This past week University of Wyoming alumni have traveled back to visit the campus they once called home. Students have had the opportunity to show support for the university through sporting events, performances and even a car push at War Memorial Stadium.
This year the theme for homecoming has been designated as “The World Needs More Cowboys” the same phrase the university has been pushing as one of their largest ad campaigns in recent years. In the past homecoming themes have included a 1950’s theme, the golden anniversary of the university and last year’s theme of “Wyoming Spirit, Wild as the West”.
Earlier this year in the primary phases of launching and developing “The World Needs More Cowboys” it had already been decided that this advertising campaign to raise the profile of the University of Wyoming would also serve as the homecoming theme for this fall. In recent years the themes have seemed to focus on something that alumni and students connect to.
Over the last few months people have referred to the main campaign tagline as the university’s new slogan. Earlier this year Chad Baldwin, a member of the Institutional Marketing and Communications unit clarified that this was not intended to be a slogan and would have a life of three to five years as a way to increase enrollment at the university.
After spending nearly 1.5 million dollars on creating and implementing the campaign it seems to me that they’re monopolizing events that aren’t even involved in the main goals of the campaign to increase the school profile and enrollment numbers.
Students have commented that most homecoming themes do seem to be centered around marketing the university. For them it can make it difficult to stay on theme when it comes to preparing for the Homecoming parade or other activities designed to reflect the theme.
Some might say that Homecoming is a high profile event that needs to include the new “slogan”. Homecoming has always been about taking pride in the school and the community but at what point does the display of UW pride become free advertisement? Maybe it’s always been about hyping up the school to potential students. Maybe it’s always been about advertising the school but has become more blatant this fall with an ad campaign splashed across everything from busses to t-shirts to our Homecoming celebration.
I don’t disagree with Homecoming promoting the incredible aspects of our supportive community, students and faculty. I’m proud to be a member of the UW community. But I’m already here; I’m already a cowboy. From past Homecoming celebrations we know “Once a Cowboy, Always a Cowboy” so how can we be the “More Cowboys” the world supposedly needs? I don’t think the way to do that is by centering Homecoming on something that is confused as a slogan and a clearly an ad campaign.
