College athletics is about more than just competition, its also about connection. Fans, alumni, and communities don’t just support teams; they connect with the people behind them. In today’s digital world, storytelling has become one of the most effective ways for athletic programs to build those relationships.
“Bulls Behind the Brand” is a multi-platform storytelling campaign that highlights the lives of UB student-athletes beyond their sport. Instead of focusing only on performance, the campaign emphasizes their experiences as students, leaders, and members of the Buffalo community.
The goal is to create authentic, relatable content that builds emotional connections with key audiences, ultimately strengthening long-term support for UB Athletics.
This initiative is designed to:
- Increase engagement across digital platforms
- Strengthen connections between fans and student-athletes
- Support fundraising through storytelling
- Enhance the overall brand of UB Athletics
The campaign targets several key groups:
- Alumni, to encourage pride and giving
- Current students, to boost engagement and school spirit
- Prospective athletes, to showcase the UB experience
- Local community members, to expand regional support
The campaign will feature three main content series:
Day in the Life
Short videos showing how student-athletes balance academics, athletics, and daily life.
Why I Chose UB
Personal stories explaining why athletes selected the University at Buffalo.
Beyond the Game
Content focused on community service, internships, and life after sports.
Content will be distributed across key platforms:
- Instagram and TikTok for short-form video (15–60 seconds)
- YouTube for longer features (5–8 minutes)
- UB Athletics website and email newsletters for written content
To maximize impact, the campaign will be promoted through:
- Scheduled social media posts and cross-platform sharing
- Integration into alumni and donor email communications
- Game-day promotion through video boards and QR codes
- Collaboration with university marketing teams
A central strength of this campaign is its connection to fundraising. Each story will highlight the impact of support on student-athletes, helping audiences understand the value of contributing to UB Athletics.
Content will include subtle calls to action, such as links to donation pages like “Support Their Journey.” This allows storytelling to directly support development efforts by giving donors a clearer, more personal reason to invest.
The effectiveness of the campaign will be measured through:
- Social media engagement (likes, shares, comments)
- Video views and watch time
- Website traffic and click-through rates
- Growth in donor interest and contributions
These metrics provide both short-term and long-term indicators of success.
My penpal Tom Koller, has a background in athletic development and major gift fundraising. His role highlights the importance of building relationships and connecting donors to the mission of an athletic program.
This understanding influenced my approach to this project. “Bulls Behind the Brand” is designed not only to engage fans but also to serve as a tool for strengthening donor relationships through storytelling. By creating content that emphasizes the real impact of athletics, the campaign aligns closely with the goals of development professionals.
The idea for this campaign developed from concepts explored throughout this course, particularly the role of communication and media in sports. I recognized that modern audiences are drawn to authentic, personal content, especially on digital platforms.
From there, I considered how storytelling could extend beyond engagement and support broader organizational goals. By connecting this idea to my penpal’s work in fundraising, I created a campaign that blends media strategy with development objectives.
This project demonstrates how effective communication strategies can play a key role in the success of athletic programs, both on and off the field.