Meta x Campus Ink Partnership
Platform: Instagram (Meta)
Launch Date: Cyber Monday, Nov. 28
Team: Steven Farag, Sean Ellenby, Molly Pffeifer, Molly Pfeiffer Broc Anthony
Platform: Instagram (Meta)
Launch Date: Cyber Monday, Nov. 28
Team: Steven Farag, Sean Ellenby, Molly Pffeifer, Molly Pfeiffer Broc Anthony
Articles: On3.com
Skills Demonstrated
- Creative Merchandising
- Creative Strategy
- Social Media Integration
- Digital Marketing
- E-commerce Optimization
- Brand Storytelling
- Collaboration
Skills Demonstrated
- Creative Merchandising
- Creative Strategy
- Social Media Integration
- Digital Marketing
- E-commerce Optimization
- Brand Storytelling
- Collaboration
Role + Responsibilities
STRATEGY
Market Research: Conducted comprehensive market analysis to identify current trends in athlete merchandise and social media marketing. Used insights to develop a strategy that aligned with both Meta’s platform capabilities and athlete branding needs.
Campaign Development: Created a detailed campaign roadmap that outlined the key objectives, target audience, messaging, and creative direction for the collaboration. Ensured the campaign aligned with Meta’s vision of creating engaging, interactive shopping experiences.
Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinated with Meta's marketing and product teams, athlete managers, and Campus Ink’s internal team to ensure seamless integration and execution. Engaged athletes in the development process to align their personal brands with campaign goals.
CREATIVE DIRECTION + PRODUCTION
Content Creation: Developed high-impact visual content, including custom graphics, promotional videos, and interactive Instagram stories. Focused on creating visually appealing and shareable content that highlighted the unique aspects of each athlete’s merchandise.
Shoppable Posts: Leveraged Instagram's shoppable posts feature to create a seamless transition from engagement to purchase. Designed interactive and engaging posts that encouraged followers to explore and buy merchandise directly within the app.
Athlete Training: Provided athletes with comprehensive training on using Instagram’s features to maximize their reach and engagement. Included best practices for creating content, interacting with followers, and leveraging analytics to track performance.
CLIENT RELATIONS
Collaboration Management: Acted as the primary point of contact between Meta, the athletes, and Campus Ink. Managed communication, provided regular updates, and ensured all parties were aligned with the campaign’s goals and progress.
Launch Strategy: Developed and executed a detailed launch strategy that included pre-launch teasers, coordinated release dates, and post-launch promotions. Ensured each athlete’s merchandise drop was timed for maximum impact.
Performance Analysis: Monitored the performance of the campaign using Meta’s analytics tools. Analyzed engagement metrics, sales data, and follower growth to assess the effectiveness of the strategies and make data-driven adjustments.
Impact & Results
Athlete Earnings: Enabled athletes to generate significant earnings through their merchandise drops, creating a sustainable revenue stream that complements their athletic careers.
Increased Engagement: Achieved high levels of engagement on Instagram, with athletes seeing substantial increases in followers, likes, comments, and shares on their posts.
Enhanced Visibility: Boosted the visibility of athletes’ personal brands, positioning them as influencers within their respective sports and beyond. The collaboration with Meta provided a platform for athletes to connect with a broader audience.
Successful Product Launches: Executed multiple successful product launches, each tailored to the unique brand and audience of the athlete. The integration with Instagram’s shoppable posts feature streamlined the purchasing process, enhancing the overall user experience.
The Essence of the Partnership
In this collaboration, we aimed to blend the creative merchandising expertise of Campus Ink with Meta's expansive social media ecosystem. Our goal was to empower athletes to become entrepreneurs, using Instagram's shoppable posts feature to seamlessly transition their followers from engagement to purchase, directly within the app.
Featured Athletes
We carefully selected a diverse group of top college athletes, included in the activation are Flau’jae Johnson (LSU women’s basketball), Emily Cole (Duke cross country/track & field), Sydney Stephens (Illinois soccer), Mac Crone (Alabama soccer), Corey Friedenbach (San Diego State track & field), Skyy Clark (Illinois men’s basketball), Kamani Johnson (Arkansas men’s basketball), Cam Thompson (Purdue baseball), Jake Grandison (Duke men’s basketball) and Caleb Murphy (DePaul men’s basketball).
Revolutionizing Merchandising through Social Media
Our strategy hinged on integrating shoppable posts within Instagram, simplifying the buyer's journey from product discovery to checkout. This not only provided unparalleled convenience for fans but also offered our athletes a direct channel to monetize their personal brands and connect with their audience on a deeper level.
Creative Merchandise Concepts
The merchandise we developed ranged from vintage-inspired designs to modern aesthetics, with some athletes choosing to infuse their gear with powerful personal messages. I led the creative direction for these collections, ensuring each piece authentically represented the athlete's story and resonated with their fans.
Emotional Connection & Storytelling
At the heart of our project was the belief that true retail success comes from storytelling and emotional engagement. We didn't just create merchandise; we crafted narratives that fans could wear proudly, knowing they were supporting more than just an athlete—they were supporting a journey.
Outcome & Impact
Scheduled to launch on Cyber Monday, this activation is poised to transform athlete merchandising. We anticipate not only significant sales figures but also an increase in athlete-fan engagement, setting a new benchmark for how athletes can leverage social media to build their brands and connect with their audiences.
This project has been a pivotal step in reimagining athlete merchandising. By combining creative storytelling with innovative social media strategies, we've created a blueprint for the future—a future where athletes are empowered to share their stories, connect with fans, and succeed as entrepreneurs in the digital age.