🏁 The Quest: “Monarchs in Motion” – A Social Media Campaign for ODU Athletics

🎯 Project Overview

Initiative: This strong social media campaign called “Monarchs in Motion”, will highlight the behind-the-scenes of ODU athletes — their training, routines, mindset, and the “progress over perfection” philosophy Ryan champions.

Goal: Increase fan engagement and humanize the athletes by focusing on their personal journeys and off-the-court efforts if any, aligning with Ryan’s emphasis on authenticity and connection.

---

🤝 Connection to Penpal (Ryan Parncutt)

Ryan’s quick rise through the ODU athletics department and her dedication to knowing the audience was the inspiration for this campaign. Her insight that “you never know who you might influence” really stuck with me. By focusing on storytelling, we aim to inspire both the campus community and fans beyond it.

---

🛠️ Campaign Components

1. Weekly Short-Form Videos (Reels/TikToks)
   • Training highlights
   • Athlete Q&A with personality-driven questions
   • “Day in the Life” features
   • Uplifting moments (fan interactions, team bonding, etc.)
2. Photo Series: “Then & Now”
   • Showcase athletes’ growth over time (freshman vs. senior year)
   • Captions with quotes about perseverance and change
3. Interactive Fan Engagement
   • Instagram polls: “Who do you want to see next?”
   • Hashtag Challenge: #MonarchsInMotion
   • “Ask an Athlete” story takeovers
4. Campaign Launch Event
   • On-campus pop-up with athlete meet-and-greets
   • Branded merch giveaway
   • Live social media coverage

---

📈 Promotion Plan

• Collaborate with Ryan to coordinate scheduling through ODU Athletics’ main accounts.
• Work with athletes and coaches to find authentic stories to highlight.
• Pre-launch teaser campaign with countdowns and hype posts.
• Leverage school influencers, alumni athletes, and student groups to boost visibility.

---

👣 Steps Taken

1. Talked with Ryan about the importance of authentic content and her current role at ODU.
2. Worked hands-on with ODU Women’s Basketball content creation, learning what resonates with fans.
3. Identified a gap in emotional storytelling and proposed a content series to address it.
4. Asked for Ryan’s feedback on the idea — she loved the angle of “progress over perfection” and thought it could tie well into ODU’s branding and values.

---

📝 Narrative Element

When I began this project, I knew I wanted to do more than just create a cool campaign. I wanted something that would mean something. Working with Ryan opened my eyes to the emotional side of marketing — not just selling a game, but telling a story. With her insight and encouragement, I built something that highlights both the athletic excellence and the person behind the athlete of ODU’s athletes.

Her advice to “stay curious and connected” echoed in every part of this project. I learned how to ask the right questions, how to observe more than just the obvious, and how to translate that into content that fans can feel. This project is my way of giving back to a program that inspired me — and proving to myself that I’m ready to be part of this industry.