Ole Miss Instagram account provides pretty pictures to students, alumni, and staff

With almost 60 percent of Instagram users under the age of 25, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) started a widely popular account that current and prospective students can’t get enough of.

We award the University of Mississippi top honors in the Best Use of Instagram category of PR Daily’s 2013 Social Media Awards because it cultivated and curated an Instagram account that spoke directly to its audience. Four photos posted to the account have made it to Instagram’s “Most Popular Page.” In addition, this account has become one of the top 10 most engaging university accounts in the U.S.

The Instagram account illustrates the “Ole Miss experience,” which includes highlighting the anticipation of a big football game and the beauty of the campus. This gives prospective students a glimpse of what campus life will be like, if they attend.

Here are a few highlights from the campaign:

• On Fridays before football games, nearly 1,800 red and blue trash cans are placed throughout a 10-acre green space in preparation for the next day’s tailgating. An image of the trash cans on the Ole Miss Instagram account (dubbed “Trash Can Friday”) received more than 1,600 likes.
• Pictures weren’t just taken by professional UM photographers. Students were asked to post on the Instagram account, too.
• Prior to a home football game, 15-second Instagram videos were released about what color students should wear for the game, acceptable behavior while tailgating, and facts about the university.

Congratulations to Will Hamilton, Ryan Whittington, Lindsey Abernathy, Win Graham, Dennis Irwin, and Elizabeth Burgreen.

Find out about Ragan and PR Daily’s award programs here.