"Little Gifts, Big Dreams" is a feel-good story powered by the magic of childhood imagination and the unlimited potential of education to bring big dreams to life. The story is seen through the eyes of two young girls who see their letters to Santa brought to life on the University of Limerick (UL) campus. The video was lovingly conceived and directed entirely in-house by UL’s MarComms team, working with graduate videographer Ollie Phillips. The story is underpinned by a poignant song, "Letting Go," by the late Professor Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, who founded UL’s renowned Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. University President Kerstin Mey said, “It is the job of any university or educational institute to inspire those seeking to grow and expand their horizons, and we want to nurture those dreams as best we can.” With this mission in mind, UL’s MarComms team delivered a captivating story about the dreams of children who will one day become UL’s ambassadors. The project featured students, staff, and facilities from all four faculties at UL, making it a true campus-wide effort. The response was instant and overwhelming, with unfailingly positive commentary from the university community, alumni, local and national media, prominent sportspeople and business leaders, media personalities and more. "Little Gifts, Big Dreams" struck a chord far beyond the traditional university target audience – celebrating the spirit of "see it to be it" that every child needs and the ambitions of a university determined to make dreams come true.
From the Judges
This video showed superb storytelling and had a relevant message about curiosity. Strong results underscored the effectiveness of the method. Other organizations can look to this entry as an example when crafting engaging holiday narratives.
