Milestone anniversaries present opportunities to elevate, redefine, and strengthen brands. The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine leveraged its 75th anniversary to build and deepen relationships with key stakeholders, integrate philanthropy more into school culture, and increase brand reach and engagement. The strategy included engaging stakeholders to develop a distinctive anniversary brand, unfolding a communications timeline that began with honoring our history and finished by showcasing our vision for the future, and integrating the 75th into everything we could. The anniversary campaign was a success based on both empirical and testimonial evidence. Pre- and post-campaign surveys showed that already high perception scores went even higher, with alumni moving from feeling 90% highly positive about the school pre-anniversary to 98% post-anniversary. In addition, the school raised more than $50 million in its anniversary year, while also laying the groundwork for expected significant future gifts. The visibility of the school also increased through social media, web stories, a legislative resolution, a spread in a local business magazine, and media including an extended interview on a local NPR affiliate of UC Davis client and champion figure skater and national celebrity Brian Boitano. And finally, we knew we were successful based on the number of positive comments and smiles we received throughout the entire anniversary—it was a true celebration.
From the Judges
UC Davis earned top honors for its outstanding commemoration of 75 years of excellence in veterinary medicine. The campaign combined storytelling, historical milestones, and community engagement to highlight the school’s global impact and leadership in animal health.
