The University of Akron wants to accomplish the type of success Chrysler had with their ad campaign touting their new vehicles during the 2011 Super Bowl.
No, the University of Akron will not be advertising in the Super Bowl again this year to hit their recruitment numbers. However, they do hope a new campaign will help rebrand the learning institution and get them out of a real financial crisis.
Thanks to a deal with the LeBron James Family Foundation, the NBA star will promote the University of Akron for essentially nothing.
LeBron is going hard to make sure he gives back to the students of the state of Ohio. The Akron native recently announced $42 million worth of four-year scholarships to over 2,000 students to attend the University.
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-jrrrW_xeo |
| Check out The first commercial in the “Are You Out There?” campaign. |
For the next five years, LeBron James will serve as the face of a marketing push for the University of Akron. The University wants to reverse the impact of a $40 million budget cut, which included two hundred teaching jobs – and the baseball program.
“More people know Akron because of LeBron than any other reason,” University of Akron President Scott Scarborough told Crain’s. “We couldn’t pick a better person to try to give strength to the University of Akron brand than LeBron James, even though he didn’t go to college. He is Akron outside of Akron.”
The University of Akron was required to make the cuts because of enrollment declines over the prior four years, as well as debt acquired after a campus makeover project was completed.
New student registration growth will be critical to “digging the University out of its hole,” so the primary goal is to reposition the University as a destination for students in the Midwest and beyond.
LeBron James will shoot his commercials for the University of Akron later this month.