The process
The campaign started with a pressing question: How do we leverage this national platform to elevate CSU? With the spotlight on us in the lead-up to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, we knew we couldn’t let the opportunity slip through our hands.
From there, the questions multiplied: How do we get Snoop Dogg’s attention? What’s the best way to showcase everything CSU has to offer? And, unexpectedly, What do we do with this Snoop on the Stoop doll?
That last question quickly became a key part of the answer.
Snoop on the Stoop is a cheeky holiday figurine modeled after Snoop Dogg, and while it had no prior connection to CSU, we saw its potential. By giving Snoop a green CSU shirt and a custom Ram logo chain, we transformed him into an honorary mascot and a playful symbol of the campaign.
From there, the ideas started flowing. What if Snoop toured campus, highlighting all eight colleges, athletics, and even admissions? What if we turned his adventures into a storyline that unfolded day by day? And what if we could balance humor and strategy to keep everyone, from football fans to the broader CSU community, engaged?
The storyline took shape: President Parsons “found” Snoop in her office and brought him to commencement.
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Then Snoop explored campus, visiting with every college, hanging out with both CAMs, going on an admissions tour, attending classes, witnessing laser experiments, visiting agricultural research facilities, getting shot out of an air cannon and flying on a football, and even baking cookies. The campaign wrapped up with President Parsons and Dr. Rickey Frierson saving Snoop from Oomi, the Warner College of Natural Resources’ musk ox, just in time to ensure he made it to Tucson for the big game.
Through creativity and humorous storytelling, Snoop on the Stoop x CSU delivered on its promise to spotlight the university in an engaging and unforgettable way.
Strategy
At its heart, this campaign was about one thing: elevating CSU. With the national spotlight on us, we had a unique opportunity to showcase everything that makes CSU exceptional—our people, our programs, and our culture.
The campaign centered on a few key pillars:
- Maximizing Visibility: Instagram Reels and collaborations were the primary tools, knowing that’s where we see the highest engagement. Each video was paired with a descriptive graphic and archived in a Story Highlight on President Parsons’ Instagram, creating a cohesive, evergreen story of Snoop’s journey.
- Representation: The goal was to showcase as much of campus as possible in a short period of time and we succeeded in highlighting every college and many aspects of the CSU community. And we made sure to feature as many students, faculty, and staff as we could along the way.
- Energy and Humor: These were the bedrock of the campaign. From Snoop’s mischievous adventures to the clever storytelling, we leaned into the playful energy that defines CSU’s social channels.
Efficiency was also key. With such a short timeline, we had to move fast, stay focused, and rely on teamwork to make it all happen.
Teamwork
This campaign wouldn’t have been possible without true collaboration across campus.
The initial idea had to be pitched to leadership, including President Parsons, the VP of Marketing and Communications, and other key stakeholders. Without time to create polished decks or lengthy proposals, we presented the idea in its rawest form – a brief Teams conversation explaining the concept. The response? A resounding yes, with full support to make it happen.
From there, the teamwork only grew. The Social and Digital Media team rallied to bring the vision to life: filming on location, editing videos, taking photos, and writing copy. Student interns jumped in to handle graphic design. Emails flew across campus with wild requests, from coordinating access to unique locations to seeking input on the creative ideas we were cooking up. Faculty, staff, and students didn’t just say yes…they brought energy, creativity, and enthusiasm to every request. From organizing access to spaces like the laser lab and agricultural research facilities, to helping us bake cookies in our test kitchens, to taking Snoop to a basketball game, to babysitting him before football practice, the CSU community came together to make this campaign happen. Their willingness to adapt, collaborate, and support this vision was the backbone of its success.
Even President Parsons played a pivotal role, stepping into the spotlight for key moments and trusting the team to execute a campaign unlike anything CSU had done before. It was a true collective effort, and it showed.
Taking calculated risks
This campaign allowed us to push boundaries we don’t normally have a chance to push with our everyday CSU content.
When introducing the Snoop on the Stoop doll itself, an external product with no prior connection to CSU, we took a chance on our audience understanding why this doll was showing up in our content. But by customizing it with CSU gear, we made Snoop on the Stoop our own while maintaining the humor and novelty that make the doll so engaging.
However, the biggest risk we took was having Snoop on the Stoop visit our College of Agricultural Sciences’ Weed Research Lab. By making the joke, “Snoop, that’s not what you think it means!” we were not only able to share the critical research happening at the lab on agricultural weeds (such as invasive plants) but also simultaneously take advantage of Snoop’s iconic pop culture identity that CSU wouldn’t traditionally post about. We carefully crafted the content, incorporating humor while ensuring it was clear that the lab’s work is rooted in valuable research. Then, we shared the video widely internally for gut checks and finally strategically placed the video near the end of the campaign, allowing us to test the waters without overshadowing the broader campaign.
The result? The content was well-received, sparking many, many laughs while shining a light on important research happening at CSU.
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The positive response: Metrics, sentiment, and community impact
The response to the Snoop x CSU campaign was overwhelmingly positive, both online and in person. From a metrics standpoint alone, it was a home run. In less than 20 days, the campaign generated 433,000 impressions and over 43,000 engagements across CSU, Athletics and President Parsons’ channels, which is incredible for such a short timeframe, especially during a traditionally quieter month.
But the real success went beyond the numbers. Comments on the posts reflected an evolving but positive sentiment. At first, people weren’t quite sure what to make of Snoop on the Stoop, but they loved it. As the campaign unfolded, they began recognizing familiar faces, from staff and faculty to students, and started connecting with the storyline.
The in-person response was equally exciting. During the Arizona Bowl, countless people approached President Parsons to praise the campaign’s creativity and share how much they enjoyed following along. It gave people something to talk about, not just football, but a unifying story that brought the CSU community together.
Even media outlets latched onto the concept, featuring Snoop on the Stoop in news studios in Denver and Tucson. And while Snoop Dogg himself didn’t share our content, the Arizona Bowl did. More importantly, the campaign seemed to set the stage for the genuine and authentic moments when Snoop Dogg interacted in person with the CSU Football Team, Coach Norvell and President Parsons—proof that this campaign’s energy carried all the way through.
Lessons learned
Every campaign teaches you something, and Snoop x CSU was no exception. Some lessons were affirming: we learned the power of solving creative puzzles under pressure, the importance of strategy when the spotlight is on, and how teamwork and taking calculated risks can elevate an entire institution.
But there were challenges, too. Moving so fast meant some conversations didn’t happen, and second opinions weren’t always sought. With 68 posts in under 20 days, the sheer frequency was a lot (perhaps too much) and not everyone resonated with the campaign’s focus on athletics and Snoop Dogg.
These lessons will shape how we approach future opportunities, ensuring that we continue to balance creativity, strategy, and community connection.
Final thoughts
The Snoop x CSU campaign wasn’t just about a doll or a football game—it was about celebrating everything that makes CSU extraordinary. By leaning into strategy, creativity, and teamwork, we turned a fleeting opportunity into a moment of pride and connection for the entire Ram family. Go Rams!