Aug. 22, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Click Rain.

Digital agency Click Rain and South Dakota State University have initiated a marketing partnership to help recruit and retain the next generation of Jackrabbits. Marketing efforts will position SDSU’s already reputable brand among key audiences to promote the value and impact of the state’s first land-grant university.

Founded in Brookings in 1881, SDSU is now South Dakota’s largest public research university, with an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students across 200 academic programs.

Click Rain is a Sioux Falls agency that specializes in digital marketing and website design. The business acquired the infographic design firm Lemonly in early 2021, resulting in a joint team of more than 60.

The new marketing partnership was a natural fit, with nearly one-third of the Click Rain + Lemonly staff having graduated as Jackrabbits, including multiple executive members.

“We’re proof that SDSU transforms people who transform South Dakota in return,” said Eric Ellefson, partner at Click Rain.

“Jackrabbit pride runs in our DNA, but we’re also banking on the outside perspectives of our nonalumni team members from both agencies to help deliver outstanding work for our new client.”

SDSU has established itself as a premier university, employer and economic catalyst in the region. Its partnership with Click Rain will allow the school to continue connecting with students online, where young people are spending an increasing amount of time.

Promotions will highlight the diverse resources SDSU offers the communities of South Dakota in addition to its broader regional and international impact.

“We are excited to launch this new partnership with Click Rain + Lemonly,” said Mike Lockrem, director of university marketing and communications at SDSU. “SDSU has been synonymous with higher education in South Dakota for more than 140 years and continues to serve the state in countless ways. This partnership will help the university grow by broadcasting SDSU’s remarkable story to more prospective students and their families.”

Particular attention will be given to marketing segmentation strategies in an effort to personalize SDSU’s message to a diverse range of student demographics.

“SDSU has such a great story to share,” said Tara Adamson, director of creative at Click Rain. “It will be fun to put a strong digital strategy behind all we do. Incorporating smart, personalized and segmented messaging, we are able to connect prospective students with content that makes the biggest impression on them, ultimately strengthening the SDSU student body.”

The new partnership is already underway and contracted to run through the 2025 academic year.