Operation Hat Trick

Brand Development | Brand Experience | Creative | Media Relations | Social Media | Visual Media | Web | News

Each year, Texas A&M University collaborates with the university’s Veteran Resource and Support Center to promote Operation Hat Trick and its mission of supporting the recovery of wounded service members and veterans through the sale of Texas A&M-OHT co-branded merchandise. In 2020, due to the guidelines and policies during COVID-19, the Texas A&M team had to think outside the box and promote OHT through its digital resources and create an experience in a physically-distant format.

The digital campaign took place in November and December of 2020 and included: OHT dedicated social media posts, a Texas A&M Today news article, an OHT product microsite and email blasts to former students.

The team also carried on the tradition of giving back and showing appreciation to student veterans by arranging a backyard tailgate surprise full of Texas A&M-OHT products for Max Kutch and his family. Kutch served honorably and completed six combat deployments to the far corners of the globe before his military career was cut short when a motor vehicle driver ran a stop sign and struck him. At the time of the OHT surprise, Kutch was a full-time student with a current GPA of 3.51 at Texas A&M and 3.76 cumulative with the night school and online classes he took while on active duty. Kutch graduated from Texas A&M in December 2020.

In May of 2021, OHT selected Texas A&M University as their 2021 Excellence in Service Award winner. As a part of the honor, OHT will make a donation on the university’s behalf to Brazos Valley Cares, a local non-profit organization which provides financial aid support to local veterans, their families, and local veteran service organizations.

Result: The digital campaign resulted in 49,554 Google ad impressions, 4,841 clicks to retailers from the microsite, 114,123 emails sent to former students, the Texas A&M Today story sent to more than 70,000 subscribers, and multiple social media posts to over more than 285,000 followers.

Collaborators: Texas A&M’s Veteran Resource and Support Center, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Aggieland Outfitters, Barnes & Noble, Fanatics and Logo Brands.