At 1:57 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024, the afternoon sky in Burfordville, Missouri, waned to deep, dusky blue: the mesmerizing result of a total solar eclipse. For the 600+ Washington University stargazers scattered across the grassy fields of the Bollinger Mill State Historic Site, it was four minutes and eleven seconds of pure astronomical bliss. The 2024 solar eclipse thrust the often-overlooked Midwest to the forefront of global headlines. At just 100 miles in diameter, hotels in the “eclipse zone” were booked months in advance, and Missouri interstates were, as newscasters repeatedly warned, expected to be gridlocked. Located just an hour and 17 minutes north of the path of totality, Washington University Arts & Sciences was uniquely positioned to give our Instagram followers an unfiltered, front-row seat to a moment not to be witnessed again in the contiguous U.S. until 2044. By using the real-time, authentic storytelling power of Instagram stories, our marketing team made the 251 seconds of totality just as awe-inspiring for our followers watching from the university’s St. Louis campus.
From the Judges
A well-done and well-planned campaign that leveraged a unique occurrence to drive engagement.
