Capstone Campaign
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Capstone Campaign 〰️
Picture this: A brand new organization, a healthy campaign competition between classmates, and the task of getting inside the minds of potential donors. This is a very high-level description of this capstone project, but an accurate one nonetheless.
What is the Archway Partnership?
This program was created to encourage university students from rural counties to return home for the summer for internship experience. This would not only help reduce brain drain from these counties, but it would also give students valuable exposure to their industries (with a stipend included!).
What We Did: We were tasked with executing a campaign, from comprehensive research and design to pitching our final book to the client. Our target audience was prospective donors and hosts for the interns, so it was essential to create value for them.
In addition to secondary research, we ran a focus group to ask donors and hosts what would encourage them to participate in the program. From there, we formed our strategic messaging and deliverables using research and feedback from the focus group and client. We pitched our ideas, our logo, and final designs to the client, and received wonderful feedback (we thought we were shoe ins as the winners).
Our Strategy: Our big idea was to “Build Bridges Back Home” through the Routes to Roots program. By sponsoring, hiring, or hosting interns, participants would help build bridges back to their rural counties for the next generation, allowing them return back to their roots. These alliterations were the result of a culmination of a semester of decoding the donor and host thought process and attempting to create a relevant and meaningful message.
Example Deliverables
The Result!
I’m sure you’re probably wondering who won the contest. Truth is, I’m still wondering that myself! Ultimately, each group got a thumbs up from the client, a letter grade, and a metaphorical participation trophy. The client ended up taking bits and pieces of each group’s work and not crowning a winner, but they said it’s because “every group did exceptional work,” so that’s what I’m running with.
View the full campaign book here!