HARRISONBURG, Va. – Area businesses within a two-hour drive of JMU’s campus will want to take advantage of the “Small Business Game Changer” campaign when it opens up for entries on September 4. Eligible businesses with 250 employees or less will have the opportunity to enter through Nov. 21, 2021.
JMU Athletics, in collaboration with its multimedia rightsholder JMU Sports Properties, provides the winning small business a valuable marketing package worth $20,000. This year’s dedicated sponsor of the “Small Business Game Changer” initiative is Appeal Production – a former winner of the same campaign, with a desire to pay it forward to help positively impact another local small business.
“Owning a small business is the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve done. Being able to win a marketing package like this can truly be a Game Changer for a business. It was for Appeal,” said Appeal Production Owner and Imaginative Producer Andy Vanhook. “We’ve always believed in giving back to the community which has supported us so much over the past 10 years. With this opportunity, we could give back to small businesses as well. It was a perfect fit for us.”
Starting September 4, businesses are encouraged to visit JMUSports.com/GameChanger for the rules and entry criteria, with the possibility of winning brand exposure among JMU’s passionate fanbase and campus community. As Appeal Production won previously, the 2021 campaign winner will receive numerous visibility assets. The award package includes a professional video created by Appeal Production; in-venue signage during football and basketball seasons; digital ad exposure on JMUSports.com; a radio ad during football, softball and baseball seasons; as well as a print-at-home basketball ticket advertisement.
“Appeal Production has been an outstanding partner of JMU Athletics and this community, and they were excited to back the Small Business Game Changer campaign – not only as a former winner, but as a company committed to giving back to their own community,” said JMU Sports Properties General Manager Mike Chatburn. “We thought this would be another great opportunity to honor a local small business again particularly on the heels of COVID. Collaborating with Andy and his team at Appeal Production has been extremely rewarding, and we appreciate their support and engagement.”
Submissions for the 2021 Small Business Game Changer campaign will be reviewed by a panel of judges based on creativity, originality and values. A winner will be selected on or before Dec. 1, 2021.
The relationship with Appeal Production, and oversight of the small business campaign, is managed by JMU Sports Properties, the local LEARFIELD team that works alongside the athletics administration as the Dukes’ multimedia rights partner.
Appeal Production inspires business growth with dazzling video. Whether you’re looking to grow your bottom line, your customer base, or your employees, we tell your story to motivate your specific audience. We pride ourselves in making the process fun, efficient and effective by leveraging our decades of experience and finely tuned processes to deliver your unique video in a timely manner.