CS

In Fall 2024, I took MEJO 379: Ad/PR Research. This course partners you with a small group and a client to conduct an extensive research project according to the client's needs. Over the course of a semester, my team and I worked with Eastern Carolina University Athletics to research the social media outreach of their mascot, PeeDee the Pirate.

Abstract

At the center of fan identity is the mascot. Featured in logos, social media posts, and team events, the mascot is the embodiment of character for each organization. Our study captures the relationship between mascots, social media, and fan attendance at events. Before conducting our research, we hypothesized that the use of college mascots in promotions on social media would lead to an increase in fan attendance at college sporting events. We analyzed how PeeDee the Pirate could effectively market himself and increase fan interaction online and at ECU sporting events. Our research was primarily guided by secondary research, individual observations, an in-depth interview, a focus group, and a quantitative survey. After analyzing and compiling all the data, we found that by adopting our discovered strategies, ECU can revitalize PeeDee’s brand, increase social media visibility, and drive greater fan attendance at sporting events, fostering stronger school spirit and loyalty