I. Communication Challenge
Travers Collins was approached by the University at Buffalo to publicize the findings of a recently completed economic impact study in an effort to raise awareness of their UB 2020 strategic plan.
II. Strategy and Execution
Realizing this announcement had much greater potential, we proposed the university create a public education campaign to galvanize the community through education and grassroots support, ultimately serving as legislative advocates for increased support from New York State.
TC recommended the university create an advocacy group made up of members of the community, business leaders, alumni and students. The group would become UB’s ambassadors and play a key role in the education of elected officials and other regional decision makers to raise awareness of the important role the university plays in the Buffalo-Niagara region.
In collaboration with the University we executed the following activities:
- Named the group – UB Believers – and created a look and feel for its campaign
- Recruited a diverse group of well-connected individuals to be the initial members and help with ongoing member-recruitment
- Held a standing-room only kick-off event
- Developed a message platform, collateral materials, web content and a strategy to continually engage members and recruit new ones
- Created a schedule of community and university events to promote the group and its goals and recruit members
III. Outcome
- Less than six months into the campaign the UB Believers advocacy group swelled to more than 4,000 members – putting us ahead of schedule to meet a goal of 5,000 by the end of the year
- We helped raise awareness of the University’s strategic plan and funding goals among key elected officials, including then Governor Eliot Spitzer, who pledged to support UB’s 2020 strategic plan in his State of the State address
- The campaign received positive media coverage in The Buffalo News and on the popular blog Buffalo Rising
The local chamber of commerce designated UB’s strategic plan for growth as one of their priority issues
