The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Is this seriously the best motto ODU can come up with? In all honestly, I'm a bit embarrassed when I see it on national television. It sounds weird and barely makes any grammatical sense. If we're gonna have a bad motto, can we at least go with "A Fusion of Ideas" or "Fusing Ideas."

Also, we need to put out better commercials. Our last one was a corny song and this "Idea Fusion" one isn't much better. ODU needs to stop hiring artsy VCU grads to make their commercials and needs to get themselves actual professionals. Instead of "Idea Fusion," make a poignant commercial about all the research ODU does, or the great STEM programs we have.

Sorry, just had to vent.

I agree, the commercial is horrid, and it's been the same for 2-3 years at least. The effects are straight from the 90s, and who do they expect to recruit from that ad? Faculty? What students care about how much of an impact we've had to the state economy? I mean yes, having an economic impact is good, but we've got SO MUCH MORE TO OFFER. Our STEM programs as you mentioned are one of the top in the state! We've got a beautiful campus and are investing in it every year. We're now investing a ton more into liberal arts, with the new Deihn addition and the New Arts Building with amphitheater to be located on Monarch Way. We have had astounding success in athletics. Top notch nursing and child-care programs. We have one of the most diverse campuses IN THE STATE and the caliber of high school students we accept is getting greater and greater every year. AND THE BEST THING WE CAN COME UP WITH IS SOME TEXT ON A SCREEN TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC IMPACT???

It is absolutely mind-boggling why we're still using this ad.

Seriously, it ain't that hard. Even a video with people wearing crowns doing cool stuff on campus/around Virginia and at the end saying "Be the Monarch of your life, come to Old Dominion University" would be better.

EDIT: Sorry for the rant, I've been wanting them to change this ad for a while.

which is worse? "Idea Fusion" or "Make it Real"

(12-22-2012 11:34 PM)devyanks90 Wrote:  which is worse? "Idea Fusion" or "Make it Real"

Make it real, it sounds like something a check cashing place would use. Despite my avatar*, idea fusion is not much better. The one they continually ran today, when compared to the fireside chat of Richmond and the hoops recruiting commercial for VCU, looks like an ad for a local public access show. At the very least, can we get a commercial shot in HD?

*I just like the the crown logo and don't feel like cropping it and uploading it

Also, in the ad with the two bio-tech researchers w/ the same last name, why is the guy refusing to acknowledge that he is on camera? He just continues to look awkwardly at his wife.

For years, I've felt ODU has done a pretty poor job in the very basic levels of marketing. Especially when it comes to websites, advertisements, and publications. These are the basics, is what most people will see. Part of me feel like we're still like the best kept secret in Virginia.

Yes, the non-HD ads are horrible, and make the school look out of date, which is the complete opposite of the message they're trying to get across.

I have no issue with "Idea Fusion" but I do have issue that there is not a FOCUSED and a centralized marketing strategy from the University that presents a concise, interesting, and informative message about the University.

The way we market and represent ourselves as a University has a GREAT deal with how we will be perceived in the public and greatly influence the public perception of the school, just from the sheer quality of the advertisements/promotions not just to students but perspective employers.

We have a beautiful campus, some of the best programs in the state, and yet very little out there to let people know what's going on at ODU in a way that shows the university in the highest light.

Higher a freaking marketing firm, and get some real results.

(12-22-2012 11:34 PM)devyanks90 Wrote:  which is worse? "Idea Fusion" or "Make it Real"

'Make it Real' is awful. And I'm not saying it just because it's VCU, but it's really just awful. It makes me thing University of Phoenix or any of those other For Profit institutions.

This is what a college website should look like:
http://www.uchicago.edu/

Simple, clean, modern, interesting.

This is what a television advertisement should look like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guj0Ddp4bEA

Michigan doesn't even need advertisements, but they still do a good job at it.

I expect much better from ODU, and would expect them to outsource this work to someone that can do it properly.

I like the website redesign. Much better than the blue on stark white approach that we had previously. Organization needs to be changed a bit but the aesthetic is nice.

The crazy thing about the bad ads is that they don't have to look far to see a school and ad agency doing it right. Tidewater Community College and DIA have combined together to win “The Best Television Commercial” for community colleges three times.

DIA helped Norfolk International Airport win the same award for North American airports, their second in five years.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's thought this. But at least we're not the only ones I guess. Most of them I've seen are really bad.

(12-23-2012 01:16 AM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  Also, in the ad with the two bio-tech researchers w/ the same last name, why is the guy refusing to acknowledge that he is on camera? He just continues to look awkwardly at his wife.

ha. I used to work with Dr. Heller(s). I remember they filmed that Idea Fusion commercial around fall/summer of 2009. I'm always confused why those people wanted him to look at her for the whole time or why they didn't film all the actual cool stuff we were doing there!