Higher Education
When I was in high school and had a network television provider, commercials for Full Sail University were frequent on many of the teen/young adult channels I viewed. It seemed as though you couldn't go through an hour section on "Adult Swim" without a Full Sail commercial being thrown at you. These commercials were incredibly promising - offering the idea that by attending Full Sail University, you would be able to achieve a career in the multitude of digital arts and music industries.
Now, its 2019 and I've been out of college for almost four years now. I pay for YouTube premium and Netflix, so my commercial viewership is zilch. So when it comes to Full Sail, I haven't heard about the university in years. Now is better than ever to dive online and view Full Sail from the lens of a media analyst, aka a student of "The Great One".
They relocated to Winter Park, Florida in 1989, where they have remained since. Full Sail University has many accomplishments, including The Hollywood Reporter labeling the school in its "Top 25 Music Schools" for the years of 2014, 2015, and 2016. More accomplishments can be found on the "about" page.
This is the most recent advertisement from Full Sail University's YouTube channel, which was posted on May 25, 2018. While the University is lacking in conventional advertisements on the site, they make up for this with a multitude of videos on their "Hall of Fame" series. These videos fall into 2 different categories: Highlights and Q&A Conventions. The highlight videos are small sections where the notable alumni speak about how Full Sail University helped them reach their potential. The Q&A videos are just edited streams where the notable alumni answer questions for the students or speak about the industries that they are in.
These videos are interesting but they don't really sell the idea of enrolling in the university. The content appears to appeal to those either already enrolled in the university or those who have graduated from Full Sail. One interesting video that caught my attention was from Henry Boat that spoke about the issues of the university. In it, he explained that Full Sail University isn't a ticket straight into a career, but rather the opportunity to network with other individuals and notable figures in the chance that you may get the opportunity to work for a good company. While I would not consider this as an issue, it would be a great advertisement for Full Sail University to push these networking opportunities and not the idea of an instant career upon graduation.
Full Sail University remains active on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, with daily posts. If you look at all three sites, you will find that their posts are virtually the same:
I personally believe this comes down to a lack of effort. The YouTube channel is full of content, yet none of this is shared on the social media posts. There is decent content on these posts yet they aren't interactive and they do not offer more routes to the Full Sail website.
This is an incredibly interesting post, yet it doesn't offer any more content to go with it. There is no video or demonstration showing what the students built, only a grainy photo of a student wearing what appears to be an HTC Vive headset, a rudimentary control board, and a large screen with a projected image on it. Any further information would only benefit this post and could increase their social media influence. Yet, they don't make the effort. Now, I have to question the photo and wonder why there is a screen in front of the student if she's wearing a VR headset or why is it that only part of the build is shown?
Now, its 2019 and I've been out of college for almost four years now. I pay for YouTube premium and Netflix, so my commercial viewership is zilch. So when it comes to Full Sail, I haven't heard about the university in years. Now is better than ever to dive online and view Full Sail from the lens of a media analyst, aka a student of "The Great One".
What is Full Sail University?
Full Sail University offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees designed for entertainment, media, arts, and technology. Full Sail University began in 1979 in Dayton, Ohio as an audio recording workshop.
"It provided unparalleled opportunity for students to become familiar with the industry through real-world experience in professional studio environments"
They relocated to Winter Park, Florida in 1989, where they have remained since. Full Sail University has many accomplishments, including The Hollywood Reporter labeling the school in its "Top 25 Music Schools" for the years of 2014, 2015, and 2016. More accomplishments can be found on the "about" page.
Commercials and Advertising: YouTube
This is the most recent advertisement from Full Sail University's YouTube channel, which was posted on May 25, 2018. While the University is lacking in conventional advertisements on the site, they make up for this with a multitude of videos on their "Hall of Fame" series. These videos fall into 2 different categories: Highlights and Q&A Conventions. The highlight videos are small sections where the notable alumni speak about how Full Sail University helped them reach their potential. The Q&A videos are just edited streams where the notable alumni answer questions for the students or speak about the industries that they are in.
These videos are interesting but they don't really sell the idea of enrolling in the university. The content appears to appeal to those either already enrolled in the university or those who have graduated from Full Sail. One interesting video that caught my attention was from Henry Boat that spoke about the issues of the university. In it, he explained that Full Sail University isn't a ticket straight into a career, but rather the opportunity to network with other individuals and notable figures in the chance that you may get the opportunity to work for a good company. While I would not consider this as an issue, it would be a great advertisement for Full Sail University to push these networking opportunities and not the idea of an instant career upon graduation.
Social Media Outreach
Full Sail University remains active on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, with daily posts. If you look at all three sites, you will find that their posts are virtually the same:
This tweet serves as a good example. This post is simply copied and then pasted on the other social media sites - an exact copy including the emojis. While some see this as simply ensuring that the information is posted correctly to each site, I find that in its convenience it lacks personality - something that I expect a college based in digital arts would be capable of providing. Even the content shared through the Tweet above doesn't represent state of the art design and video game innovation: it looks more like a Chinese made mobile game meant for microtransactions. Full Sail's posts don't receive much attention either, with some posts breaking 200 reactions and others falling short. It is almost comparable to Southern Arkansas University, a Division 2 college in Magnolia, AR. Why can't Full Sail University make a larger social media impact than SAU, a small university in a small town?This awesome student-made game takes you on an adventure through vast dungeons fighting off hordes of enemies to find the ultimate prize, the Cup of Life. 🎮☠️😁🙌https://t.co/72wqqfZYFO pic.twitter.com/SZnwESVaAR— Full Sail University (@FullSail) November 11, 2019
I personally believe this comes down to a lack of effort. The YouTube channel is full of content, yet none of this is shared on the social media posts. There is decent content on these posts yet they aren't interactive and they do not offer more routes to the Full Sail website.
Two #FullSail students thought it would be cool to fly a #MillenniumFalcon simulator – so they built one. What’s your favorite #StarWars movie? #FullSailBTS pic.twitter.com/pAh2x40z0q— Full Sail University (@FullSail) November 10, 2019
This is an incredibly interesting post, yet it doesn't offer any more content to go with it. There is no video or demonstration showing what the students built, only a grainy photo of a student wearing what appears to be an HTC Vive headset, a rudimentary control board, and a large screen with a projected image on it. Any further information would only benefit this post and could increase their social media influence. Yet, they don't make the effort. Now, I have to question the photo and wonder why there is a screen in front of the student if she's wearing a VR headset or why is it that only part of the build is shown?
Final Thoughts
I think Full Sail University is failing itself. The areas of focus that they promise to have are not delivered in any of their videos or social media accounts. In fact, they don't create any form of buzz on social media - almost rendering any of their efforts pointless. In the end, Full Sail University needs to step up its game when it comes to their media output. After all, it is supposed to be an award-winning arts college.
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