How much do recruits care about this?

[El Amin Fan]

This is obviously a huge factor in the great quality of life we have here in Minnesota. The diversity in industry in our business climate here as well as the per capita number of Fortune 500s that we have is awesome. And I'm glad that the U touts this both for traditional students and for athletes. But I'm curious, how many recruits truly care about this? Is it 4-5 a year in football? More? Less? Is it the deciding factor for 2-3 football recruits a year? More/less?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>19 Fortune 500 companies and the largest private company in the US. Minnesota is a land of opportunity! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> <a href="http://t.co/qhFjL1ItBh">pic.twitter.com/qhFjL1ItBh</a></p>— GopherGridiron (@GopherGridiron) <a href="https://twitter.com/GopherGridiron/statuses/476097582343540739">June 9, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[die hard gopher]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BrickByBrick&src=hash">#BrickByBrick</a> <a href="http://t.co/COE16p6z4T">pic.twitter.com/COE16p6z4T</a></p>— GopherGridiron (@GopherGridiron) <a href="https://twitter.com/GopherGridiron/statuses/468484077524250624">May 19, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Breakin' The Plane]

I'd guess most aren't thinking that far ahead. Maybe times have changed, but college for me was about the here and now, not the future and the real world. However, this is a nice chip to have. I just think this needs to be hammered home to Mom and Dad.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Most of the kids probably don't care, but ma or pa might and that can be a big deal. If it sways even one kid it's worth advertising. MN has to lay out its brag sheet because there are plenty of widely-held demerits like the cold, you betcha.

It might help to sell a kid or parent on envisioning having an internship or entry-level experience at one of the big companies even if a kid plans to move back south or west eventually. For kids that want to stay in the Midwest and start their own businesses the wealth effect that these companies help create could be a selling point (having access to a wide base of paying customers is always a nice thing).

 

[TexasAggie11]

Student athletes, especially football players, aren't going to get many opportunities to take advantage of local businesses during their time in school - most programs don't encourage players to take jobs or summer internships. A high school student may not think they want to stay in Minnesota for life, especially when they are getting offers from other states.

When you're sitting in a recruit's living room with mom and dad, you can tailor your pitch to the individual and their needs. With a broad social media blast, you have to be all things to all recruits. Limiting a tweet to recruits who want a career in business AND want to work for a large corporation AND want to stay in Minneapolis is a bit short sighted.

A much better campaign would be to show how you can take a degree from the U of M and go anywhere to be successful, not just the twin cities area. Or, how a Minnesota education can prepare you for the NFL locker room AND a corporate board room. I would show a picture of Marion Barber on the football field, next to the Marriott CEO at a tropical resort, next to an astronaut with some text like "The sky is NOT the limit for a Minnesota grad."

For the twin cities ad, it seems that it would be off-putting to families from any rural area in Minnesota or the surrounding areas. Mom and dad are already worried about sending junior off to school, and now they have to worry about how he will fare in a huge metropolis versus a college town. Is he going to be safe? Will he get lost? Plus, the exterior of buildings is cold and impersonal. Why not take a photo of people on campus greeting each other with the Minneapolis skyline visible in the background across a bridge? "From our campus community to a global community, the University of Minnesota builds connections." Demonstrate that you have the best of both worlds - the amenities of a large city, but also the charms of a true community.

 

[Sparlimb]

I doubt ninety percent of recruits give a rat's behind about fortune 500 per capita. Especially if they don't like the weather. Add on to that many have the dream of pro sports, what they do after that is way too far in the future to give it much thought.

We need to use the more proven methods to attract recruits. Win.


PS.

We're 2nd in states and 3rd if you count District of Columbia. Still, 2nd isn't so bad...

http://www.ceo.com/entrepreneurial_...g-states-with-the-most-fortune-500-companies/

 

[MNVCGUY]

Most of the kids probably don't care, but ma or pa might and that can be a big deal. If it sways even one kid it's worth advertising. MN has to lay out its brag sheet because there are plenty of widely-held demerits like the cold, you betcha.

It might help to sell a kid or parent on envisioning having an internship or entry-level experience at one of the big companies even if a kid plans to move back south or west eventually. For kids that want to stay in the Midwest and start their own businesses the wealth effect that these companies help create could be a selling point (having access to a wide base of paying customers is always a nice thing).

Bingo....this type of recruiting tool is not targeted at the kid but at their parents. Most of the players are convinced they are going to the NFL so they could care less about life after football (at least as an incoming freshman before reality starts to set in) but to the parents that know better it is a nice card to play in order to make the University more appealing.

 

[Fabian]

When I was in Gulf Shores, AL during Signing Day, the Gopher recruit from Mobile specifically mentioned the Fortune 500 companies as a reason for attending Minnesota. It may not be a big deal to all kids, but it can be a big deal to the right kids.

 

[Sparlimb]

When I was in Gulf Shores, AL during Signing Day, the Gopher recruit from Mobile specifically mentioned the Fortune 500 companies as a reason for attending Minnesota. It may not be a big deal to all kids, but it can be a big deal to the right kids.

Certainly better than being last...

 

[SelectionSunday]

Most of 'em are thinking about one thing as they enter college. ... the NFL.

 

[Golden_Sloth]

A much better campaign would be to show how you can take a degree from the U of M and go anywhere to be successful, not just the twin cities area. Or, how a Minnesota education can prepare you for the NFL locker room AND a corporate board room. I would show a picture of Marion Barber on the football field, next to the Marriott CEO at a tropical resort, next to an astronaut with some text like "The sky is NOT the limit for a Minnesota grad."

Pretty much every D-1 college could throw the same campaign together though - it doesn't actually differentiate us. I like the Fortune 500 campaign because it provides an objective fact that we are better than any other college in this regard. Most recruits/parents probably don't care too much, but at least this campaign has a chance to reach the few who do in a real way.

 

[jaymil]

When I was in Gulf Shores, AL during Signing Day, the Gopher recruit from Mobile specifically mentioned the Fortune 500 companies as a reason for attending Minnesota. It may not be a big deal to all kids, but it can be a big deal to the right kids.

Agree with your last sentence. Not all kids will care about this campaign but the recruits who get their interest peaked because of this are probably the type of kid we'd like to get here, assuming they're a good enough athlete.

 

[Winnipegopher]

Pretty much every D-1 college could throw the same campaign together though - it doesn't actually differentiate us. I like the Fortune 500 campaign because it provides an objective fact that we are better than any other college in this regard. Most recruits/parents probably don't care too much, but at least this campaign has a chance to reach the few who do in a real way.

I agree in that many recruits don't care but it is an advantage Minnesota has that most others don't. I wouldn't build recruiting around it but wouldn't ignore it either. Building on this, the Gophers should do an analysis on how many players stay in the Cities after they finish school- I guarantee it is much higher than Iowa and probably Wisconsin.

 

[Hates Monikers]

Student athletes, especially football players, aren't going to get many opportunities to take advantage of local businesses during their time in school - most programs don't encourage players to take jobs or summer internships. A high school student may not think they want to stay in Minnesota for life, especially when they are getting offers from other states.

When you're sitting in a recruit's living room with mom and dad, you can tailor your pitch to the individual and their needs. With a broad social media blast, you have to be all things to all recruits. Limiting a tweet to recruits who want a career in business AND want to work for a large corporation AND want to stay in Minneapolis is a bit short sighted.

A much better campaign would be to show how you can take a degree from the U of M and go anywhere to be successful, not just the twin cities area. Or, how a Minnesota education can prepare you for the NFL locker room AND a corporate board room. I would show a picture of Marion Barber on the football field, next to the Marriott CEO at a tropical resort, next to an astronaut with some text like "The sky is NOT the limit for a Minnesota grad."

For the twin cities ad, it seems that it would be off-putting to families from any rural area in Minnesota or the surrounding areas. Mom and dad are already worried about sending junior off to school, and now they have to worry about how he will fare in a huge metropolis versus a college town. Is he going to be safe? Will he get lost? Plus, the exterior of buildings is cold and impersonal. Why not take a photo of people on campus greeting each other with the Minneapolis skyline visible in the background across a bridge? "From our campus community to a global community, the University of Minnesota builds connections." Demonstrate that you have the best of both worlds - the amenities of a large city, but also the charms of a true community.

It has been pretty clear to me over the past few years that both the football and basketball staffs are trying to brand the U of M as the urban option. While most other big-time schools are in smaller college towns -- and there are benefits to that -- we're in a big city. And there are benefits to that.

This tweet focused on Fortune 500 companies, but others have talked about our lakes, parks, things to do, quality of life, etc. Let's not get too hung up on just one of the many benefits of urban living. And not as if they're ignoring football.

No school is going to be perfect for everybody. You have to brand yourself, differentiate yourself and target kids who like what you have to offer. I like it.

 

[dpodoll68]

Most don't...but they all should.

 

[50PoundHead]

Like Fabian's example, I think it means a lot to certain kids.

I also think the Twin Cities business presence meant more a generation or two ago, but with the changing nature of the national and international economies, opportunities are probably scattered more now. That doesn't mean that quality internships and connections made through those internships aren't there for a bunch of guys and that can certainly be a selling point.

Twin Cities have a wide range of opportunities--not just in business--for recruits. Large school systems, government (two large cities, two large counties, state government all located in metro area), heavy medical industry presence. All may appeal to incoming students.

 

[nc2mn]

Some of their parents will - and hopefully that will have some influence on the kids

 

[e.bigelow]

I'd guess most aren't thinking that far ahead. Maybe times have changed, but college for me was about the here and now, not the future and the real world. However, this is a nice chip to have. I just think this needs to be hammered home to Mom and Dad.

THIS.

That was certainly me when I went to college at the U.

 

[Monty519]

You sell what makes your school unique, and this is a big chip that makes us unique. It may not be a big draw for a high percentage of recruits, but it will for many (and in particular the families). This, along with the other sells on our urban attractions just paints the picture to recruits that we're not just a barren wasteland, which I'm guessing many think we are, especially in the south.

 

[Schnauzer]

There are differences with the U compared to most of the B1G and beyond. The Twin Cities do not feel anything like a college town. Overall that is a disadvantage as most kids probably do want to spend their college years in a college town with ivy on the exterior walls and bells ringing from bell towers. Just guessing but perhaps 7 out of 10 athletes have that ivy and bell towers in mind. However, the other 3 might be lured by the excitement of a bigger city, job prospects, internship possibilities, etc. etc. I get this campaign and it is one I have thought the U should pursue for a long time. Rather than compete with everyone for the type of kid you will be at a disadvantage to lure, compete with very few for the type of kid that will likely see you as #1. The U is fairly unique in its setting. Don't try to change that round hole to accomodate a square peg. Go out and blow away all the round pegs regarding what a good fit you will be for them. I like it.

No research involved here but say 9 out of every 10 D1 school are in a more traditional "college town" and 7 out of 10 recruits are looking for a college town. Why not set yourself up with an advantage and compete for those three recruits with one (or none) other school, and let 9 schools compete for the other 7 recruits. Simplistic argument on my part but overall I get the direction they are going and I agree with it.

 

[maroonedinCA]

There are differences with the U compared to most of the B1G and beyond. The Twin Cities do not feel anything like a college town. Overall that is a disadvantage as most kids probably do want to spend their college years in a college town with ivy on the exterior walls and bells ringing from bell towers. Just guessing but perhaps 7 out of 10 athletes have that ivy and bell towers in mind. However, the other 3 might be lured by the excitement of a bigger city, job prospects, internship possibilities, etc. etc. I get this campaign and it is one I have thought the U should pursue for a long time. Rather than compete with everyone for the type of kid you will be at a disadvantage to lure, compete with very few for the type of kid that will likely see you as #1. The U is fairly unique in its setting. Don't try to change that round hole to accomodate a square peg. Go out and blow away all the round pegs regarding what a good fit you will be for them. I like it.

No research involved here but say 9 out of every 10 D1 school are in a more traditional "college town" and 7 out of 10 recruits are looking for a college town. Why not set yourself up with an advantage and compete for those three recruits with one (or none) other school, and let 9 schools compete for the other 7 recruits. Simplistic argument on my part but overall I get the direction they are going and I agree with it.

Here's the problem, even when doing that it's not like we're competing against nobodies. Some schools, off the top of my head, that can say they're in a big metro area (some likely straddle the line between college town and big city) with job prospects and such:

-Austin, Texas (UT)
-Berkely, CA (UC) and Palo Alto, CA (Stanford) (pretty much San Francisco)
-Los Angeles, CA (USC/UCLA)
-Seattle, WA (UW)
-Chicago, IL (NU)
-Miami, FL (UM)
-Dallas (TCU)
-Atlanta, GA (GT, UGA-stretch)

Maybe I'm wrong but a few of those cities, especially to a 17/18 year old, likely have greater appeal and just as good of job prospects especially for those not 100% in-tune with what the Twin Cities actually offers.

 

[Schnauzer]

Here's the problem, even when doing that it's not like we're competing against nobodies. Some schools, off the top of my head, that can say they're in a big metro area (some likely straddle the line between college town and big city) with job prospects and such:

-Austin, Texas (UT)
-Berkely, CA (UC) and Palo Alto, CA (Stanford) (pretty much San Francisco)
-Los Angeles, CA (USC/UCLA)
-Seattle, WA (UW)
-Chicago, IL (NU)
-Miami, FL (UM)
-Dallas (TCU)
-Atlanta, GA (GT, UGA-stretch)

Maybe I'm wrong but a few of those cities, especially to a 17/18 year old, likely have greater appeal and just as good of job prospects especially for those not 100% in-tune with what the Twin Cities actually offers.

I don't recall saying the University of Minnesota is the only institution of higher learning located in a metro area. I also don't recall the Gophers going toe to toe OFTEN (please note the caps to help me avoid having to make another reply to acknowledge it has happened on occasion) with the schools you listed.

My point is I like the campaign, I like the attempt to separate the positive aspects of the U, and I think it makes sense to go after kids that might find a college life in an urban setting to be to their liking. Yay.

 

[maroonedinCA]

I don't recall saying the University of Minnesota is the only institution of higher learning located in a metro area. I also don't recall the Gophers going toe to toe OFTEN (please note the caps to help me avoid having to make another reply to acknowledge it has happened on occasion) with the schools you listed.

My point is I like the campaign, I like the attempt to separate the positive aspects of the U, and I think it makes sense to go after kids that might find a college life in an urban setting to be to their liking. Yay.

Wasn't trying to be fiesty and don't really appreciate the condescending tone. I just don't like our chances if we're going to pin our wagon to this horse as a main selling point when much larger, more distinguished programs can do the same. This doesn't even take into account that far less than 3 in 10 (albeit your admittedly arbitrary numbers) even make this a top 10 in their criteria of which football program to sign with.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

Student athletes, especially football players, aren't going to get many opportunities to take advantage of local businesses during their time in school - most programs don't encourage players to take jobs or summer internships. A high school student may not think they want to stay in Minnesota for life, especially when they are getting offers from other states.

When you're sitting in a recruit's living room with mom and dad, you can tailor your pitch to the individual and their needs. With a broad social media blast, you have to be all things to all recruits. Limiting a tweet to recruits who want a career in business AND want to work for a large corporation AND want to stay in Minneapolis is a bit short sighted.

A much better campaign would be to show how you can take a degree from the U of M and go anywhere to be successful, not just the twin cities area. Or, how a Minnesota education can prepare you for the NFL locker room AND a corporate board room. I would show a picture of Marion Barber on the football field, next to the Marriott CEO at a tropical resort, next to an astronaut with some text like "The sky is NOT the limit for a Minnesota grad."

For the twin cities ad, it seems that it would be off-putting to families from any rural area in Minnesota or the surrounding areas. Mom and dad are already worried about sending junior off to school, and now they have to worry about how he will fare in a huge metropolis versus a college town. Is he going to be safe? Will he get lost? Plus, the exterior of buildings is cold and impersonal. Why not take a photo of people on campus greeting each other with the Minneapolis skyline visible in the background across a bridge? "From our campus community to a global community, the University of Minnesota builds connections." Demonstrate that you have the best of both worlds - the amenities of a large city, but also the charms of a true community.

Agree to disagree. While the tweets aren't limted in scope, we know that our core audience for this is kids in IA, WI, ND & SD that don't have anything close to the Twin Cities in their home states. It might not matter to a kid from FL because they don't plan on staying after school, but a kid from Sioux Falls who is choosing between NE, MN & IA, this could be the deciding factor.

 

[Schnauzer]

Wasn't trying to be fiesty and don't really appreciate the condescending tone. I just don't like our chances if we're going to pin our wagon to this horse as a main selling point when much larger, more distinguished programs can do the same. This doesn't even take into account that far less than 3 in 10 (albeit your admittedly arbitrary numbers) even make this a top 10 in their criteria of which football program to sign with.

I like the U's chances pinning the wagon to this horse waaaaaaaay better than pinning it to a wagon that tries to make the campus sound like it is in Mankato, Northfield, Brainerd, etc. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Sorry about your hurt feelings too. I tend to get fiesty every time I hear Gopher "fans" go down that "poor us, we're not good enough" road. I'm just thankful there are positive people with positive ideas to be used in the efforts to attract recruits here to this GREAT city and University.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Obviously, this can't be our only pitch to the kids, but I do like it as a pitch to them. I think it is much better for us to brag about what is great about an urban campus than trying to apologize for not being in a small college town. For kids, the urban setting will either be a plus or a minus, if its a plus then sell it hard to that kid, if its a minus, don't try to convince them, just focus on a different good reason to come here (why they are a good fit for Kill's system, how we have a strong program in whatever field they want to attend, etc.).

 

[short ornery norwegian]

for the elite kid who expects to go pro, the business argument probably doesn't mean squat. But, for the 2nd-tier players who understand there's a life after football, the metro environment and the strong local business community may have some clout.

Also, for certain kids, the metro lifestyle - clubs, nightlife, etc - may have more of an appeal than the "college town" lifestyle.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

Actually, the U has made a video. It is on the Minnesota Gophers feed. It talks about the MSP business, sports, entertainment, the State Fair, parks and the MOA.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/R9Z9Y-kq-Rg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[fryguy22]

Here's the problem, even when doing that it's not like we're competing against nobodies. Some schools, off the top of my head, that can say they're in a big metro area (some likely straddle the line between college town and big city) with job prospects and such:

-Austin, Texas (UT)
-Berkely, CA (UC) and Palo Alto, CA (Stanford) (pretty much San Francisco)
-Los Angeles, CA (USC/UCLA)
-Seattle, WA (UW)
-Chicago, IL (NU)
-Miami, FL (UM)
-Dallas (TCU)
-Atlanta, GA (GT, UGA-stretch)

Maybe I'm wrong but a few of those cities, especially to a 17/18 year old, likely have greater appeal and just as good of job prospects especially for those not 100% in-tune with what the Twin Cities actually offers.

A lot of these actually aren't in urban areas though (if you're selling e.g. a skyline). Berkeley and Stanford are WAY different than being in SF, hell, Stanford's campus is called "the farm" by the Bay Area. TCU is in Fort Worth not like it's in downtown Dallas. GT is a stretch as you rightfully pointed out. NU is not close to downtown Chicago and it's not convenient to get downtown from there. Even a school like UT is in a college town - I know it's exploded and gotten huge recently, but the scene still feels more Madison than Minneapolis.

I actually think we are pretty differentiated with how "urban" our campus feels and agree we should try and sell that - lots of people don't like it, but lots do as well. I personally loved it from day one.

 

[bonin21]

The ones that do care would probably be the ones like me that wonder why Nash Finch is on the image since it's actually 18 in the 2014 500.

Also, the per capita link above is based on the 2013 list. I thought we had jumped to first, but I don't know where the data was pulled since there are blatant mistakes (19 vs 18).