Marketing Launches Revamped Hail State Rewards Program
STARKVILLE, Miss. – In a continual effort to provide students with the best fan experience possible, the Mississippi State athletic department has partnered with FanMaker to launch a new-and-improved Hail State Rewards program. The innovative free student program, which rewards attendance at MSU events, features a user-friendly interface, iBeacon technology and custom HSR scanning kiosks.
"Creating a great fan experience is an integral part of our department's mission," MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin said. "Partnering with FanMaker to develop this first-of-its-kind loyalty program will not only continue to increase student attendance across all sports, but will reward them for their commitment in supporting their peers. This significant investment allows us to capture invaluable data and continue to provide the best experience possible for our fans."
Started in 2009 as a partnership between the MSU Student Association and athletics, HSR is currently one of the nation's leading technology-based student loyalty programs. One of the first in the country to incorporate iBeacon technology at all venues, the new HSR allows students to seamlessly earn loyalty points by attending various MSU events. Those points can also be rolled over into Bulldog Club priority points upon graduation. Once rolled over, students earn one year of free Bulldog Club membership and get access to exclusive young alumni ticket offers to help in securing tickets for the first time.
"We are excited to partner with MSU and their forward-thinking marketing team to deliver a multi-faceted fan engagement solution combining attendance, sales and social data for their fans," FanMaker CEO Jason Cole said. "Bringing fans closer to the MSU brand and gameday experiences is exactly what we strive to accomplish every day."
Students can check out the new HSR by visiting HailState.com/rewards. All 9,000-plus current members have already been rolled over to the revamped program and have immediate access to all of the program’s new features. In the online prize store, students can redeem their points for gifts and exclusive gameday experiences. Such prizes include custom MSU football jerseys, T-shirts and autographed memorabilia, while gameday items include such experiences as joining the football team in the Dawg Walk, throwing out the first pitch at Dudy Noble Field, or taking part in shoot-around at Humphrey Coliseum. In addition to the store, the website features an online events calendar, a real-time leaderboard and a detailed FAQ section.
Students can also download the "Hail State Rewards" app on iOS or Android. The mobile app boasts many of the same features as the website, but also unlocks the seamless iBeacon integration for each student and provides an opportunity to earn additional points when they stay for the entire duration of an event. Using the app, students will also stay up to date by receiving real-time push notifications, including details on exclusive giveaways, upcoming promotions and selected head coach meet-and-greets.
To sign up for free, simply visit the HSR website and click "Join" in the top right corner, or attend an HSR event and swipe your student ID on the scanning kiosk. Once signed up, students are immediately eligible to begin earning points and will begin being rewarded for their attendance at MSU events.
Once a student has joined the program, earning points is easy. At events where students swipe their ID upon entry, the points are automatically earned. If it is an event where your student ID is not swiped as you enter, students can use one of the following three methods to earn points:
1) iBEACONS! – Points will automatically be awarded when you enter the facility if you have the HSR app and your Bluetooth is enabled
2) HSR APP - If your Bluetooth is not enabled, enter the facility, visit the events tab on your HSR iOS or Android app and click "Check-In"
3) HSR KIOSK - Swipe your student ID on the HSR kiosk at the student entrance to the event
For more details on the program and special scanning opportunities, follow @HailStateReward on Twitter.