Campaign Overview
Lions Love Local is a branded content series developed to increase awareness of local businesses while fostering stronger community connections. Through recurring social content, the campaign highlights businesses that support LU students and encourages engagement beyond campus.
Lions Love Local
As a former out‑of‑state student, I remember how disconnected I felt from the local community, especially when it came to discovering nearby businesses and student discounts that I didn’t learn about until it was too late. That experience shaped the foundation of Lions Love Local, a content series I created the summer of 2025, to bridge that gap for current students. Designed to highlight local businesses through authentic storytelling, on‑site visuals, and a cohesive branded style, the series helps students feel more rooted in the community while strengthening the University’s relationship with the people and places around us.
Since launching the series, Lions Love Local has strengthened our connection with the St. Charles community in a meaningful and measurable way. As of today, over 20 local businesses openly offer discounts to LU students, faculty/staff, and alumni, a number that continues to grow. On Instagram alone, the series has generated over 109,000 views and 474 shares across 16 features, reflecting strong student interest and the value of community‑focused content. Beyond the numbers, the series has helped build trust, visibility, and collaboration between the University and the St. Charles community.
Value
Produce authentic, student‑centered content that resonates with daily campus life, encourages meaningful engagement, and enhances the overall student experience.
Support
Provide visibility and storytelling for small businesses in the St. Charles community, strengthening University–community partnerships.
Awareness
Highlight businesses that offer student, faculty/staff, and alumni discounts so the Lindenwood community can take advantage of local opportunities earlier and more often.
Connection
Strengthen the relationship between Lindenwood students and the St. Charles area by making local businesses more visible and familiar.
Campaign Goals
Execution
To bring the series to life, I coordinated directly with each featured business to schedule on‑site visits, confirm discount details, and learn more about their story. These conversations ensured every feature was accurate, respectful, and aligned with how each business wanted to be represented.
I captured photos and videos during each visit, then edited the content using a consistent visual style to keep the series cohesive. Each post was crafted to balance storytelling with practical value, giving students a clear sense of what each business offers and why it’s worth visiting.