Expanding on New Mexico State University’s (NMSU) brand awareness advertising initiatives, the team’s goal was to utilize friendly competition to elevate the brand in the target market of our main regional competitor. The team wanted to use one strategically placed billboard to create an unforgettable marketing moment with viral potential that left a lasting impact on their target audience. 

Being one of two universities less than 40 miles apart with a 100-year-old rivalry across state lines, establishing new recruitment strategies can be a challenge in such an intertwined community. By strategically placing a billboard with a creative message less than a mile away from their competitor’s campus, the campaign sparked a billboard battle that generated social media buzz and attracted media attention across the region. In an extension to the billboard campaign, the team developed a video targeting their competitor’s market featuring the student from the billboard highlighting why they decided to come to NMSU. In addition to significant social media video engagement, the campaign attracted media attention from six regional news agencies.