Students and alumni crowded around the Hyatt Place parking lot chatting about which pair of pajamas they planned to buy, snapping photos in front of the brand’s colorful pop-up showroom on-wheels and shielding their eyes from the afternoon sun. The hundreds who gathered were not just waiting to shop, but to experience the Roller Rabbit college pop-up tour.
The lifestyle brand, known for its playful printed pajamas, is on a road trip pop-up tour in Texas. TCU is one of the three Texas universities where the brand is selling customized merchandise.
The pop-ups are part of a strategy that promotes brands through a “feeling of exclusivity,” Dr. Stacy Landreth Grau, associate dean of the John V. Roach Honors College and professor of professional practice, said.
“These types of events are all about attention,” Grau said. “The temporary nature creates an air of social proof and scarcity which grabs attention in ways that not everyone can access.”
The two days at TCU included exclusive TCU-themed merchandise, photo opportunities and giveaway raffles.
“Brands hope to gain attention first, followed by awareness and loyalty,” Grau said. “Events like this follow basic principles of persuasion. Accompanied with a strong social media presence, influencer engagement and content creation, brands can benefit as long as it matters to their target audience.”
The attention from social media is what Roller Rabbit is chasing through its college pop-up tour.
“These pop-up college tours come together because girls continue to ask for them on social media,” said Carolyn Trent, a marketing and e-commerce coordinator for Roller Rabbit. “They want their school colors, and we listen. We’ve been to Clemson, UNC, Alabama, Auburn and now TCU because of what we have seen in our posts’ comment section.”
Trent said Roller Rabbit hopes to create memorable experiences through these events that help promote brand awareness.
“We’re always trying to expand Roller Rabbit and get it out to a new crowd of girls,” Trent said. “Maybe some have never heard of us, but their best friend has a pair of our pajamas. These events are a way for everyone to be a part of the experience.”
Students said they were both excited and a little surprised to see TCU make the Texas tour list.
“I have been following Roller Rabbit on Instagram for some time now and was honestly surprised they chose TCU since there are so many bigger campuses they could have taken the tour to,” Miley Stallings, a sophomore finance major, said. “TCU being picked for one of their Texas stops is pretty cool.”
Her mother, Amanda Stallings, a 1997 TCU graduate and the associate vice chancellor for alumni relations, said the event offered something for both students and alumni.
“It’s a great opportunity to support TCU and a brand our girls love,” Stallings said. “I’ve also seen and talked with other alums who have shopped at the pop-up as well.”
The Roller Rabbit pop-up will be at TCU on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then, the brand will continue its college tour in Dallas on SMU’s campus from Oct. 2 and 3 before wrapping up at UT Austin on Oct. 5 and 6.
“Hopefully students and customers bring a little piece of our vibe home with them, which is very colorful and fun,” Trent said. “Our pop-ups are all about bringing that joy to a new crowd.”
