IU uses YouTube to promote campus life

YouTube popularized animations, such as “Charlie the Unicorn,” and gave “Muffins” a whole new flavor. But the University Office of Creative Services thinks it can be used persuade high school students \nto attend IU.\nIU recently released five videos titled “Hello, My Name Is Indiana University” on YouTube featuring interesting IU students. With this action, IU hopes to put a face on the University. It isn’t intended to replace current marketing strategies, but to show a more personal side of the University.\nThe videos all have three parts and use “Hello, My Name Is” stickers with the name of the student. By the end of the video, the student’s name is replaced with “Indiana University” so the sticker reads, “Hello, my name is Indiana University.” \nWhile not as popular as the “Shoes” YouTube video, the videos have already received hundreds of hits.\nThe students they feature are diverse and include a Little 500 cyclist, a lead singer of a local band and a student who started his own \nt-shirt business.\nThe students in the videos said their appreciation for what IU offers them played a large role in why they decided to \nbecome involved. \n“Actually when I (was featured in the video), I didn’t even really know that it was going to high school students,” said senior Brian Watts. “I just did it because I really like the University. I think anybody that comes here can have an awesome experience.”\nSenior Jessica Franco said the local music scene played a role in why she transferred to IU \nas a sophomore.\nFranco’s video shows her playing a set at local music hot spot Rhino’s.\nFor senior Amish Tolia, who was also featured in the video, IU is an opportunity, with different options to be created. \n“The beauty of (IU) is you can make it what you want,” \nTolia said. \nTolia said he thinks the videos make it clear that IU can be what students want, and YouTube will be an effective vehicle for getting that point across to high \nschool students.\n“In this day and age it’s obvious – the Internet is the main way to transfer information,” he said.\nIn the end, IU’s mission for the YouTube videos remain the same: offering prospective students a glimpse of the campus before college visits. \nFreshman Stacy Davidson said it might be harder to disperse the YouTube videos than IU anticipates.\n“You just have to promote (prospective students) to get on YouTube,” she said.\nLooking back, freshman Brandon Russell said that as a high school senior the YouTube videos may have \nswayed his opinion. \n“I think (YouTube will be effective) because everyone uses the internet,” Russell said. “By using a wide variety of backgrounds, it’s not biased toward one idea of what IU is.”