NCAA Debuts New Ad Campaign During The Fall Instead Of Alongside March Madness

The NCAA has "made two major changes in its marketing strategy in the last six months," including for the first time debuting an "ad campaign in the fall" instead of during the men's basketball tournament in the spring, according to Anthony Schoettle of the INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL. The other move is the continuation of using celebrity endorsers to "tout the value of a college education." Pro Football HOFer Jerry Rice in one ad notes that only 2% of the more than 480,000 NCAA college athletes will "turn pro in their given sport." The other ad shows women athletes as they "promote female empowerment." The two spots, which were shot in L.A. this summer and overseen by SS&K, N.Y., cost just more than $1M to produce. Due to its agreements with various networks, the TV air time "doesn't cost the NCAA, which is a major savings." NCAA VP/Communications Bob Williams said that the "change in strategy is part of a plan launched 18 months ago to have all ads trumpet three main 'pillars' of the association: academics, fairness and well-being." Univ. of Indianapolis Dir of Sports Marketing Larry DeGaris said that the NCAA "appears bent on trying to pivot the conversation from commercialization to the amateur ideal of college sports." DeGaris "thinks bringing on celebrity endorsers and kicking off NCAA ad campaigns in the fall are two smart moves." He said, "The campaign certainly makes sense from the standpoint of public perception" (INDIANAPOLIS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/3 issue).