From the Nominator

"To commemorate the opening of the E.A. Fernandez IDEA (Innovate, Design, and Engineer for America) Factory at the University of Maryland, the A. James Clark School of Engineering's communications and marketing team collaborated with Lego Artist Jason Burik to design and build a custom Lego set for founding donors. The limited edition replica set captures the striking architecture of the IDEA Factory, including the distinctive dichroic windows, in 661 Lego bricks.   

The goal of the gift was to create a display piece for founding donors that matched the uniqueness of the new building and was unlike anything they had received from the university before. We also wanted to create a tactile and interactive gift that would stimulate the creativity and hands-on nature of our engineering donors.   

To complete the IDEA Factory Lego set, the communications and marketing team designed custom packaging, an instruction booklet, and a commemorative sketchbook. The sketchbook's cover was foil stamped with holographic foil, another reference to the building's dichroic windows. The gift was given to founding donors at the IDEA Factory dedication event and was so well received that University President Darryll Pines requested additional Lego sets to be used for future university supporters."

From the Judges

When it comes to a "wow factor," this one has it! Judges found this entry to be a very creative, fun, and interactive gift for founding donors to a new engineering building fittingly named the IDEA Factory! They nailed the look and feel of the institution, campaign branding, and Lego instructions exactly! From concept to design, and ultimately donor responsiveness (who are engineers themselves), this piece resonated and really delivered the desired impact. While expensive on a per-item basis, the cost fit within the budget constraints for the dedication event.