Eclipsing expectations: Strategies for marketing and communications leaders to leverage national events
Abstract
A total solar eclipse covered much of the USA in 2024. Ahead of the eclipse, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock began preparing to host an event for the campus and community to watch this phenomenon. During the planning process, Marketing and Communications (MarComm) recognised the potential to use the eclipse to secure national media placement for the university. By employing five key strategies of taking a unique approach, preparing media experts, using the website early, incorporating video and dreaming big, the MarComm team garnered more than 320 media mentions and 3.5 billion media impressions and secured multiple national placements. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Carrie Phillips is the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock), where she leads efforts to elevate the university’s brand, grow enrolment and tell the story of impact across campus. With more than 15 years of experience in higher education marketing, she has been nationally recognised for her work. She serves as a frequent speaker at conferences, including Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, American Marketing Association and Public Relations Society of America. Carrie earned her doctorate from Texas Tech University, where her research explored how universities use marketing to respond to enrolment challenges. She has published on this topic and on strategies to build stronger collaboration between Marketing and Communications functions to drive institutional results. At UA Little Rock, she has helped launch several initiatives that demonstrate the university’s commitment to access and affordability — including the Trojan Guarantee and Half-Off Scholarship programmes — which contributed to the institution achieving its highest enrolment in 15 years. She also led communications for the 2024 eclipse event, which brought together thousands of students, faculty and community members for a memorable and interdisciplinary experience. Carrie currently serves as chair of CASE District IV and was a recipient of multiple awards from national professional organisations. She also writes about leadership, marketing and higher education on her blog, AndCarrieOn.com. Outside work, she is passionate about mentoring emerging leaders, advancing the profession and exploring new corners of the world.
