In 2018, Alumni Reunion (the University of Toronto’s annual alumni weekend) underwent a total creative revamp designed to align it with the university’s brand and generate a deeper, more emotive connection between alumni and the university. Leveraging the brand, we developed a fully integrated, omni-channel marketing experience that launched with a “save the date” and flowed seamlessly through Alumni Reunion weekend.
Our creative concept, “So Many Beginnings,” tapped into the transformative nature of our alumni’s university days: first times, "eureka" moments, and the special people who shaped who we are. Rather than approaching alumni as passive receivers of messages, we made them the stars of the show, inviting them to be creators of marketing content—to revisit pivotal U of T moments, create new ones, and share their stories in print, digital, and social media formats.
From the Judges
Reunions rarely get this level of custom branding, and U of T did an outstanding job. We enjoyed seeing how the team created an entire experience through the attendee journey, paying attention to consistent branding at so many points (the banners, lamp posts, tree messages). Judges could immediately see the impact and excitement this campaign had on the U of T community. Providing the social media reactions greatly influenced how we saw the success of the campaign. Turning the attendees' engagement with the campaign into a further part of the campaign was a great way to reinforce the welcoming, inclusive nature of the experience.
