While watching the PAC Baseball Championship, where our Grove City College Wolverines are playing, I am subjected to all of the advertisements for every college and university in the college. While the average viewer may just see these commercials as all the same, being an educated Grove City student I can see how different schools try to sell themselves a little differently. Grove City’s ad is centered around their line “Where Faith and Freedom Matter” which is shown through scenes of students in Harbison Chapel and all around campus. To compare, Washington and Jefferson chose to have their commercial centered around their athletic programs.
Every school has a different type of stereotype for their common student, ours being appropriately named a Grover. The interesting thing about these commercials is that is targeting individuals who would fit that stereotype, by the slogans being used to the music being played in the background. Some schools give off the “fun college experience” vibe while others portray a more serious environment, I’m sure you can figure out where Grove City falls. All the schools have a commercial that follow a similar form but the way in which they deliver their quick sales pitch differs immensely based on the type of school.
BoweryJE22
I think it’s funny when I see an ad online telling me to attend Grove City. I’m from Boston, so I’m at the heart of some of the best schools in the nation. Advertising in New England is very different, I think, at least as far as our colleges are concerned. Southern New Hampshire University has been doing a lot of ads that aren’t targeted toward any specific department, but appeal to “finding who you’re meant to be.” I think it’s an interesting tactic that, in the midst of Harvard, MIT, etc., is how they’re trying to differentiate and convince people to attend them over some better schools.
I feel like there has been a lot of talk around campus about trying to draw in people from different backgrounds. I’ve heard a lot of professors talk about GCC’s need for variety. I think its interesting that you said that GCC makes ads that appeal to the stereotypical grover. So how does Grove City appeal to a non-grover to draw them in? Lean an ad towards their values? But does that undermine what GCC really is? I’m curious as to what you think.
This is an interesting post! I’ve never really thought about how other schools are different. Would it be beneficial to try to appeal to other types of students?