kit Thematic Analysis
Digital Media Kit Evaluation

3 responses
Does this media kit grab your attention? Why or why not?
1. YES! The format is crisp, the flow of information mixed with photography is fluid. I
learned more about the Spirit Teams in the first 30 seconds of browsing the media kit
than I knew previous to viewing it.
2. Yes! The layout is super simple to navigate and the videos worked perfectly (no
glitches/loading issues). The simple lines/design and overall "branding" elements (SHC
purple, the font etc..) were all very appealing.
3. Definitely; great images
Does this media kit create enough interest that you would be willing to contact them for more
information? Why or why not?
1. Based on the variety of photographs - including performances, stunting, volunteer
appearances - I would contact this team to appear at my events.
2. Definitely! It showcases the team as a whole, what their actual performances look like,
and the steps you need to take to get in contact with the team (emailing the coach).
3. yes
Are there any additions that need to be made to the media kit to further the branding of the Spirit
Teams?
1. Perhaps adding a quick, short piece of copy about why it benefits to have the SHC Spirit
Teams at events/games/parties would be helpful. Something persuasive that makes me
want to reach out and book an appearance.
2. I don't think so! The only thing I would say MAYBE change (it's not a big deal at all) is
the font color on the very first deck with the Avenue behind it. The font might work
better in a purple color so it flows with the rest? Again, I'm not a designer so I'm not sure!
The other thing I would say is that it would be awesome if you could get some b-roll of
the coach talking (like a mini interview or something)!
3. no
Additional Comments
1. I think Alyssa's photo is too large/zoomed in. When I initially scrolled past it, I was
surprised to see such a close up. I don't think it takes away from the piece as a whole (if it
can't be edited or fixed, it's fine) but it definitely drew my attention away from the
purpose of the media kit.
2. The kit looks amazing! The video and audio are all fantastic.
3. Only feedback would be to move the information about the coach to the bottom, I
wouldn't lead with that. If I am interested in the spirit teams, I want to see the teams in
action first. Then, tell me who/how to contact.
Appendix 13
Sprout Social Facebook Analytics

Appendix 14
Sprout Social Instagram Analytics

Appendix 15
Email Screenshot from Jim Hall

Appendix 16
Screenshot of Pump-Up Video

Appendix 17
Screenshot of Performance Video

Appendix 18
Screenshot of a Meet The Team Post

Appendix 19
Screenshot of SHC Admissions Post

Appendix 20
Screenshot of Media Kit Analytics

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Running head: CATCH THE BADGER SPIRIT 1

Catch the Badger Spirit: Building a Social Media Presence

Maegan Celeste Lynch

Spring Hill College

due to the time constraint of the campaign.

Research Question ..................................................................................................................................... 6

Literature Review ........................................................................................................................... 6

Social Media Presence............................................................................................................................... 8

Media Kit ................................................................................................................................................... 9

Uses and Gratifications Theory ................................................................................................................. 9

Schaeperkoetter & Bunds, 2015, p. 26).

Division II schools as well.

Paesano, personal interview, August 23, 2017) to the school.

Personal Interview, November 10, 2017).

order to repay its debt to the department.

building a community for the Spirit Teams through social media.

fundraising communications (Digital: Nonprofits, 2010, para. 1). While fundraising is

necessary to be successful in the future.

According to the Journal of Strategic Marketing, Lack of funding is often attributed to

view the organization. Brand personality differences provide product differentiation

sponsorship (Greenhalgh, Dwyer & LeCrom, 2017, para. 7).

Social Media Presence

dancers which may lead to more appearance and volunteer opportunities.

Uses and Gratifications Theory

entertainment, information, personal identity, and relationship/personal interaction. According to

Facebook and some on Instagram.

be based off of the Facebook account.

media presence for the Spring Hill College Spirit Teams.

is to create and promote school spirit throughout the college.

and by professionals viewing the media kit.

Facebook to the cheer account only.

and prevented new followers to the page.

planner (see appendix 17).

appendix 13 and 14).

had 1,029 post engagement and 86 link clicks.

(see appendix 16).

(25 to 34 year olds) which could also be considered potential donors.

Teams at their events (see appendix 11 and 12).

SHC Athletic Department conducted its own fundraiser.

such as entertainment, information, personal identity, and relationship/personal interaction. Even

with the viewer.

Allowing the Spirit Teams Facebook to continually grow.

involved in minimal drama and to keep a professional planner-client relationship.

began my journey into the communications field and I loved it.

cases. Public Relations Review. 42 (1), 20-30

examining the increasing interconnection of university and athletic department funding.

Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

practical introduction. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE

18. Retrieved from

uses and gratifications perspective. Journal of Strategic Marketing. doi:

From fundraising to social entrepreneurship. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 20(3), 231-

247. doi:10.1080/0965254X.2012.657225. Retrieved from

Marketing Quarterly, 26(1), 20+. Retrieved from

levels. (2004, December 13). PR Week [US], 10. Retrieved from

Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509-523. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2747854

structural equation model of interactive advertising. Journal of Advertising, 34(2), 57

Tysiac, K. (2016). Getting creative in fundraising. Journal of Accountancy, 222(1), 34-40.

Appendix 1 Weekly Schedule

Appendix 2 IMC Framework (Personal Use)

Appendix 3 Waivers for Participation

Appendix 4 Completed Waivers for Participation

Appendix 5 Logos Created for Spirit Teams

Appendix 6 Screen Shots of Instagram Accounts Before PR Campaign