It's time to prepare the Red Rover booth again for the upcoming Center for the First Year Conference, and we'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Last year your insights were a huge help. We still have fun rereading your comments.

What we're including here is not at all the final product, so please pardon the sloppy appearance. Our designer will figure out things like fonts and graphics. What we need your help with is the messaging. To leave your response just hit Edit This Page and jump right in. Thanks very, very much, and be sure to let us know if you'll be at this year's conference so we could give you a hug and invite you to lunch.

BOOTH MOCKUP

1) Is the central slogan catchy? What does it make you think? Would you want to know more?

I think it's catchy, but not immediately explanative. Maybe have a subline of "teach students to be public." I'm assuming that your audience is going to be more on the FYE educator's side. -Maya

Because Google is the new background check... I just wonder if something along that line might drive home the point better. - Shauna

Is it GOOGLE or social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace that are the new resume'? - JL

On-line Offense (play on words: offensive or being proactive...on offense) Subline...(I like Maya's...only revised) "Teaching students to responsibly be public" - Brian

I prefer agree i think it would be more on point to say "SOCIAL NETWORKING...the new Resume!" bigger bolder - Michael

I kind of like "Make Public Powerful," but it may be a little too obscure. Instead of drawing people in, it might just confuse them. When I'm confused, I walk away (sometimes). "Because Google is the New Resume" seems like it's describing your "Secrets Behind FB & MyS" lecture rather than Red Rover. Unless this is for both of them. What about something like "Own the Internet" sub: "Make the net work for you." Just brainstorming here. - Chuck

The color scheme certainly makes it stand out. I like the choice of 3 basic colors, as I know that it would draw my eye. I don't understand the headline and I don't think that I would understand what you were trying to draw me into? From what I know of Red Rover, it does give me information about the product. Also, because there is much debate about how student are only using Google as information sources, and not discriminiating whether or not their source is reliable, I might think about that in the planning of the slogan/tagline. -Becky

I think "Red Rover" should go across the front, with your by-line underneath! In the school yard activity, the name suggests that people "come over" and check out your booth. As well, I agree with Michael's comments. - Earl

2) Are the white keywords in the center banner interesting? What words would you remove and/or add?

Orientation before orientation- Clear. E-Portfolios- Could be a tiny bit more active, like "Developing E-Portfolios." FB Integration- Could also be a little more clear if you said what you're integrating it into. Community Building- A+. That said, there could also be merit to the simplicity of having fewer words and inciting a few questions about them. -Maya

Orientation before orientation- I might try to shorten it by simply saying pre-orientation. Though, I must say I don't have a big problem with it (it just seems kind of repetitive). I agree with Maya that you may want to throw in an action verb with the e-portfolios.. something along the lines of developing or generating might work. As far as facebook integration you may be able to simply say utilizing facebook and that would be all encompassing as well. Just a few ideas ; ) - Shauna

Interesting? Probably so. Attracting traffic to the booth? not sure. -JL

I would add those words to the banner on the right, have the top banner just have the slgoan with SwiftKick behind it as a watermark (branding !!!) add the terms, words tot he right hand side. They are clear enough and will grab peoples interest. - Michael

It depends on what your final headline is. How about "Self-Driven Orientation" or maybe "Inconspicuous Orientation"? Too odd? The idea being the students are getting orientated without even realizing it. Or maybe "Organic Orientation." I like "Share E-Portfolios" and "Facebook Integration" (you misspelled "Integration"). How about "Build Your Community." - Chuck

I agree with Michael (who wrote above Chuck) -- I might have the panel that is currently on the left moved to the top center. It is important to start generating brand recognition to take off.
I do think the white keywords on the current center banner are self-explanatory -- they are absolutely buzz words right now in higher ed. "Facebook Integration" might be the only one that I would continue to think on -- what does that really mean? What about "Connecting with Facebook"? I still don't know that my suggestion gets to the root of what you want...but maybe it can start some brainstorms? - Becky

Just that you misspelled "integration." - Earl

3) Is the banner on the right hand side interesting? Knowing what you know about Red Rover, is there another bullet point that you think would do a better job of being catchy and interesting?

Since "build community on campus" can be easily put into the Helping FYS section, why not make it more about the educator's role in building community.
Some ideas that come to mind for FYS: Find Your People, Fuse who you are when you're alone and who you are when you're in public, Transparency -Maya


Prepare students to be public...?
Foster community on campus...?Help students...
Initiate Networking...?
Develop and share e-portfolios...? - Shauna

Helping FYE Educators = maybe "HELPING YOU!" HELPING YOUR STUDENTS! Makes it personal to me. What can you do for me and my students? - JL Helping First Year Students Build Their Future, Prepare Their Way, Get Connected, something catchy.

Maybe add something like: "Increase campus engagement" or "Strengthen group recruitment"? - JS

Graphically, I would use bullets for the black lines under each red line. With no punctuation, I thought the first line bled into the second line until I got to the capital B. Then I realized I read it w/ the wrong inflection. (Seriously, you asked for my opinion). Also, I think "Teach students to be public" is too in-the-know jargon-wise. If you're trying to attract educators who may not be up to speed, I'd try to simplify a bit. I do like JL's suggestions regarding FYS. - Chuck

Using RedRover's tools is helping to teach to the way that students learn and are engaging themselves in the world outside of the classroom -- additional suggestions to what is above:
- Teaching Today's Student -- Technology for Community Building and Conversation.
There's a commercial on TV right now for a for-profit university that talks about teaching to the way that students are learning now and that learning is through the connections that technology fosters.
I hope this is somewhat helpful. - Becky

I like JL's comments; however, I did not get FYE at first. You might want to play with that. Everything else worked for me. Earl