National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC)
NSAC is a collegiate advertising competition that presents students with the opportunity to learn about the advertising campaign process by producing one for a real customer. The competition's client sends each team a brief outlining the campaign's goals and expectations. Each team acts as an agency, performing research on the client to learn about their problems and competitors, formulating a strategic marketing strategy based on their findings, and presenting their campaign to a panel of advertising professionals.
My Role: Copywrite Director
I was chosen to represent the Modern College of Design, along with 24 other individuals, to create a brand repositioning campaign for Tinder. As the copywrite director, I was responsible for leading, guiding, developing, and evaluating the written message for the entire campaign. I was in charge of verbalizing the visuals and message of the campaign. To ensure the messaging was on brand and tasks stayed on schedule, I collaborated closely with the creative director, art director, and marketing director. In addition to these duties, I was responsible for creating visual elements for the campaign presentation.
Executive Summary
Since 2012, Tinder has made meeting new people easier than ever before. Due to its rapid growth, users defined Tinder before the brand itself had a chance. This created a still unchanged perception that the app is primarily used for one-night stands. To improve Tinder’s brand image and create a connection with Gen Z, our team established a brand repositioning campaign. We measured success by monitoring brand perception, brand interactions, and the number of new registrations and reactivations within the target market.
We constructed a strong marketing strategy that includes two landing pages, a diverse palette of marketing channel strategies, and partnerships with influencers and well-known brands to empathize and connect with the market segment. Utilizing the engaging and free-spirited message, the “Fully Alive” campaign motivates young adults to live loudly, embracing life’s opportunities without fear or hesitation. This timeless campaign encourages users to continue their journey in reconnection and rediscovery of themselves and the brand. Gen Z will move past the bored and isolated stereotype to become the generation that redefines society’s perception of creating online connections.
Research
Secondary Research
In order to further understand the market landscape, our team conducted ample secondary research such as Tinder’s landscape, Gen Z marketing trends, potential competitors, the target market, and social and dating trends.
Primary Research
We conducted primary research fueled by our findings, which included conducting interviews, surveying existing Tinder users' ages 18–20, and conducting focus groups
Target Audience
Being born into the digital world and named the true digital natives, Gen Z has been able to access a vast amount of information from a variety of individuals across the globe. With a passion for social justice and the environment, Gen Z expects brands to consider their beliefs and is not afraid to expose brands' unethical business practices. We see a generation of people who are more liberal and individualistic, who value the members of a community, are respectful of gender identity, speak up for racial inequality, and are willing to have an open mind.
The Problem
Contrary to being a generation that values attachments and authenticity, Gen Z does not know how to actually live that way. They have been conditioned to be highly protective of themselves, fearing for the worst in every situation. Despite their unique upbringing, Gen Z is still encountering normal growing pains. Whether it is the initial taste of adulthood or watching their friends leave for college, Gen Z is being hit with the reality that change is a constant. As they navigate these changes and challenges, they are growing as individuals, finding their niche, and evolving through self-discovery.
Campaign Objectives
Build brand love by supporting Tinder’s overarching brand objective — “On Tinder, you jump into a dating world where anything is possible.” — specifically targeting 18–19 year-olds in the United States.
Attributable growth (new registrations and reactivations) from user intent to join Tinder for the first time.
Truly connecting with new experiences and interesting people is becoming increasingly difficult. New digital communication channels have created a space to meet new people while simultaneously creating a barrier for genuine human connection. Tinder is the space for this relationship revolution where authenticity, boldness, and self-expression make us Fully Alive. Fully Alive is encouraging Gen Z to embrace their authenticity and boldly break through the communication barrier to experience connection with their world, no strings attached.
Campaign Establishment
The Sound
Bold, but not offensive
Creative, but not childish
Adventurous, but not reckless
Open, but not intrusive
Inclusive, but not artificial
Confident, but not inconsiderate
The Feel
Lifestyle – Showing new adventures, food truck dates, and everything in between, we will represent happiness and excitement in everything we do.
Motion – We will convey emotion through movement with small animations, videos, blurry imagery, and fluid creative assets.
Collage Aesthetic – Showing the messy with the happy will help relieve some of the seriousness to this campaign and Polaroid frames relate back to living fully in the moment.
Campaign Elements
Tinder's Fully Alive campaign demonstrates how boldness and passion can result in joyful experiences. Tinder will develop genuine brand love by initiating and sharing tailored experiences with Gen Z, reinventing what Tinder is: a place to meet real strangers without the barriers produced by preconceptions. Sponsored experiences will generate lasting memories for everyone involved and have a good influence on a whole generation, while Tinder will be able to re-establish its brand through efficient social and digital media marketing. The Fully Alive campaign gives Gen Z the extra push they need to see the world and genuinely flourish. Young individuals will create relationships with peers who share their hobbies and, as a result, have better, more fulfilled lives by conquering their fear of rejection and swiping right.
My Learnings
Throughout the development of this campaign, I discovered the value of cooperation and the overall importance of each individual and task in every project, no matter how big or small. Each member of a team brings a unique skill set to the table, and everyone's abilities are required to generate the greatest results. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with such an intelligent and creative group of individuals.
