U of I launches billboard campaign
By: Aaron Bennett
Updated: December 6, 2012
Champaign-Urbana, Ill. (UI Release) - As
part of the
new Illini marketing campaign, the University of Illinois has begun
placing University of Illinois billboards in popular areas around the
state. The goal is to further the new branding initiative, with the
slogan "ILLINOIS. OUR STATE. OUR TEAM." in order to
foster a sense of state pride among Illinois students, fans and alumni.
"As
the flagship public institution in the state, this theme reflects the
statewide following and support
of Fighting Illini athletics from our millions of fans and alumni in the
state of Illinois," Director of Athletics Mike Thomas said. "This theme
becomes a way for all of our fans to rally behind one central concept -
that the University of Illinois is our state's
school. As the Fighting Illini, our student-athletes, coaches and staff
are proud to represent the people of Illinois and we are proud to wear
the state's name on the front of our jerseys."
Throughout
the next several months, billboards will be placed all around the
state. There will be a billboard
in multiple Springfield locations, one on Monticello Road in Monticello,
one on the south side of I-80 in Joliet, a board on Veterans Parkway in
Bloomington, a sign at Ohio and Kingsbury in
Chicago,
as well as several in the St. Louis Metro area. Many billboards will
focus on local alumni hailing from the area that the board is in, in
order to promote a local identity within the larger state initiative.
The
billboards are just the beginning of a large branding campaign that
the Fighting Illini Division of
Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) marketing and external affairs team have
developed to enhance the University of Illinois' position as the school
of choice for all Illinois students as well as to make Illinois the
team to root for and support no matter what
part of the state you hail from. Early stages of the campaign included a
new logo at center court of the Assembly Hall and logos on the new
field at Memorial Stadium.
These are all part of the large-scale brand evaluation program that the DIA will undergo with partner Nike
beginning in 2013. This collaboration will result in an updated brand identity, including new football uniforms for 2014.
Around
the community, the theme of "ILLINOIS. OUR STATE. OUR TEAM." has been
embraced by alumni, faculty,
staff, administration and students. Illini have expressed a great deal
of pride and passion for this positive slogan, and the billboard
reminders around the state will help the citizens of Illinois stay
connected to U of I from all corners of the state.
