A new football season, a new promotional pitch at USF. “Bulls Unite” is the tag line on billboards, print ads and TV and radio spots that are showing up this month. Marketing is important to a university that has seen average attendance decline by 10,000 a game from 2010 to 2014.
“Last year was all about getting to know USF,” says Tom Hoof, the chief marketing officer. “Now it’s about creating a brand that really defines who we are.”
Unfortunately, what has been happening on the field is what has been defining USF football these last few years. From 2011-14, the Bulls are a brand-challenging 14-34.
USF has nearly 300,000 alumni, with more than half living in the eight counties surrounding the school. The aim, says, Hoof, is to engage alums and donors and “rebuilding from there.”
But it starts with the product on the field, as Willie Taggert (6-18), now in his critical third year, well knows. For the record, USF opens at home Sept. 5 against FAMU. It better be 1-0 after that game. The next two are on the road at FSU and Maryland.