The Gator Nation is No. 1 in license sales again

February 12, 2008

For Josh Simmons, the rule of the road is simple: If the car has a Gator license plate, smile with pride and be extra nice if they want in the lane ahead of you.

The University of Florida junior and his Honda Civic have joined a “club” with more than 100,000 members by purchasing a UF license plate.

“It’s like my own personal championship ring,” Simmons said.

The Gator Nation plate continued its own championship run in 2007 by outselling every other specialty plate in Florida for the second year in a row.

UF took over Florida’s roads in 2006 when sales of the specialty plates reached 90,436, ending the “Protect the Panther” plate’s four-year winning streak. Sales of the UF plate continued to boom, increasing by more than 16 percent since 2006.
The new plate, issued in 2006, was redesigned to align with The Gator Nation branding campaign and promote university spirit. The orange- and blue-bordered design features the university’s Gator head logo above the famous slogan, “The Gator Nation.”

UF Director of Marketing Dan Williams believes that the plate is popular because of the pride that people have in their association with the University of Florida.
“Gators are proud of their association with UF, and the popularity of The Gator Nation license is a perfect example of that pride,” he said.

Williams has his own Gator plate, and noted that the increase in sales was almost certainly affected by the recent national football and basketball championships, but pointed out that Gators are also proud of the university’s significant contributions in academics and research.

To complement the official state license plate, a tag that is very similar in appearance with the letters “CHAMPS” is now available for the front of vehicles, and can be purchased in most Gator shops.

Part of the original DMV plate’s success can be attributed to marketing promotions in DMV tag agencies. The UF marketing department sent posters with a picture of the plate and the phrase, “Have The Gator Nation behind you wherever you go,” to every agency in the state.

The DMV charges an extra $25 for the specialty plate, with the entire $25 going to UF. Of the $2,634,025 in revenue from the plate in 2007, $1,580,415 went to scholarships while the remaining 40 percent was added to the university’s general fundraising total.

Sales of the plate were highest in Alachua County, the university’s home, but every county in the state has some drivers representing The Gator Nation. Even Glades County, with one of the lowest populations in the state, boasts 36 drivers showing university pride.

For Simmons, Williams and the 105,628 other Gator plate owners, the record-high sales simply prove that even though the University of Florida is in Gainesville, with so many drivers throughout the state choosing the UF license plate, The Gator Nation is truly everywhere.