Laker Effect felt all over in any season

Grand Valley launched a new branding campaign in February and university leaders hope prospective students, supporters and others will experience the "Laker Effect."

Billboards, print, Web and broadcast advertisements and other materials feature images ranging from students against a background of precipitating university logos to weather map-like satellite images showing Grand Valley’s effect on the region. Rhonda Lubberts, associate vice president for Institutional Marketing, said the umbrella campaign is a clever play on the meteorological term, "lake effect."

"Like the lake effect, the Grand Valley community has a broad, profound impact on life in West Michigan, the state and beyond," Lubberts said. "Lakers are driven by a passion for learning and they use that knowledge, spreading their time, talents and expertise, to make positive contributions across Michigan and elsewhere."

The research-based campaign used quantitative data that revealed people’s perceptions of Grand Valley. Initial ad concepts were then tested with various audiences that Grand Valley wants to reach.

More on what effect Lakers are having can be found online at www.gvsu.edu/lakereffect. Follow and participate in the campaign on social media using #GVLakerEffect.

There will be a video booth set up during the week of the campaign kickoff. Students will be asked to describe their Laker Effect and the effect Grand Valley has on them. The interviews will be compiled into a series of videos that will be shared on social media. Dates for the video booth are below.

• February 8, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Kirkhof Center lobby

• February 9, 4-6 p.m., Seidman Center lobby

Join the conversation with #GVLakerEffect.