From the judges: We appreciated the comprehensive nature of the campaign, including the very productive earned media push and the addition of several new communications tools, with the newsletter, video series, fact sheets and more. Strong messaging and multi-platform approach provided a great way to inform stakeholders about how the University of Wisconsin can help drive solutions to issues surrounding the pandemic. Nice work!
UW-Madison COVID-19 Stakeholder Communications
Category
Communications > Communications Pivot
Description
Award: Gold
Institution: University of Wisconsin Madison
Title of Entry: UW-Madison COVID-19 Stakeholder Communications
About this Entry: As the world pivoted to address COVID-19, so did the communication strategy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For years, our messaging framework was built to showcase how UW-Madison changes lives through our research, education, outreach and economic development. In our marketing and outreach, these messaging priorities have been central to communicate with state residents, policymakers, alumni, business leaders and other stakeholders. As COVID-19 upended our lives, plans and budgets in March of 2020, we knew our messages – and how those messages would be delivered – required a fast and timely refresh.
Facing pandemic-related financial shortfalls, a difficult state budget, and uncertain enrollment season, we confronted two major marketing and communication challenges:
• How could we show legislators, influencers and other stakeholders that UW-Madison is a key driver of solutions to the state’s current challenges?
• How could we demonstrate that increased investment in UW during this challenging time is good for the state?
Over the ensuing months, our message would shift to focus on how UW-Madison’s research, expertise and job-creating capabilities are essential to helping the state's institutions, businesses and residents recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
Our teams then built, cultivated and amplified new COVID-19 content and messaging across campus, creating a host of new storytelling channels and opportunities for engagement along the way, including new series’, PR campaigns, a website, collateral, a paid campaign and more.
The resulting work generated millions of impressions, created new opportunities for engagement and laid the groundwork for a stronger UW-Madison.