Students flock to social media for #BULLS4BABEL

Many of USFs social media users have noticed a trending topic this week #Bulls4Babel. The campaign, launched by a partnership between Student Government (SG) and Global Spectrum at the USF Sun Dome, is an effort to attract the band Mumford and Sons to play at the Sun Dome in the spring.

The purpose of the campaign is to draw attention to Mumford and Sons and show them that (they) have a strong following here, student body President Brian Goff said. If (they) come here, it will be a great experience.

Mumford and Sons, an alternative band, best known for its singles I Will Wait, Little Lion Man, and The Cave, released its most recent album, Babel, on Sept. 24. It has sold over 600,000 copies, according to the October issue of Billboard Magazine.

The #Bulls4Babel effort is a grassroots social media campaign, Goff said, which consists of tweeting, a Facebook page (Bulls4Babel, which had 441 likes at the time of print), an online survey to gauge student responses and other advertising, and will continue until at least Sunday, but Goff said it will continue until Mumford and Sons say they will not come.

The campaign was launched after Goff and SG Adviser of University Affairs Amanda Alvarez met with the Sun Dome to see how SG could partner with it, Goff said. He said the Sun Dome suggested they target Mumford and Sons, who is known for responding to places where they receive attention.

We met to discuss how the Sun Dome and SG could partner better how to make it the USF Sun Dome, Goff said. We are well-established with the rap genre, but there are students who will enjoy different genres.

The hashtag #Bulls4Babel gained popularity with students as soon as SG started tweeting from its account,
@USFStudentGov, encouraging students to use it.

Hey @mumfordandsons I know London is cold and gloomy this time of year how about you come over to USF and we soak up the sun #bulls4babel, Nicole Kummer, a senior majoring in history and political science, tweeted.

Other students, such as Mallorie Hardesty, a senior majoring in psychology, took a more creative approach to attract their favorite band.

Hardesty tweeted a play on Mumford & Sons lyrics, @MumfordAndSons roll away your stone, come to USF, write about it on a white blank page, & then go back to the cave. #bulls4babel.

The number of tweets, likes and survey responses will be compiled and the metrics will be sent to the bands manager, Goff said.

Student reaction and support is what will most likely attract the band to play at USF in the upcoming spring, Goff said.

This is what the live entertainment industry is all about, fans connecting directly with their favorite bands and, every once in a while, a band that feels compelled to connect directly with their fans, Trent Merritt, general manager of the Sun Dome, said in a press release.

Through the partnership, SG has not funded any of the advertisements used for the campaign. The Sun Dome is covering the costs, while SG runs the social media accounts, Goff said.

He said that they will hear from the band as to whether they will come to USF within the month.