Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Strategy
Naming
Copywriting
Ashton Design graphic design
At the start of COVID, Clemson was stuck. How to make incoming freshman understand the university’s singular appeal without in-person tours? Working with Ashton Design, Fat Lip concepted, named, and wrote The Tiger Fortune Teller, a way to give students a glimpse into their “future” in the midst of uncertain times. The microsite exceeded all expectations, racking up high engagement and resulting in Clemson permanently adding it to its new student welcome package.
The Tiger Fortune Teller played on the resurgent popularity of horoscopes. The five-question quiz used quippy language and cheeky GIFs to engage Gen Z students in a feel-good experience and left them with a great first impression of the school.
At first glance, questions and responses appeared irreverent but conveyed real on-campus offerings available only at Clemson. It immediately unleashed a digital wave of school spirit, powered by memes and Clemson’s purple and orange color palette.
At the end of the quiz, the app guided students to their custom-built fortune. Students could then opt to recast their future or share their current fortune with friends. Many users took the test multiple times, with time spent on the app averaging five minutes per visit.
The quiz quickly became a cornerstone of Clemson’s new student recruitment package, and the site won three 2021 UCDA and EDMA awards.
“From that first interaction, everything with the team was just wonderful. The whole thing was easy, and I think what’s really great about it is that we all loved the end result...It felt totally original.”
Christine Green, AVP, Clemson University Marketing