CFP National Championship 2023: University of Georgia Digital Hypes Up Bulldogs Fans for Another Run at the Title

CFP National Championship 2023: University of Georgia Digital Hypes Up Bulldogs Fans for Another Run at the Title Increased fan interaction differentiates last year's content from this year's By Kristian Hern ndez, Senior Editor

Monday, January 9, 2023 - 12:32 pm

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Getting to the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship is a difficult task, but getting there twice in a row is harder. Like the team on the field, the football program's creative-services team is sticking with what works: a plan of attack on social media that maintains the core message from last year's title-winning squad but adds passion from the fans who believe the team can become the first back-to-back champions in the eight-year history of the CFP.

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The overall blueprint has stayed the same from last season to this season, says Chad Morehead, co-director, football creative, design, University of Georgia, but we have tried to be more interactive with our fans and other media outlets this season. Social-media platforms have also taken steps to be more collaborative across profiles, and we also try to keep our content fresh with a new look and feel.

The creative-services team poses with the CFP National Championship trophy in the locker room. Back row: (from left) Sam Schwartz, Alex Caputo, Gehrig Patterson, Jacob Smith, Adam Walters, Audrie Uphues, and Stephanie Lopez. Front row: (from left): James Solomon, Conor Dillon, Chandler Eldridge, Shweta Mistry, Connor Kuck, and Jackson Collier.

New Approach: Team Infuses Collaboration With Brand Identity The University of Georgia has two significant things in its favor: a large alumni base and a brand that resonates with college-football fans. Numerous graduates have gone on to make a name for themselves in the National Football League. Some of these active players are Los Angeles Rams quarterback and Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver and Super Bowl Champion Mecole Hardman, and Baltimore Ravens linebacker and 2022 NFL Pro Bowler Roquan Smith.

Leveraging talent like this as well as Instagram's collaboration feature, the program is extending its voice to followers of other highly followed accounts. For example, the university and the Atlanta Falcons teamed up for a post with linebacker Lorenzo Carter after the Bulldogs defeated No. 4 Ohio State in the 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Mercedes-Benz Stadium:

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A post shared by Atlanta Falcons (@atlantafalcons)

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As for brand recognition, the creative-services team is highlighting the hard-nosed style of play on the defensive side of the ball. Tapping into the legacy of the Savage Shoulder Pads, which a defensive player wears after causing a turnover, the artwork displayed on social media has embraced this specific piece of iconography. Last year, it was placed in front of the murals of Miami's Wynwood Walls. This year, the pads have made an appearance in front of the famed Hollywood Sign:

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A post shared by Georgia Football (@georgiafootball)

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Ready to Go: Pregame Trailers Create Buzz for Game Day Just like a prized boxing match or a movie premiere, the material surrounding the main event is half the excitement. Articles are written for in-depth analysis, but fans looking to get their blood pumping flock to the team's various social-media outlets. Throughout the season, the staff was committed to developing weekly pregame trailers that would encapsulate the thoughts and feelings of the fan. Each one- to three-minute trailer is specific to the opponent and narrated by a notable voice. The conference opener vs. South Carolina on Sept. 17 offered senior running back Kenny McIntosh, Week 4 vs. Kent State on Sept. 24 featured sophomore linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and the regular-season opener vs. Oregon on Sept. 3 feaured senior quarterback Stetson Bennett:

| Game One@StetsonIv | #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/rqelocVwpq

- Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 2, 2022

Not only are current players conveying the real-time aspirations of the program, but gargantuan network of alumni are lending their time to these projects: for example, CFP National Champion and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Travon Walker vs. then-No. 1 Tennessee on Nov. 5, NFL running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel for the SEC Championship vs. LSU on Dec. 3, and WWE Hall of Famer and former defensive tackle Bill Goldberg for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 31. On Sunday, Jan. 8, the team dropped its most recent trailer, with National Championship-winning head coach and former Athletic Director Vince Dooley - who died in October at the age of 90:

| Game Fifteen#GoDawgs | #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/OtFsWPQBMX

- Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) January 8, 2023

From April Fool to Highlighting the Atmosphere: Still Photos Capture Fans' Attention Aside from video, the program's digital presence includes high-quality photography and, sometimes, a little bit of hijinks. Much skill is required to create engaging content that is pleasing to the eye, but the most popular post of the year, receiving the highest amount of interaction, happened on April Fools' Day. Some teams accidentally break their respective trophies during victory celebrations, and capturing the attention of publications like Sports Illustrated, the Twitter account joked that the team had broken the CFP Nationa

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/01/09/cfp-national-championship-2023-...
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