From the Nominator

How do you get students interested in past priorities of a departing president? You roll out an ambitious social media campaign that has them scrolling the college website for info, trolling for clues, and scouring campus for a one-of-a-kind, limited edition pin. That was the idea behind “Great Pin Giveaway,” a semester-long pop-up campaign to celebrate the outgoing president at Smith College—and her extensive achievements—on the eve of her retirement. The campaign was two-pronged. On the one hand, it had to be lighthearted, engaging, and fun. On the other, it had to educate students about the president’s achievements, including how she had helped open a new health center, forged partnerships with a major insurance company, and led a strategic planning process. Although the mission was to raise awareness of the president’s accomplishments, a big hurdle was that the president herself did not want appear to be the direct focus of any social media campaign and wanted the campaign to downplay (rather than repeatedly draw attention to) the fact that she was retiring. By coordinating with leaders across campus, employing scarcity marketing, and establishing an engaging social media presence, this campaign was able to reliably attract hundreds of active campus participants—every week for 16 weeks. Students responded to polls and questions, DM-ed to ask about new clues, and raced each other to the locations. On Instagram stories, where contest clues dropped, there was an average 3.87% engagement rate. As one follower noted, “I'm not even in college and I'm incredibly invested in this!”

From the Judges

We were impressed by the compelling storytelling in this entry. It's a fantastic way to share information and encourage student participation. The campaign itself was expertly executed, showcasing remarkable creativity. We loved the engagement and enthusiasm it generated. This entry stood out for its innovative approach, effective storytelling, and ability to captivate its audience.