Work Samples Prepared for:

Situation

The nation’s first public university, UNC-Chapel Hill continuously innovates in the fields of teaching, research, and service to better the lives of North Carolina citizens and people around the world. But in 2014—a time of state and national discord, marked by an erosion in public school funding—the school’s promise of “education for all” was being challenged. Leadership recognized a significant need to incorporate development and fundraising into its strategic communications planning and, that year, entered into the silent phase of a comprehensive campaign that would rely heavily on the generosity of individual donors. Shortly after, in 2015—24 months out from the planned public launch of the campaign—160over90 was engaged to capture UNC-Chapel Hill’s dynamic and progressive spirit, quell lingering trust issues, and rally private support to secure its public education mission.

Solution

During the course of a three-year engagement, 160over90 worked closely with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Development team to translate the University’s core strategies—“Of the People, For the People” and “Innovation Made Fundamental”—into a compelling fundraising campaign platform.

In the first year of partnership, we articulated campaign priorities; developed an authentic and ownable campaign name and identity, For All Kind: The Campaign for Carolina; and crafted a messaging platform that would convey UNC-Chapel Hill’s mission as a global, public research university, dedicated to serving the state.

In year two, to shape an uncommon case for support and achieve University-wide campaign alignment, 160over90 developed a master case statement as well as case statements for every school and unit across UNC-Chapel Hill—including Carolina Performing Arts, the Institute for Arts & Humanities, the North Carolina Botanical Gardens, the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, and the University Libraries—simultaneously delivering customization and message consistency. 

Nearing launch, we developed a campaign microsite to house incredible stories of impact and direct audiences to give in different ways. And to underscore ambition, aspirations, and advancements linked to the campaign, we produced a powerful anthem video that debuted at the October 2017 launch and is still leveraged today. 

Finally, for the first year the campaign was public, 160over90 planned and directed a targeted media buy, seeding the campaign creative into the market in a way that drove awareness, engaged brand stewards, and incited unprecedented support.

Results

For All Kind raised $5.1 billion by the campaign wrap in December 2022, exceeding its $4.25 billion goal and becoming the first university in the South (and one of only 16 universities in the U.S.) to surpass the $5 billion mark. More than 230,000 donors stepped up and contributed nearly 420,000 gifts, resulting in more than $1 billion for scholarships and fellowships and $3.28 billion for faculty, research, and innovation.

SITUATION

Globally recognized, highly sought-after, and known as the most applied-to school in the country, The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) holds a gravitas that few universities can rival. It’s where the Internet first blinked to life. Where racial integration began, decades before Brown v. Board of Education. Where Nobel Laureates, Academy Award winners, Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurs, rock stars and Hall of Famers, and inventors and initiators got their start. A penchant for firsts and a pattern of fierce independence is part of UCLA’s DNA, ensuring its outcomes span the breadth of human endeavor. But it’s also led to decentralization and University-wide struggles to cohesively communicate impact.

In 2011, with its centennial celebration and an upcoming comprehensive campaign on the horizon, UCLA recognized the need to redefine itself in the eyes of the public, calling on 160over90 to first create a brand platform—and in time, a campaign narrative—that would elevate perceptions and reposition UCLA as a world-leading University.

SOLUTION

160over90 identified a common thread in this complex, wildly diverse, multidimensional institution—a palpable sense of optimism. Just about every student, faculty, and staff member exuded an air of informed optimism and infectious enthusiasm, and were certain they could make a difference. This inspiring ethos became the through-line of the new brand, “Optimists.”

We launched a star-studded reputational campaign featuring film icons James Dean and Francis Ford Coppola; athletes Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Jackie Robinson, and famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden; and scientific discoverers from astronaut Anna Lee Fisher to Internet founder Vinton Cerf—all UCLA alumni, and all game changers in their respective fields who shared a common, unyielding optimism. It came to life through nationally broadcast TV spots, outdoor, digital, radio, print, and social. Optimism was infused throughout viewbooks, acceptance packages, and the .edu. And it was applied across all 12 colleges, the health system, advancement, and athletics—unifying an $8 billion, 42-unit institution under one brand voice.

All of this set the stage for UCLA’s $4.2 billion centennial campaign, which launched in 2014. 160over90 drew inspiration from the “Optimists” platform and the UC System motto, introducing a purposefully open-ended campaign theme—“Let There Be ____”—that was flexible enough to extend to and encompass all facets of the UCLA community. To best promote engagement and investment, we focused on dynamic digital and video content featuring personal anecdotes. Priorities were clearly articulated, and real-time progress was tracked.

Finally, 160over90 developed a brand identity for UCLA’s centennial celebration, which doubled as the campaign close-out. “Lighting The Way” recognized remarkable leaps forward in the institution’s first 100 years, and set the stage for a second century of breakthroughs. We developed key assets, templates, and robust guidelines for stakeholders to bring the brand to life across special logo lockups, collateral for UCLA’s schools and departments, and third-party event partnerships. And given that UCLA has grown up with LA for 100 years—together, pioneering culture, innovations, and advancements—we concepted both traditional and unexpected ways to own the relationship with the city, from light-pole banners across key high-traffic neighborhoods, to UCLA takeovers of some of LA’s most iconic landmarks [think LAX and Staples Center].

RESULTS

Today, the “Optimist” brand ethos has permeated every inch of UCLA, driving sentiment and core business statistics. TV spots have pulled in more than 5 million views on social media alone, and 500 million media impressions. Already the most-applied to school in the country, UCLA has experienced a 36% lift in applications.

Of note, the “Let There Be” fundraising campaign saw 214,000 donors and more than 549,000 gifts, eclipsing UCLA’s $4.2 billion goal and raising $5.49 billion in total. And UCLA has maintained the coveted #1 US News & World Report ranking in Public Universities, cementing its standing as a leader in teaching, research, and service for the advancement of society.

Situation

In 2018, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School was looking forward to a milestone year. 2019 marked both the 100th anniversary of the school and the 25th anniversary of its naming.

Keenly aware of the storytelling potential on the horizon, the Dean and CMO engaged long-time partner 160over90 for a commemorative branding engagement designed to honor the school’s legacy of answering the call of business, and usher Goizueta into its next century as a model for what business education will be. 

Solution

In building the anniversary platform, 160over90 honed in on the intrinsic correlation between virtuous business practice and public benefit—a commitment uniquely carried out by Goizueta Business School. The school’s namesake, Roberto Goizueta—former chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola—is one of the most respected business leaders of the 20th century, famed for creating shareholder value but also for stewarding an organization that puts people first. And [former] Dean Erika James—an award-winning educator and crisis management researcher—has long espoused the power of principled leadership.

With this in mind, 160over90 focused attention on business’ true purpose—to operate in service to society at large, improving quality of life for all—and crafted a values-driven Goizueta Beyond campaign that hit airwaves, online, and OOH. The campaign invited future students and fellow business leaders to go beyond the profits, beyond the bottom line, and beyond a transactional business education.

We built a dedicated microsite, goizuetabeyond.com, featuring 100 stories [in celebration of the 100th anniversary] that embody empowerment, creativity, empathy, and the continual pursuit of better in business.

To underscore Goizueta’s principled approach to education, we penned 100 business principles that Goizueta looks to live out every day—like “making a living and saving a life should coincide,” and “integrity is the expectation, not the exception.”

We worked with Dean James to champion a “Virtue Capitalism” platform punctuated by open letters to business, local and national media placements, and a series of high-profile industry speaking engagements.

And in late 2019, we produced an anniversary impact report [doubling as a commemorative, high-end coffee-table book] that encapsulates all that Goizueta Business School stands for and has done in service of a better society—what we coined “The Goizueta Effect.” It debuted at a formal anniversary celebration event, planned and presented in coordination with The Goizueta Foundation to honor Roberto Goizueta’s legacy.

Results

Specific to the anniversary, the Goizueta Beyond campaign and associated efforts contributed to a $30 million gift from The Goizueta Foundation in December 2019—the largest gift in Goizueta school history.

Moreover, our work and five-year partnership have yielded year-over-year growth in program interest, peer perception, and corporate partnerships/philanthropic support. Goizueta has seen a double-digit increase in leads across MBA programs, notably in entrepreneurship and social enterprise, as well as a marked increase in quality/fit of candidates.

Penn Libraries is one of the most prestigious library systems in existence. A place where ancient inspiration meets future innovation. But they struggled with the misconception that a library is a “museum for books.” 160over90 partnered with them to redefine the space and position Penn Libraries as a radical resource for discovery–a time machine of sorts, complete with guides to take your wherever and whenever you want to be. We articulated this in a bold campaign concept, and then executed brand guidelines, photoshoot, and an annual report.