“May the odds be ever in your favor!” ®
It would be hard to find a college student unfamiliar with those iconic words from Susan Collins’ hit series, The Hunger Games. The trilogy has thus far grossed more than $35.6 million in the U.S. alone, according to EW.com. The four movies grossed over $1.5 billion nationally, according to Box Office Mojo. This month’s marketing plan builds on the resolution fever that strikes when the holidays are done — and adds a dash of beloved Mockingjay spirit.
Background
As you likely recall, in the Hunger Games story, the government — housed in an elite city of unrepentant consumers called the Capital — forces teenagers from 12 impoverished, hard-laboring Districts to compete in an annual “reckoning,” or lottery. A Capital representative draws the names of one boy and one girl from each District, who then join teams that battle to the death in the Hunger Games.
In the Resolution Reckoning, the college store plays the role of a benevolent Capital. Students are District denizens. However, instead of engaging in a grizzly survival contest, students compete in teams first — and then as individuals — to see who can record the greatest number of steps on pedometers, or wearables.
That is, they compete to boost their health and stay on track with New Year’s resolutions.
Because the store randomly assigns students to teams, contestants have an opportunity to make new friends. The college store has a chance to (literally) generate foot traffic, show off any wearables it sells — and provide students with the kind of fun memories that transform occasional visitors into regular customers.
The contest lasts two weeks. Teams compete against each other in the first week. The college store awards a small prize to each member of the top-scoring collective. In the second week, the two students with the highest number of steps from any team compete against each other. The finalist with the greatest number of steps in the end wins a fabulous grand prize.
How It Works
Students fill out one of the attached downloadable forms to enter a lottery. The college store hosts a “reckoning” on the competition start date, drawing names to determine who will compete on which team. Teams can be as small as three people or as large as six, depending on how many register. Once teams are assigned, ensure that at least one member is made captain. The captain is responsible for maintaining the collective step count. Students can photograph their count at the beginning and end of the week, and share the images with the captain for verification. The captain then shares the records with the store along with the sum of collective steps.
Recommend to students that they trade contact information and plan to meet to compare stats at least three times during the week. That promotes camaraderie, which, in turn, inspires resolve.
Stock up on cheap pedometers so you can supply students who don’t have their own wearables with a way to count their steps. If your campus has a wellness program, check in with that office. It might have free pedometers it can share with the store.
Students should indicate whether they need a pedometer on the attached entry form. Have a few extras for stragglers.
Promote thematic merchandise throughout the contest: Hunger Games books and movies, athletic gear, protein-rich snacks and wearables like the FitBit© or the Apple© watch. You might put these items on sale, create a thematic display or a combination of both.
At the end of the first week, students report each team’s accumulated steps back to the store. This should be a high number. If the average entrant racks up 10,000 steps a day, then each team will likely have a minimum of 490,000 steps. Each member of the winning team receives a small prize — a coupon, a gift card or something else that will prompt a return visit.
Post pictures on social media of the winning team with their step-count — and of the top two contestants with their individual step-counts.
The two competitors with the highest individual step counts compete against each other in the second week. Again, have the contestants photograph their step-count at the start of the week and at the end. Ask each one to report back to the store with a step tally at least twice during the week. Post their step-count update on social media each time. After seven days, announce the winner and award him or her the grand prize. This could be anything from a gift card to the latest wearable technology your store offers. Consider offering a smaller prize to the second-place participant as well.
High-dollar prizes are likely to draw more contestants. However, at this time of year, many students will want to participate for the sake of getting a start on their resolutions. Smaller prizes are sure to suffice.
Post photos of the winner with his or her prize and step-count on social media.
The contest will show students the bookstore is an anti-Capital, a generous retail hub that’s interested in their well-being — a place where, by way of a warm-hearted reckoning, they might make new friends for life.
Social Media Marketing
