SnapChat is providing new, innovative ways to express school spirit, including an all new “Knight Nation” geofilter, exclusive to the UCF community.
Colby Huggins, a 21-year-old student at Valencia College, finally had his design for a geofilter — a location specific banner that SnapChat users can add to their Snaps — approved.
“Many of my friends go to UCF, and I wanted to give the something that they could represent their school with,” Huggins said regarding why he created a geofilter.
Huggins said he has made it his personal project to ensure Central Florida is well represented through SnapChat geofilters. Although he did not create the Orlando filter, SnapChat has approved his filters for Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and St. Augustine.
“Because of UCF’s prominence in the Central Florida community, I figured it was only natural for them to have their own filter,” Huggins said. “I also knew the student population would appreciate having something they could use to show school spirit via social media, which is why I chose the phrase ‘Knight Nation.’”
He also said he believes the filter will get great usage on game days.
“SnapChat is incredibly personable, and that’s what makes it unique,” Huggins said. “And they’ve only reinforced this further with the creation of geofilters.”
The first draft for the Knight Nation filter was submitted back in November and had Knightro in the place where the horse currently stands. It was rejected due to the UCF representation. After a few more rejected filters, Huggins finally had one approved. The current geofilter was approved because there are no distinct school-affiliated images.
“I like it and think it’s cool that we’re one of the first to get one,” UCF student Clayton Cuteri said. “It’d be nice to have more options.”
Although SnapChat Geofilter Submission Guidelines clearly state, “Absolutely no logos or trademarks, including school crests and similar marks,” geofilters are still being created with a geofence exclusive to specific college campuses.
A geofence is the location specific boundaries in which the SnapChat filter can be accessed on SnapChat. The Knight Nation filter is only accessible on the UCF main campus.
Being the only school in Florida with a geofilter may make UCF unique in the SnapChat world for now, but other schools will have their own soon enough.
Florida State University might be the next university in Florida to have a school-spirited SnapChat filter. Florida State University officials tweeted they were upset over a denied geofilter design.
