BotB and a Case Study in Non-flyering Advertising

Hey everybody,

We here at GCI work for the environment. While we're not perfect, we strive for a complete approach. Walk the talk, right?

Well after a year of events, we've finally reached a base camp in our climb to the summit. Let me tell you how we plan to use no flyers in our advertising approach for Battle of the Bulbs. Hopefully, some future or even current RSO leader will read this, be affected, and start employing these tactics.

Before I delve into our plans, let me tell you about an Eco-Consulting division of GCI we're planning. There's Eckhart Consulting and there's Campus Catalyst. Well, there will now be an eco-consulting group at our school. It's just an idea right now, but that's how they all start, right? Mira is taking the lead on this with several pilot test clients this quarter, actually. We will provide extremely targeted and specific help with RSOs looking to cut their carbon footprint, be more sustainable, and even save a few bucks. E-mail Mira at mirascarvalone@uchicago.edu if you're interested in making this happen!

Facebook

We will of course have a Facebook event. This event will run the entire month and will send out minimal messages. We will also design a specific internet flyer that emphasizes clickability (will people look at it/ click on it) and information (website, schedule of events, prizes). Also, we already have a Facebook fan page that shares links geared towards homework 1 minute breaks. These links are not essays, graphs, and news items. Instead, they're more graphic-orientated, short and neat tidbits, and of course environmentally related. We will continue this during BotB, just having a slant towards energy consumption and reduction.

Bulbs Blog

Our current website, bulbs.uchicago.edu needs a design update. When it goes online, there will be updates about events scheduled for BotB as it will be more than just an energy reduction competition. Also, this is where we will post tips and facts and figures. Even more, we plan to offer an inside look at the functions of GCI in hopes of giving outsiders a view on how we work. We will also post weekly results here. FAQs will also be in order, as we expect a lot of questions.

So how do we publicize a blog that doesn't already have regular ownership? Links in Facebook statuses would be one. Also, volunteers who commit to linking blog posts to their Facebook notes can do a lot. If you value your Facebook profile that much, it'll only be for a month. Also, whatever other advertising material we put out will have the hyperlink on. The same goes for all e-mails we send out.

The Maroon

We have an excellent newspaper with an excellent website. There's no doubt about it. So why not help them out by giving them a story to write about? This is our biggest event of the year, and so we must use any pre-existing advertising infrastructure. Now we have no control over the editorial process, but we definitely would like a front cover story. Even more, we should work together on submitting some op-eds. That shouldn't be a one man effort.

Housing System

While in a perfect world, every member on your own listhost will forward emails to their house listhost. Sadly, this doesn't happen. Due to our competition's benefits for the housing system (promoting competition, house spirit, and reducing costs), we directly e-mailed House RHs to ask for their permission in forwarding e-mails to house listhosts. Even more, we will ask RAs and RHs to mention the competition at house meetings.

Taking a page out of Relay for Life, we also will have a house meeting talking circuit. While we do have limited manpower, having a representative from the organization right in front of you explaining the benefits and prizes involved is the best way of communication: face to face, source to audience.

Big Public Publicity

We're not sure yet how we're going to do this, but here is basically a summary. Big publicity is something public that everybody will see. It will get people thinking, get people to notice. Some ideas that we shot down were a massive candlelight display in the dark or a shadow message that depended on the sun. Anything with light, electricity, or consumption will do. We might do something where we have a physical, tangible representation of energy you save through the competition. Something like that.

Chalking Campaign

This is related to our Big Public Publicity. We intend to do several high-detailed, large chalk artwork around campus in heavily trafficked area. Even more, we will pair this with more general, informational text based chalking around campus. If stencils would help, we will use those. For our weekly postings of the competition results, we plan to actually draw them in front of the Reg where people wait for shuttles. This will be in addition to the easels we usually put up in public areas.

Table Tents

This is where the majority of our paper use will be. Even then, we plan to use single sided paper (pre-used). Because the competition focuses on the housing system, and all housing residents use the dining halls, this allows us to reach as directly as possible to our audience without wasting resources.

Tabling

We have forsaken the model of attracting people to talk to you and then having long conversations about the environment. Constant tabling is taxing on your members, as they must sign up for long time slots. Even more, GCI isn't big enough to afford constant tabling. Tabling itself is stressful, as not everybody has perfected talking/yelling at strangers. Instead, we are using tabling as a way to quickly remind people about the competition through people. To do that, we're having lots of free giveaways (CFLs), selling t-shirts, and other ways to win smaller prizes. Even more, we're conserving our resources and energy and time by only tabling once a week.

Bake Sales

"We're Green Campus Initiative, a baking club"- what we said to prospies yesterday at the Prospy fair. We bake a lot, and we have the bakers to do it. Not only are they fundraisers, but they're ways to get people to notice you. And have them enough, you gain a reputation. Even more, in honor of Battle of the Bulbs, we will have a Battle of the Brownies. All sorts of Brownies. Dark chocolate brownies, white chocolate brownies, cookies in brownies, brownie batter, cake brownies, brownie balls, etc.

Pepsi,

Willy