Arkansas state university bands social media
Social Media
Branding
THE ASK
As a shock to no one, we’re proud band dorks. Even though our advertising tenure is nearly a decade long, we’ve been radiating band kid energy for double that. When A-State Bands approached us to help develop brand standardization and manage the social media for the entire instrumental music department, we immediately said HOWL YES.
After meeting with the Director of Bands, Director of Athletic Bands, and other members of the music faculty, we established some goals for this arrangement.
Unified Look: Create a consistent online image for A-State Bands, similar to the university’s sports teams.
Spread the Word: Increase awareness of band events and activities through more frequent social media updates.
THE how
Building a Sub-Brand: We collaborated with the university’s marketing department to develop a unique social media identity for A-State Bands that aligns with the main university brand, but with a more bold, athletic vibe, similar to an ESPN magazine.
Who’s Our Audience? Analyzing social media data revealed a surprising fact: most interaction came from parents and alumni, not current band members themselves.
Engaging the Current Band: We adjusted our strategy to focus on getting current band members involved while still keeping parents and alumni engaged.
To do this, we focused our copy on targeting Gen Z through top-of-mind internet fads. For visuals, we tried to incorporate as many real-life photos of our students in action as possible. This double-dips into keeping parents happy so they can see their precious sweet babies who are still 6 in their minds and increases interaction with the current band members because, let’s be honest—if you see a picture of yourself on a post, you’re going to interact with it.
THE RESULTS
From the time we began working with A-State bands to date:
Facebook – Primarily Parents and Alumni
Reach: 901.5% increase
Interactions: 317.7% increase
Visits: 142.7% increase
Follows: 12.8% increase
Returning Viewers: 61% increase
Instagram – Primarily Students
Reach: 534.3% increase
Interactions: 100% increase
Visits: 266.3% increase
Posts Reach: 29.3%
My Role
Social Media Manager
Creative Director
Team Credits
Alex Borchardt | Copywriter
Accolades
A freshman flute player said it was a “slay.”
The Sound of the Natural State is gearing up to rock the stadium as A-State takes on Texas State at 2:00 pm tomorrow! Let’s make some noise and cheer our Red Wolves to victory! 
#WolvesUp
Join the Sound of the Natural State tomorrow for the first kick-off of the season at 6:00 p.m. as the Red Wolves take on Memphis!
Sound Alumni members! Have a favorite game day memory? Comment it below or share a photo!
Get ready to cheer the Red Wolves to victory this Saturday against Stony Brook! Join us for kick-off at 6:00 p.m., and stick around for halftime with hits from Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Johnny Cash.
, I said what I said
I’d rather be a Red Wolf instead
I let all that get to my head
I don’t care, I paint the town red
Join us tomorrow in Downtown Jonesboro for Paint the Town Red as we get hype to face off against Tulsa this Saturday!
Doja even wrote a song about it, so you know it’s going to be a good time.
Ready to back up our #RedWolves with some #PackPride?
Thursday, August 29th | Order of the Pack
Wednesday, September 4th | Back the Pack
Get ready to cheer the Red Wolves to victory this Saturday against Stony Brook! Join us for kick-off at 6:00 p.m., and stick around for halftime with hits from Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Johnny Cash.
We’re keeping it short and sweet.
Homecoming. Tomorrow. Howl. Yes. 
One word: HOMECOMING.
That’s it. That’s the tweet. #HowlYes
Save the date for our favorite time of the year! The Sound of the Natural State Band Camp will kick off on August 13th and conclude on the 18th. Check your emails for early move-in information. We cannot wait to see our new and returning Red Wolves! Wolves up! 
The Sound of the Natural State loves Band Day. You could say we love it 3000. 
We’re excited to present our halftime show this Saturday, Disney: Then and Now, with what we like to call The Avengers of Marching Band. Join us as a mass band of over 20+ area high schools and 500+ performers take the field for halftime!
Get your mouse ears ready and join us at Centennial Bank Stadium! Kickoff at 6 pm.
If a jaguar and a wolf got into a fight, who would win? Find out at Centennial Bank Stadium! Kickoff at 3:00.
The pack is pumped to perform at Order of the Pack! Join us tonight and bring your Red Wolf pride.
Comment your favorite Order of the Pack memory below! 
ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL BAND STUDENTS
You don’t have to be a current student at A-State to study with our incredible music faculty! In our All-Region Band Workshop, our entire applied instrument faculty will be on hand to offer masterclasses, tips, and tricks to help high school students from around the region to be successful in their upcoming auditions! See you tomorrow!
Join us tonight for our Trombone Studio Recital in the Fine Arts Recital Hall at 7:30 pm. Performers include Jacob Botwinick, Jack Ezell, Lari Norwood, Alex Pequignot, Gerson Rangel, Rike Robinson, Christian Sandoval, Kariann Sexton, Clint Steward, and Selah Winn.
What can you expect at tomorrow’s Symphonic Winds Concert? Check out this program!
Black Granite by James Hosay
Cajun Folk songs by Frank Ticheli
Midnight Sky by Brian Balmages
Incidental Suite by Claude T. Smith
Release the Hounds by Daniel Montoya Jr.
Let us know if we can expect you tomorrow at 7:30 in Riceland Hall here: https://buff.ly/3BIl0TE
Join us at Fowler Center on February 9th at 7:30PM for a recital series featuring many of A-State’s own phenomenal music faculty! The program will include performances from Matt Carey, Mary Medrick, Erin Cameron, Elissa Kana, Brian Graiser, and Alaina Graiser.
Valentine’s Day tip: Ask your sweetheart if they like jazz, take them on a date to the Fowler Center, and let them be serenaded by the A-State Jazz Bands tomorrow night at 7:30. Trust us, it works.
Join us at the Fowler Center on March 28th at 7:30 for a Contemporary Music Recital featuring many of A-State’s own incredible faculty including Marika Kyriakos, Ed Owen, Crystal Kachevas, Mi-Jin Kim, Stephanie Hoeckley, and Erin Cameron. This extraordinary line up will also feature works by visiting composer, Dr. Thomas McKenney Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri.
Performing halftime is only half the fun (see what we did there?) on game day. You know the Sound loves to SHOUT IT OUT in the stands. What other BOM BOM songs do you want to hear during game day? Sound off in the comments!
Looking forward to the rest of #Bandtober! If you see a music major this month – maybe offer them a hug. Or a nap. Or both.
What event are you looking forward to?
And that’s a wrap on the 2022 A-State Open! Congratulations to all the schools that participated, and especially to all the directors, staff, and students for performing their hearts out today! A special thank you as well to the entire Sound of the Natural State who helped make the event run smoothly for our schools, judges, and spectators! It certainly takes a village and there are so many others we need to thank!
See you next year!
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Due to continuous evaluation of the weather forecast, it is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of the much-anticipated 2023 A-State Open. We sincerely appreciate the support and understanding shown by A-State and the music educators in Northeast Arkansas in making this difficult decision. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to campus soon
T-MINUS ONE MONTH TILL BAND CAMP!!! We cannot wait to meet with our returning Red Wolves and new Red Wolves joining the pack. Wolves up!
What’s the first thing you’re going to do at band camp this year? Sound off in the comments!
The Young Musicians Workshop will be kicking off clinics for first year band students tomorrow! Sponsored by A-State Band faculty, Amro Music representatives, and area music educators, students will participate in workshops and clinics in the Fine Arts Center, Student Union, and Fowler Center. The day will end with a short recital to showcase talents. We hope to see your students there!
They’re a 10
For this post, we wanted to connect with a current TikTok trend to encourage current students to interact with our content.
___
They’re a 2, but they’re in the Sound of the Natural State. Going to be a 10 for us 
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The halftime performance of the Sound of the Natural State is a major facet of our marching band life. “Let’s Groove”, ”Rocketman”, ”The Star Wars theme”, and ”The Pretender” are just a few of our favorite performances so far!
Comment your favorite marching band performance below!
What is your favorite?
This mini-campaign was developed to encourage interaction with our alumni and current students.
Whether you were in Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, or Concert Band, there’s no doubt that you experienced the bonds of music-making with your fellow Red Wolves.
What was your favorite concert performance? Comment below!
We are incredibly proud to house three incredible Greek music organizations that uphold the highest standard of music making and band performance.
For decades, our Greek music organizations have been a foundational part of A-State Band’s community building, musical comradere, and dedication to service. Numerous bonds have been built within these groups that will last lifetimes.
What are your favorite Greek organization memories? Were you a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, Tau Beta Sigma, or Phi Mu Alpha? Comment below!
From the first steps on the field to learning the words of the fight song, the Sound of the Natural State band camp has created infinite memories for our band members past and present.
Have a favorite memory from band camp? Comment below and tag your friends!
From the first steps on the field to learning the words of the fight song, the Sound of the Natural State band camp has created infinite memories for our band members past and present.
Have a favorite memory from band camp? Comment below and tag your friends!
Faculty & Staff Spotlights
When I came on board, A-State Bands was undergoing a period of change, with many longtime faculty members retiring. This meant a new generation of talented instructors was joining the team. To help the public get acquainted with these new faces, we developed the “Faculty Spotlights” series.
We also recognized the dedication of the non-faculty staff who keep the “Sound of the Natural State” running smoothly. These individuals often work behind the scenes, so we created “Staff Spotlights” to introduce them to the students and showcase their importance. Now, students can put a face to the names they encounter at A-State Bands events.
Thankful for A-state Bands
We took a unique approach to our Faculty Spotlights during the Thanksgiving holiday. This campaign provided an opportunity for our new faculty members to express their gratitude for A-State Bands and share their passion for the program with the community.
Senior Spotlights
One of our key goals was to increase student involvement in social media content. To achieve this, we created the “Senior Spotlights” and “Section Leader Spotlights.” These features allow A-State Bands to:
- Highlight Top Performers: Recognize the band’s most talented and dedicated students.
- Boost Recruitment: Showcase positive student experiences to attract future band members.
- Positive Testimonials: Feature quotes from graduating seniors and section leaders about their time with A-State Bands, creating a compelling “catalog” of positive experiences.
By regularly featuring students, we’re not only engaging current band members but also using their positive experiences to attract new recruits.
Sophie Rogers was a GAME CHANGER to our university bands marketing and social media efforts. She and her team created engaging content that celebrated the stories of our community, and encouraged interaction with our social media audiences across multiple platforms. The attention she gave to the content for our capital giving campaign was especially effective in engaging the most amount of donors we’d seen in years! Sophie has become an irreplaceable part of our staff in our bands!
— Dr. Riley, A-State Director of Bands
Related Projects
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