PC Facebook video breaks school viewership record

PROVIDENCE – Providence College’s welcome to the class of 2020 social media video went viral after it was posted Aug. 22 and broke the college’s social media records.
As of Aug. 30, the video, which can be found at www.facebook.com/providencecollege, had more than 21,700 views.
The 4-minute and 29-second video features the college’s mascot “Friar Dom” holding a variety of signs to explain life at Providence College, what it means to be a Friar and how the college is celebrating its centennial.
Here are some snippets: “Milkshakes are $2 in McPhail’s on Wednesday, but every day is free popcorn day!”
“If someone laps you on the track, don’t feel bad, they might be an Olympian #CoachRayTreacy.”
The video, according to a PC spokeswoman, has the most total impressions for a pre-recorded video from the school since February. (Data is only kept by Facebook for a previous six-month time period.) The video is also top nine for PC for reach and top nine for engagement.
“We believe that this video is so successful because we targeted our audience and knew that users of social media respond very well to video and humor. Our incoming freshmen, along with our 55,000 alumni, were who we were looking to connect with, and it has definitely worked. Because of this success we are considering a Friar Dom series,” Dana Nolfe, interim director of media relations, said in a statement.
Close to 300 people like the Facebook post, and it was shared 163 times.
And Friar Dom was called out by at least one Friar mom for being “America’s creepiest mascot.” He even refers to his creepiness in the video, saying, through a sign, that it makes him “sad.”
The video goes on to show a screen shot of an ESPN article about college basketball’s scariest mascots. Friar Dom is in the top spot.
The video closes with “#Welcome PC2020! and #ForeverAFriar.”
The video also was posted on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. And, it can be found on the college’s website.

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