Brand Champions: Build a Complete Case
The messaging behind the "Because This Is Auburn" campaign's print fundraising materials moved donors' hearts and minds enough to help the Alabama institution reach its $1 billion goal one year early. Auburn's Development Communications and Marketing staff worked with the marketing firm Ologie to create an overarching campaign case statement, brief publications on ways to give and the importance of endowments and gift planning, as well as individual case statements for 22 colleges, schools, and units. The campaign folder kit and array of print pieces enabled university fundraisers to distribute information tailored to donors' interest areas.
Auburn University collected a 2016 Circle of Excellence Award, Gold, for its "Because This Is Auburn" fundraising publications package.
Cognitive Cocktails: Mixing Bars and Brainpower
More than 1,000 people walked into 20 different bars in Australia
in October 2015 to hear 20 University of Sydney faculty members simultaneously discuss provocative topics ranging from myths about marijuana to why some Muslim women wear a veil and others don't. The goal? To attract the interest of prospective graduate students ages 25 to 40 and generate attention across social and journalistic media channels. The sold-out event exceeded the institution's targets. "Raising the Bar Sydney" became a trending topic on Twitter, reaching more than 50,000 users. It also earned coverage in print, radio, and online outlets and received high marks from 96 percent of participants, who said they would attend again.
The University of Sydney toasted to a 2016 Circle of Excellence Award, Silver, in the single-day special events category.