When ESPN started in 1979, the concept of 24-hour television did not exist. Even networks like CNN or HBO failed to have round-the-clock programming, ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen explained on the company's website.
Since the television network first aired on September 7, it has grown to be a multifaceted sports station with many affiliate networks. For the first time, ESPN will be launching a network that won't start with its iconic name, but will give credence to the Southeastern Conference (SEC), one of more visible collegiate sports divisions in the United States.
The SEC Network won't air until August 14, just in time for the football season, but the two entities plans on creating a buzz as soon as they can. Along with the tag line "Take It All In," sports fans all over the country should expect to see an array of vinyl banners and other print displays highlighting the culture of all 14 member colleges and universities, according to the Courier-Journal.
Additional marketing tools include a commercial for every school, as well as a hashtag to help fans, students and everyone in between keep the hype for the SEC Network's launch alive.
ESPN unveiled "Take It All In" earlier this week, explaining that the upcoming campaign "showcases the larger-than-life displays of passion unique to SEC fans," Worldwide Leader noted. Preparing for this multifaceted marketing strategy required many months of filming and preparation.
The Columbia Daily Tribune noted that ESPN came to work on the University of Missouri's version of "Take It All In" during an October football game. What was intended to be a combination of planned and spontaneous scenes, turned out to be a much simpler project because of the college's fan base.
"We were really impressed, but at the same time we didn't really expect anything else based on everything we'd heard from talking with the school and various alumni, students and so forth," ESPN senior director of marketing Michelle Berry told the news source. "The passion is just really, really high there."
Despite the harsh cold, the ESPN team was able to get all the shots they needed in two and a half days worth of production. Take into account that ESPN and the SEC had to do this for 13 other institutions, and creating such a marketing campaign was no easy feat.
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