University of California San Diego Bookstore
Social Media & Marketing Campaigns
Project Summary
In Fall 2022, the UC San Diego Bookstore’s Instagram presence stood at a modest 9,000 followers with low engagement on static graphics. Tasked with leading the rebrand, I proposed and executed a creative overhaul to center storytelling, relatability, and student engagement—bringing our campus community to the forefront of our marketing efforts.
Results
Increased Instagram followers by 25% (9,000 → 12,900+)
Created a sustainable content system for future student campaigns
Boosted student engagement and representation across digital platforms
Strengthened the Bookstore’s brand identity as relatable, current, and campus-driven
Increased visibility through main campus page reposting
Role:
Marketing Assistant, Photography Lead, Social Media Lead
Focus:
Project Management, Content Creation, Primary Photographer & Editor
Tools Used:
Canva Pro, Adobe Creative Suite, Notion, Google Suite
Key Goals & Strategy
Reframe Instagram strategy with narrative, visually driven content.
Replace static graphics with lifestyle photography and student-centered visuals.
Create a recurring system for student photoshoots and merchandise campaigns.
Increase engagement and impressions across digital platforms, leading to measurable account growth.
Market Research Insights:
People-first content wins: Students are more likely to engage with posts that feature their peers or people who look like them.
Peer benchmarking: Competitive analysis showed that UCLA, USC, and Harvard all embraced lifestyle imagery over product-focused design.
Relatable storytelling resonates: Content that captures daily life on campus outperforms polished sales promotions.
Implementation Process
Developed & promoted a Modeling Call Form to recruit student models
Scheduled & directed monthly campus-wide photo shoots
Created & managed a multi-use content bank for Instagram, in-store ads, and marketing materials
Launched a visual and editorial rebrand using a series of themed campaigns focused on identity, community, and school pride.
Maintained and refined a content pipeline for future merchandise drops and seasonal promotions.
Social Media Rebranding Campaign
As the in-house content creator for several Bookstoreinitiatives, I developed, shot, edited, and published a range of social media campaigns designed to drive engagement, celebrate campus identity, and highlight seasonal promotions. Below is a selection of the rebranding posts that I led from concept to completion.
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Triton Threads
Starting out fresh this school year with some new photos of a fellow Triton in her UC San Diego gear🔱😎
Guess what? You can now share your UC San Diego gear with the hashtag #TritonThreads to be reposted🕶🤏😳
📷: @jaelynndouglas -
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Welcome Back Tritons
Welcome back to UC San Diego Tritons🔱
📷: @jaelynndouglas
#UCSD #UCSanDiego #UCSDBoolstore #TritonThreads -
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Homecoming Sale
You want it Tritons? We got it
ICYMI —> our #UCSDHomecoming 20% off sale on ALL UC San Diego branded clothing, gifts, and supplies is happening NOW!
📷: @jaelynndouglas@manrod28
#TritonThreads -
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Mid-Term Sale
Kickin' through these midterms has me stressed. But you know what always helps? #RetailTherapy.
📸: @jaelynndouglas @manrod28
#TritonThreads #Tritons #UCSD -
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Holiday Sale
Need some quick but useful gift ideas for the holidays? We've got you covered! From apparel to accessories, we've still got lots of goods in stock #TritonThreads
📸: @jaelynndouglas @manrod28
Social Media Campaigns
Quarterly Photoshoot:
Student Lifestyle
Lifestyle Photoshoots: Merchandise Products
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Every Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, I produced a series of photoshoots that reflected UC San Diego’s student life, seasonal energy, and evolving campus culture. Each quarter’s campaign aligned with major sales, seasonal changes, and trending moments both on campus and on social media—keeping the Bookstore’s presence timely, relatable, and authentic
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I led the entire creative direction of the quarterly campaigns. This included conceptualizing themes, recruiting and coordinating student models, selecting shoot locations, photographing, editing, and rolling out the final content. I made sure each campaign stayed consistent with the Bookstore’s brand identity while showcasing the authentic vibrancy of UC San Diego student culture.
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From a student skateboarding through campus to students showcasing Apple tech and course books, this campaign brought UC San Diego Bookstore merchandise to life through everyday student moments. By emphasizing how the Bookstore’s products seamlessly integrate into student life—making them not just items to buy, but tools and experiences to live with—the campaign humanized product promotions and increased in-store sale awareness.
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I conceptualized, photographed, edited, and published each post. I also coordinated student models, selected shoot locations, and tracked monthly sales in combination with product feature opportunities.
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Pride Month Campaign
Meet the Colleges: Back to School Series
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To kick off the new academic year, the Bookstore team created a social media series featuring UC San Diego’s seven colleges. Each post spotlighted college-branded apparel modeled by students from those communities along with popular architecture from each college, aligning college pride with stylish visuals. Crafted to foster connection and representation, this campaign increased interest in branded merchandise and helped incoming students feel welcomed as part of their college identity.
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I collaborated with colleagues to conceptualize the campaign from landscape photography, editing, and the final social media rollout. My goal was to authentically reflect each college’s identity while staying aligned with the overall UC San Diego brand.
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During Pride Month, I developed a visual campaign that highlighted Pride-themed products and LGBTQ+ student models to celebrate and support UC San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community. This series went beyond merchandise by serving as opportunities for education, community opportunities, visibility, and inclusion. By pairing bold visuals with a celebratory yet respectful tone, the campaign gave the community a chance to engage with Pride in a tangible and supportive way.
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Along with a colleague who contributed some photography work, I solo-directed a student photoshoot, edited visuals, and researched community events?historic dates, curated captions, and scheduled content for the final rollout on our platforms. I ensured that the tone was celebratory and respectful while maintaining visual clarity and brand coherence.
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