Coastie Fever at Wisconsin
There is no universal path to college. No matter the region, the demographic, the upbringing, no prospective student will have an absolutely identical portfolio to another. Whether it’s coming from Dane County or California, from a school of 100 or 1,000, almost 27,000 students have one thing in common. They call Madison, Wisconsin home for their college experience.
The out of state route is becoming more common at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. The increasing presence of students from areas outside of the immediate states bordering Wisconsin has impacted the ways in which the UW admissions department goes about recruiting.
As the flagship university of the state of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin – Madison boasts a proud reputation as one of the most well-respected public research institutions nationwide. That reputation has spread not only around the Midwest, but more recently around the entire country. As the university’s popularity grows nationwide, so does the demographic diversity of its student body. Prospective students are increasingly willing to take that proverbial step out of their comfort zone of home to call the iced-over isthmus of Madison their home for four years. Whether it is from a tiny independent school in Massachusetts, a gargantuan public school in Illinois, or anything in between, there is no distinct formula on what a Wisconsin student looks like.
To no surprise, when it comes to demographic representation at the school, Wisconsin students are still the majority. According to the most recent UW-Madison enrollment report, Wisconsin still remains at the top when it comes to percentage of undergraduate students at 63% of the population. Minnesota and Illinois follow in representation, with California, New York, and New Jersey coming in behind them respectively.
This increasing presence of students from areas outside of the immediate states bordering Wisconsin has impacted the ways in which the UW admissions department goes about recruiting.
Mark Swenson is the Alumni Relations Manager in the Office of Admissions and Recruitment at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Along with this role he is also an admissions counselor and the main recruiter for New Jersey. He spoke of the difference between the UW admissions department compared to some of the more “traditional” offices nationwide, which really stick to the idea of a territory manager being in charge of application review, student yield, and recruitment for one area.
“Our model is a little more fluid because we have folks that might consistently travel to certain areas and might have a certain territory, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll read all application from that area dependent on volume,” Swenson said. “I’m the main recruiter for New Jersey, I’m pretty traditional, I travel there multiple times a year, I read the vast majority of applications, but I’m also then going to be asked to read in multiple areas of application review.”
The biggest thing for Swenson is not just selling the University of Wisconsin to students, but the experience of Madison. In many instances during his travels to the east coast, Swenson has had to introduce not just Wisconsin, but the entire Midwest to students.
Swenson said, “I just go, this is what Madison is. It’s a capital city, it’s a large place, there are a lot of things to do, and then we kind of show the map, the photo of the panorama of the isthmus and people are like, what?! There’s a lake?”
A sentence he would rarely say when discussing the school with a student from Wisconsin.
While students from the coasts may not know about UW-Madison until they begin their respective college processes, it has not diminished the positive trend of badgers from areas outside of the Midwest.
Princeton Day School College Counselor Sarah Graham spoke of the perceived reputation of Wisconsin in the Northeast United States.
“I think actually, the perception has gotten quite good… I’ve definitely seen a trend as the University of Michigan has gotten more popular, people look a little further west, I think UW-Madison has a great reputation. All it takes is a couple going one from one high school, and that’s where we’ve seen increasing numbers,” Graham said.
When it comes to the reputation growing, Graham attributed some of it to the increased efforts of college admissions offices assigning regional recruiters. She highlighted that with some of her students, she has seen that personal connection and attention garner more and more interest in her region for larger schools. In her eyes, more and more students from New Jersey and the Northeast have shied away from the traditional small liberal arts colleges that have been more popular in the past. She referenced that an increasing number of students look at medium sized research-grant institutions and large flagship universities instead.
Graham attributed the increased popularity to many different factors. She discussed that some students want the wealth of opportunities a large flagship school has to offer, along with the increased individuality of being a small fish in a big pond.
Wisconsin has so many different things that attract prospective students. That multitude of options and different chances make the thought of being badger that much attractive. These positive perceptions make the jobs of the admissions counselors that much easier for recruiting, and that much harder for decisions.
While Wisconsin students and residents of surrounding states such as Minnesota and Illinois make up the large majority of students at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, even the smallest steps made by the admissions department increased the amount of students from the coasts wanting to call Madison home.
The Ten States Which Make Up the Majority of UW-Madison’s Undergraduate Ranks
In March of 2018, the Washington Post published a piece headlining the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor’s increasing out of state student population. The title suggested that the flagship university was now going national, broadening its reach outside of state borders. The same can be said for the University of Wisconsin – Madison, as compared to the states it draws from, UW is becoming more balanced with out of state students.
The University of Wisconsin – Madison is growing in geographic diversity, with an increasing number of states of residency being included in the university’s enrollment report. Going forward these statistics of undergraduate demographics hope to lend the admissions department a hand in deciding which areas to recruit the hardest in.
These are the ten states that send the most students to the frozen tundra of Madison, Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 17,067
No surprises here, Wisconsin residents dominate the student population at UW. UW-Madison is the premier university in the state of Wisconsin, which makes it not much of a surprise that in-state students comprise over 63 percent of the undergraduate student body, according to enrollment reports.
- Minnesota
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 2,731
The largest supplier of undergraduates at UW outside of Wisconsin is Minnesota. Minnesota residents are offered a largely reduced tuition at UW, making it a very attractive choice out of state. The University of Minnesota – Twin Cities does retain many in-state students however it still has a higher percentage of in-state students (66%) compared to that of UW. The proximity is convenient, but it’s still enough room so parents don’t visit every day.
- Illinois
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 2,725
A close runner up to Minnesota is Illinois. Illinois does not receive the same tuition benefits as Minnesota, however the proximity to the Chicago area and shared border make Wisconsin a very attractive choice for Illinois residents. The University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign is an incredibly popular choice in-state, as 75% of the undergraduate student body is from Illinois according to their enrollment report, pushing some Illinois residents in need of a change north of the border.
- California
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 748
A surprising fourth, the California to Wisconsin transition is surely an interesting one, as many UW-Madison students thoroughly enjoy watching some of their friends from the coast encounter snow for the first time. With competitive flagship institutions such as Berkeley and UCLA and an increasingly popular University of California system with many competitive acceptance rates it’s not always an immediate option for residents to stay in state, prompting them to look at different areas of the country.
- New York
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 737
It has become increasingly popular for students from both coasts to flock to Wisconsin for their undergraduate careers, with the most popular hub on the east coast being New York. The SUNY system lacks a public institution on the same level as UW, as according to the Forbes rankings the best SUNY school, Binghamton is 48 spots behind Wisconsin at 123. There is a large presence of undergraduates from New York City, and the surrounding areas.
- New Jersey
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 409
New Jersey follows the same path as New York. The state university of New Jersey, Rutgers, is a well-respected academic institution however a whopping 81% in-state undergraduate population deters many New Jersey students who want a change in scenery and people. In an article in the New York Times in 2016 it was reported that only 914 students nationwide came to the entire state of New Jersey for public college. Not a statistic that many would be proud of compared to the 5,957 coming to the state of Wisconsin.
- Maryland
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 233
Another east coast state, Maryland has a large population from outside of the Metro D.C. area make its way to Madison. Wisconsin has a larger diversity of states than that of the University of Maryland – College Park (74% in-state), showing up yet another east coast school in varied demographics.
- Massachusetts
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 207
A large population from the Boston-area suburbs treks across the country to Madison instead of a choice such as UMass Amherst. While UMass may offer attractive in-state tuition, it is still 77% Massachusetts residents, not showing a large diversity outside the northeast.
- Connecticut
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 183
Following along with the states that surround it, Connecticut students often choose UW for a distinct change in scenery. With UConn being 76% in-state students, according to their enrollment report, it is also a large change from a Connecticut population.
- Michigan
Current Undergraduate Students at UW Madison: 155
The only state on the list holding a flagship institution with a higher out of state diversity than UW is Michigan. The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor boasts a 53% in-state population, and is still one of the premier public universities in the country. As UW-Madison grows in popularity, it still competes with Michigan on many playing fields, as well as the applicant pool.
Wonderful Pistachio’s Fit Nut Campaign
It is safe to assume in a magazine titled Men’s Journal with a header on the cover reading “now including Men’s Fitness”, there will be many advertisements focused on promoting a healthy body image. In the April “adventure issue” of the Men’s lifestyle magazine, there are numerous, articles, photographs, and advertisements which seek to affect the audience and improve the image of men’s health. As stated in their editorial mission statement, Men’s Journal intends to “provide expert and concise information for the pursuit of new experiences through the landscapes of gear, adventure, travel, food & drink, style and wellness,” and it does just that in the April edition. One of the ads within hits the theoretical nail on the head for the food section. What could be seen as a simple ad for Wonderful Pistachios, actually carries more meaning than one might assume. Through using principles of persuasion such as liking, the ad’s placement itself, and knowing its target market, this advertisement for the pistachio nut is effective in presenting the reader with a food built for a healthy lifestyle.
Within the food section, there are many articles and photographs promoting healthy yet delicious meal alternatives, then the reader flips onto page twenty-three to reveal an ad for Wonderful Pistachios. The art consists of the entire page being the bag of wonderful pistachios, with a physically-fit-gentlemen pictured running in the middle where it would usually say pistachios with the nuts themselves on the sides. The copy is comprised of “THE FIT NUT” in a much larger font than the words describing the product which say, “Fuel your fitness with The Wonderful Nut. Wonderful Pistachios are one of the highest-protein, highest-fiber nuts around. So push your health to new heights with this tasty little powerhouse of heart-healthy goodness.” Under that between bullets are different names for the nut itself including “The Skinny Nut, The Fit Nut, The Mindful Nut, The Colorful Nut, and The Happy Nut,” with Wonderful Pistachios establishing their brand to the side of that paragraph. This Fit Nut advertisement is part of Wonderful Pistachios’ newest campaign to market their product as an integral part of living a healthy lifestyle, and maintaining a steady diet. Through framing their product as a nutritious option, and not openly comparing it to anything, they allow the reader to form their own ideas, and achieve a positive effect.“Merely framing identical products as more or less healthy should alter subsequent choices, such that exposure to products framed as healthy increase choices,” (Tal & Wansink, 2015) furthering the idea that if the advertiser presents their product as being good for you, the audience will be urged to make the positive choice.
The reason why this ad works is because of the audience that is seeing it. The general readership of Men’s Journal is said to be “active men with an interest in actually participating in sports and other adventurous activities, not just watching or reading about them,” (McGee, 2008) The magazine is in the middle of a large growth, as according to their media kit, circulation has increased from 750,000 to 1.25 million “upscale, active, and accomplished men,” (Men’s Journal, 2018). They constantly try and echo that their audience is the type of male that enjoys a fit lifestyle, and ads like the Wonderful Pistachios page sends a great message to continue a healthy lifestyle, and to supplement your diet with their product. When it comes to how old the viewers usually are, the median age viewership of their print magazines is only forty three years old, so this is the ideal crowd to try and pound through the importance of fitness and physical health. Through appealing to the insecurities of the mid-life crisis age range when it comes to body image and overall well-being, the advertisement can subtly urge the viewer to want to be like the model. After seeing this healthy alternative that supplies a good amount of fiber and protein, many middle-aged men who aren’t already set in their ways may try a bag of these wonderful pistachios, and that is what they’re trying to get across. “Consumers themselves have also begun to take actions to improve their eating habits. Nutrition has increasingly become a driving factor in grocery shopping decisions,” (Nikova & Inman, 2015) so as the consumer changes, ads are changing as well by offering up just the slightest bit of health information to persuade the reader.
When it comes to what information is presented in the advertisement, it can be described as a soft sell. Within the copy, they try to display such a simple commodity and urge the reader to think about pistachios and what they would do for you. This in accompaniment with the picture implies that with a healthy lifestyle of eating pistachios, you too could turn out like this model. While I think the consumer is not this naïve to believe pistachios will transform your body type, it leads one to think about healthy lifestyles and how you can make changes with food choices, and in turn eat pistachios. With this, the ad turns product oriented, describing the “highest protein and fiber,” for nuts around. Also, calling the pistachio a “tasty little powerhouse,” is meant to bump up the product a bit, and exaggerate its energetic qualities.
Most, if not all advertisements attempt to persuade the reader one way or another. When discussing the idea of persuasion within advertisements, Cialdini’s principles of persuasion (2001) play a pivotal role. The term that is most prevalent when observing the fit nut ad is liking. Liking is described as “people saying yes to those they like,” (Cialdini, 2001) which can be seen when it comes to our “Fit Nut”. Cialdini (2001) said that “physical attractiveness can be such a tool,” referring to employing tactics that address visual qualities to engage the audience. In this case, it is applicable as the male viewership and brain wants to usually be the most attractive it can be. It is most directly connected to the art in the ad, as the man in it provides this quasi-goal for each reader to try to achieve. By having a man who is incredibly muscular and in shape on a pistachio ad, it activates the sense of desire to be like that man within the brains of the viewer. For them to eat healthy, and in turn care about physical fitness, they must incorporate the pistachio into their diet.
As a company putting out advertisements in this day and age, Wonderful Pistachios needs to adapt to the ever-growing ad market. When it comes to strategic communication, growing markets and outlets have led to complexity being at an all-time high. Advertising companies have tried to respond to this new obstacle through many different tactics, and the one most prevalent in the Wonderful Pistachios ad is the idea of cognitive goal within the ad itself. This has to do with the knowledge of the consumer, as the company informs the audience of the benefits of the product, and not much else. It is not trying to cause an effect at the affective or behavioral level, as the ad takes a much more modest approach to these changing ways to advertise. It is important to consider that within the Wonderful Pistachio marketing plan, they also have an online and television presence promoting the same “fit nut” campaign to make sure their advertisements hit every forum. They’ve adapted to the current situation while still providing useful and informative print advertisements, such as the one featured in Men’s Journal.
Men’s Journal knows what it needs to do when it comes to their audience, their content, and their advertisements. In the adventure issue, they readily promote many different kinds of products that would be deemed as appropriate to their target audience whether it be the aforementioned Pistachio, Hydroxycut dietary supplements, Gore-tex outdoor gear, or Irish Spring soap. When it comes to the Wonderful Pistachio ad, it all comes down to their informative product-oriented approach. As the food advertising business can become easily saturated due to the overwhelming amount of suppliers, they simply highlight the benefits of their product, and throw in a jacked dude to persuade the reader visually. In reality, not many people will automatically think that they’ll magically produce a six pack by eating a couple of pistachios, but it provides the example that someone in peak physical condition includes their product in their life, prompting the viewer to consider making the purchase of some wonderful pistachios.
Wonderful Pistachios ultimately does a great job with their latest advertisement in Men’s Journal. By advertising to this specific audience that would very much be interested in their product and “fit nut” lifestyle, they effectively promote their product while not attempting to be ambitious and influence direct consumer decisions. Through the effects of liking, knowing the target market, and the placement of the ad, the simple and informative ad for the wonderful pistachio nut is quite effective. For a person who’s never had a pistachio, it urges them to try something new with health benefits, which is just a win-win.
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