Variable programs support the games that support the school.

The Opportunity

In 2003, college football home attendance soared to an all-time high of more than 46 million fans for all divisions. That’s a lot of potential buyers of weekly game programs.

The per-game average for all games and all divisions was 13,568—the best overall mark since 1984. That’s just one sport among many. The National Directory of College Athletics™ lists 2,090 junior and senior colleges that compete in intercollegiate athletics.

You can’t tell the players without a scorecard.

All of these sports programs require some level of printed materials to operate, including game programs. Multiply that by the variety of men’s and women’s sports, and the volume is staggering.

The Errington Group Advantage

The weekly program is handed to fans when they arrive at the stadium or playing field. In the example shown here, it contains team statistics, player biographies, upcoming game schedule and advertisements.

Target specific audiences to drive branded merchandise sales

The Opportunity

The role of college sports programs is to enhance the image of the institution and to help promote enrollments and alumni support. The sale of branded athletics related merchandise via a small custom catalog or other media is one source of money for supporting athletics programs.

However, athletics-generated revenue is not keeping up with costs. Most athletics departments rely on money from their schools to make up for deficits.

The use of special offers is a major strategy for increasing sales volume in many sectors of the retail industry. This is as true for branded merchandise in the college bookstore or gift store as it is for any other retailer.

Sports raise awareness at a cost.

While most offers are generic, with all shoppers receiving the same offer, studies have shown that a specific, time-limited discount calls more people to action than a generic awareness promotion does.

If a punchy catalog does no more than attract traffic to the store, then the first goal of the campaign is accomplished. However, if the goal is to promote the purchase of a specific product (instead of just a shopper’s visit), a more targeted strategy will help.

The Errington Group Advantage

Producing custom catalogs that contain graphics or messages tailored to the target consumer is effective. Including a specific discount makes it even more effective.

The feeling of being identified for a special privilege will enhance the loyalty effect among alumni and students alike.

The Errington Group's variable data publishing solutions can compose and print such catalogs on demand. The one featured in this application brief is a versioned special promotional offer for the school’s football-branded merchandise.

The full-colour catalogs use variable information to target distinctive groups (among alumni or students) with specific merchandise. For example, short-run offers of branded merchandise for alumni celebrating a playoff victory or homecoming.

In this case, the print run and the specific product are determined by the variable information capabilities of the digital production press.

The Errington Group's solutions make it easy to design, create and print variable data materials on demand.

Why not a poster for every sports program?

The Opportunity

When it’s time to hype the big game, a media mix comprised of print, TV and radio advertising can include print-on-demand signage and posters that are completely coordinated and integrated with other materials. As a valuable part of a marketing program, colorful posters offer a potent combination of cost-effectiveness, visibility and eye appeal for students, alumni and fans.

With the right kind of print production capability, there’s no reason not to promote every sport with its own cost-effective poster or posters.

The Errington Group Advantage

The look and feel of posters should “family” with the design of other communications, thus strengthening the overall brand of the college or university. Integrating poster content with other materials produced for the big game or other major event will extend the message, giving it a more universal tone. The example seen here is a large color poster celebrating an annual homecoming game. It could just as easily feature a divisional championship, playoff qualification or any other noteworthy athletic event.

The Errington Group production solutions enable athletic departments to produce vibrant, full-color posters that tie in with other marketing communication materials.