University of Akron crowd sourcing its marketing decision

Perhaps in an attempt to drive up public engagement rates, the University of Akron is asking for input on which television ad it should pick to air in Northeast Ohio during the Super Bowl.

The slot is a part of the school's "Energy of Innovation" campaign, the Plain Dealer reports, a program that also features radio, TV and print ads.  

Crain's Cleveland Business reports that the school has advertised in the Super Bowl every year since 1999, with this year's commercial focuses on the various types of research the university conducts.

One commercial features a contact for diabetics that is in the works, while the second covers how nanotechnology could mimic gecko's adhesive abilities.

"The campaign is really focusing on the practical benefits of the research that has come out of the university," Wayne Hill, UofA's associate vice president and chief marketing officer, told the news outlet.

Members of the public will be able to vote for their favorite TV ad between now and Friday at midnight, and can also interact with the campaign through its social media and online components.