How Virginia Tech Utilized FEVO for Charitable Giving

The Problem

As athletic departments across the country try to increase their revenue goals by engaging their fan bases in innovative ways, Virginia Tech Athletics has been able to accomplish this through self-dubbed “micro-campaigns”. Typically, these campaigns offer small merchandise items to boost fan engagement and support its fundraising arm, The Hokie Club, with the funds benefiting various Virginia Tech sports. For their latest Football Mini Helmets campaign, the athletics department sought new ways to catch the lightning of a marquee moment by pairing a unique merchandise item with a fundraising add-on option, allowing fans to donate alongside their purchase. Virginia Tech needed an agile, multi-channel strategy that reached fans effectively without overwhelming them, and provided accurate tracking for performance measurement.

The Solution

Virginia Tech deployed a FEVO Offer with a comprehensive multi-channel approach, utilizing SMS, social media, email, their website, an in-stadium video board QR code, and their mobile app to promote the Football Mini Helmets micro-campaign. Established in 2021, Virginia Tech Athletics’ digital office enabled targeted, segmented outreach with tailored copy for different audiences, ensuring each message was fresh and relevant. The timing was critical, as the campaign launched right after the Hokies defeated Boston College in primetime on ESPN, commemorating Virginia Tech’s 30th anniversary of playing games on Thursday nights in Blacksburg, as well as the team wearing never-before worn helmets. Sales spiked immediately after the postgame announcement, playing off of the emotion of the moment. FEVO Enterprise enabled Virginia Tech to optimize the campaign efficiently by offering an all-in-one solution for customized offer pages, inventory management, and donation add-ons. With their activation of the FEVO QR code, fundraising add-ons, and precise tracking capabilities, Virginia Tech was able to track and attribute 99% of all purchases, which allowed them to build better audiences and refine their marketing approach for future campaigns.

The Results

• Sales: 976 orders totaling 1,179 helmets sold, resulting in $44,000 in revenue (excluding fees and costs).
• Donations: $1,351 raised through 81 gifts, with an average donation of $16. Virginia Tech plans to re-engage these fans in future campaigns to continue building support for their athletics programs.
• New Buyers: Successfully reached new audience segments and expanded the fan base, with plans to retarget, remarket and strengthen relationships with these new supporters.
• Attribution: FEVO’s tracking capabilities allowed Virginia Tech Athletics to attribute nearly all purchases to specific marketing sources, providing clear insight into each channel’s effectiveness.

“Partnering with FEVO for this campaign allowed us to enhance the experience for our fans in a seamless manner. We were able to combine merchandise sales with a noteworthy moment, creating a memorable experience for our fans. The ability to track and attribute each purchase to its source also gave us a precise understanding of where our marketing efforts made the most impact.”
-Lance Dozier, Associate Athletic Director of Revenue Strategy & Digital Innovation, Virginia Tech Athletics