“Silly bands are hot and trendy right now, so why not have Brandeis silly bands?” Sharon Rosenberg ’00, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, said. Alumni Relations is one of at least two Brandeis departments to make Brandeis-themed silly bands this year. The other, Admissions, plans to give the bracelets to prospective students during the Fall Preview days.
With the help of Brad Akers ’95, owner of a promotional item and marketing company, Alumni Relations created silly bands shaped like Ollie the Owl and the letter B, while Admissions created sets to distribute that spell out “Brandeis 1948.”
Rosenberg said that her department had ordered the silly bands primarily as promotional items. “It’s mostly about brand name recognition,” she said, adding that she wears a Brandeis t-shirt while exercising for the same reason. The bracelets are among several small items that Alumni Relations gives away throughout the year at more than 150 alumni events around the world.
Because many of the events are family friendly, Rosenberg hopes that children of alumni will get them, wear them, trade them and spread the word about their parents’ alma mater.
Luigi Solla, Associate Director of Admissions, said that the silly bands created for Fall Preview days and recruitment programs have already been sent to a few students who will not be able to attend, and have received positive feedback.
“They seem to be excited about them … so I’m taking that as a sign that they’ll go over well at Preview Days,” Solla said.
If feedback from current students, many of whom are wearing other silly bands, is any indication, prospective students and alumni will love the bracelets.
“That’s such a great idea! They should sell them, I would definitely buy a pack,” Emalie Novick ’12 said after hearing about the bracelets.
