GVSU Athletics unveils marketing campaign

Courtesy / GV Sports Info

Courtesy / GV Sports Info

Lucas Rains

Grand Valley State University Athletics announced a new marketing campaign last week in an effort to unite GVSU teams with fans in the community.

The “Caution Campaign” highlights the theme of unity with the slogan “We are ONE.”

“The ‘We are ONE’ campaign is really about the university and the athletic department all being one,” said Doug Lipinski, the GVSU associate director of athletics for marketing. “It’s really spirit driven. As much as it’s about athletics, it’s about the spirit on campus from a unity standpoint.”

The “Caution Campaign” represents the student-athletes, fans and GVSU community as one.

The logo for the campaign features an eye-popping yellow color, a secondary color of athletics.

“When you come to Grand Valley and you’re one of the 550 student-athletes, it doesn’t matter what sport you play. Every game you play is a red-letter game for the other team,” Lipinksi said. “It doesn’t matter what sport, if that other team beats Grand Valley, it made their season.

“The visiting teams need to take caution when they come in here and when you come into Lubbers Stadium, with over 8,000 students rocking and rolling.”

The idea sprouted from the GVSU football team’s run in the playoffs this season.

The athletic department used the hashtag #StunOne as the rallying cry to upset the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, Northwest Missouri State University.

“Our fans really reacted to that (hashtag),” Lipinski said. “We haven’t done a marketing campaign in a couple years. We really thought that going into this year with our fall schedule, that this was the appropriate year to introduce a campaign.”

Students can get involved with the new campaign by taking part in the social media promotional contest. Information about the contest will be posted on www.gvsulakers.com and its associated social media sites.

The contest gives fans a chance to win a trip with the GVSU football team to Los Angeles, Calif., for the first game of the fall season at Azusa Pacific University. The winner and a friend will fly with the team, stay at the team hotel and receive $250 worth of Laker apparel.

The winner will be announced at the football Spring Classic on Saturday, which begins at noon in the Kelly Family Sports Center. The proceeds from the Spring Classic will be donated to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Donations of $25 will go toward a No. 32 Jamie Hosford commemorative jersey, which will be delivered to a child at the hospital by members of the football team.

The athletic department is also running its annual Military Appreciation Week this week.

The baseball and softball teams are wearing camouflage jerseys to commemorate Americans who have fought and those who continue to fight. The women’s golf team will also be wearing camouflage hats this weekend.

“This is a university that is named military friendly, as well as having a president that has served our country,” Lipinski said. “As a department and as teams, we want to honor and appreciate their service.”