Nationwide Dots the R-O-i With O.S.U.

If you're an Ohio State fan, you've probably always wanted to follow in the footsteps of Woody Hayes, Bob Hope and Jack Nicklaus and dot the "i." Nationwide Insurance, the official insurance sponsor of Ohio State athletics, launched a clever social media campaign this season that invited fans to dot the "i"... online. The campaign centers around OnYourSideline.com, an interactive micro site that allows Buckeye fans to see themselves dot the “i” in Script Ohio, participate in a fan photo contest, enter a weekly sweepstakes and find places where Buckeye fans congregate to watch games. Fans can also find a Columbus-area Nationwide agent and get an instant quote.

“We wanted to create a campaign that would be rewarding to fans who participate,” said Jennifer MacKenzie, vice president of marketing campaigns and communications for Nationwide.

The most popular aspect of the campaign is the “dot the i” application, which allows fans to upload their photos to watch a video of themselves dotting the “i” in Script Ohio and share it with their friends. The application has attracted more than 55,000 user sessions since it was introduced in October. More than 65 percent of participants came to the application from viral sources such as Facebook.

“OnYourSideline.com gives us a chance to connect with Buckeye fans in a unique way and shows our support of Ohio State Football. We have been able to transition that to a discussion about insurance needs with a number of fans” MacKenzie said.

OnYourSideline.com was designed to help Nationwide build brand awareness with fans interested in the entertainment value of its features, while making it easy for fans to opt-in to receive more information about Nationwide’s offerings and receive an insurance quote.

Even though I have no Big 10 allegiances, I figured I'd give it a shot in the video below. As the video illustrates, this is great for those with no particular musical talents.