By the time the presidential debate ends Oct. 13, the phrase "ASU" will have been used roughly a billion times over the airwaves and in print.
Well, maybe not a billion, but the impact of every media outlet giving the University free advertising might as well be the same.
This free advertising is a perfect chance for ASU to sell itself to the world and we're glad to see the administration is capitalizing on this opportunity (see story page 1).
ASU is handing every reporter and VIP a stack of goodies, which are all conveniently stamped with the University's logo. The idea is that each person leaves town with a bunch of free stuff and a positive impression of ASU.
In our experience, free stuff is easily the best way to a stranger's good side.
What's more important is that free stuff is also a good way to leave a positive impression on people who will likely not hear our name again anytime soon. The reporters and VIPs head home and, theoretically, remember what a nice place ASU was (aside from parking troubles, heat and ... oh yeah, parking troubles). The reporters could decide to write stories about what's going on here, and the VIPs could decide to host more events on campus.
Either way, this public relations effort brings added recognition to ASU.
ASU President Michael Crow is banking on the added attention to bring more events and national interest to the University.
We'll let it sink in that we agree with Crow. The sky must be falling somewhere.
As much as we hate the horrible parking conditions that come with huge events such as the debate, more attention translates to more prestige, which increases the value of our degrees. (And maybe the amount of people who pick up an issue of The State Press).
More national attention could also mean that some wealthy person with money to burn could decide to drop a few bucks ASU's way (Any said person could send money specifically to the basement of the Matthews Center, we promise not to spend it all on beer ... OK, it's a promise we can't keep, but send us the money anyway).
That money could be used to build more parking structures and could fulfill the pie-in-the-sky dream of getting a new Social Sciences building.
Let's not forget that any top high school student watching television Oct. 13 is going to see and hear our school's name over and over again. We know it's crazy, but it's possible the students may actually choose ASU for its prestige and not its party image.
We'll concede that it may be a pretty big assumption to think a few T-shirts and goodies will translate to prestige, higher enrollment and cold hard cash.
This effort might end up in the mass collection of free stuff that VIPs and reporters are used to getting.
The public relations campaign could produce nothing. But making the effort shows that the University cares about its future and is willing to do something about it.
Besides, with our wages, we can use all the free T-shirts we can get.
