Brief
The football club of Aoyama Gakuin University aimed to expand the number of assistants—an assistant’s job is to support the players in a variety of ways such as making drinks, applying the tape, organising practice, arranging game schedules, etc.
Details
• The number of applicants had reduced year after year, which could make team management tougher in the future.
• An assistant’s job was not widely understood in the first place and there was some misinformation about it as well.
• Thus, people were discouraged from participating or volunteering due to the misconception that assistants were only there to do petty tasks.
Intentions&Approaches
Intention-1
I believed it was critical to appropriately reveal and clarify the assistant’s role, which would have a great impact in increasing the number of applications.
I believed it was critical to appropriately reveal and clarify the assistant’s role, which would have a great impact in increasing the number of applications.
Approach-1
In order to do so, I first determined who my target audience was: Motivated freshmen who were eager to learn and improve by making a genuine commitment to anything for their college life.
In order to do so, I first determined who my target audience was: Motivated freshmen who were eager to learn and improve by making a genuine commitment to anything for their college life.
• Many first-year students lose sight of their ambitions shortly after entering the university because they are unsure of what they want to pursue. Their aspirations tend to be limited to attending a prestigious university.
Approach-2
Throughout the month, I conducted numerous interviews in order to fully understand how the assistants worked.
Throughout the month, I conducted numerous interviews in order to fully understand how the assistants worked.
• For example, I asked both current and OG assistants about the fulfilling part of their role.
• I also spoke with current players on the importance of assistants as well as the work they do.
Intention-2
In order to effectively attract the attention of the target audience, I thought it would be necessary to differentiate the application from the prior ones.
In order to effectively attract the attention of the target audience, I thought it would be necessary to differentiate the application from the prior ones.
Approach-1
Thus, I redesigned the original application, which had only a URL link, into an advertisement with a magazine-taste banner.
Thus, I redesigned the original application, which had only a URL link, into an advertisement with a magazine-taste banner.
Intention-3
I aimed for the new application to make it as simple as possible for people to apply quickly and easily than before.
I aimed for the new application to make it as simple as possible for people to apply quickly and easily than before.
• Before the start of the new semester, I advertised the new application on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram since these are the key sources of information for the target audience about their new life.
• I also recommended attaching the link to the application form in the post.
• Finally, I used the most popular hash-tag for university freshmen to ensure that the post appeared in the search results.
• Since the football club had over 100 players, I saw them as a great opportunity to advertise the new application by having them all use quote tweets with the same hash-tag.
Result
• In the end, the number of applicants more than doubled from the previous year.
• As a result, the hash-tag became a Twitter hot topic.
Creative Originality
• I included the QR code in the application banner so that applicants could complete the application process efficiently.
