We set out to strengthen AT&T’s position as a progressive, wireless-centric brand among the target market - college students - by developing a promotion that generated a high level of consumer participation while yielding meaningful engagements with the brand. By driving participation through AT&T technology we were able to change the traditional promotional model from a big media-spend driving entries to having the target audience promoting it among themselves. The result: The “World’s Loudest Pep Rally,” a national promotion that awarded one university with a free, live concert featuring the Dave Matthews Band.

On September 1 2007, AT&T kicked-off the college football season and the promotion. Over six weeks, students were directed to send a text message to a shortcode or visit the AT&T blue room website to send invitations to the band asking them to come to their campus. Invitations could include text messages, videos, emails, and photos. Promotional elements included a WAP portal; promotional website; National Cable; social networking sites; paid search across major engines; local radio in top markets; college newspaper; and outdoor in key markets; on-campus activation; PR; and band fan club email blasts.