From the Nominator

The Yale and Harvard Alumni Associations (YAA and HAA) joined forces for the love of "The Game." This institutional collaboration transformed our historic rivalry into an inclusive digital celebration for alumni of both institutions to enjoy together. Recognizing the potential to pivot from competition to camaraderie, this initiative was sparked by connections formed within the CASE network and sets a new standard for alumni engagement. The campaign spanned Instagram, Facebook, and YAA/HAA official websites to spotlight shared Yale/Harvard stories, emphasizing the interconnectivity between our institutions and their traditions. With a rich mix of content, including in-depth articles, collaborative posts on Instagram, a live game-day simulcast, and a co-produced trivia video, our strategy aimed to engage alumni in a playful, inclusive manner. This innovative approach not only celebrated The Game itself but also fostered a space where alumni from both institutions felt equally valued. The initiative achieved measurable results, amassing a total of 583,000 impressions, 51,000 engagements, and a combined 8% engagement rate across both institutions’ social media accounts. The YAA’s website attracted a further 8,467 page views, showcasing the campaign’s ability to draw significant alumni interest. These metrics underscore the campaign's success in reaching and engaging the alumni community and demonstrate the power and potential of creative, collaborative efforts in alumni engagement. Serving as a model for future collaborations, this project highlights the impact of leveraging networks like CASE to inspire impactful, innovative projects.

From the Judges

We were impressed by the originality of replicating a corporate rivalry idea, which brought significant benefits to both institutions. The innovative approach demonstrated a keen understanding of their audiences and delivered outstanding results, setting a new standard for excellence.