An image from UC’s award-winning redesigned undergraduate admissions website: admission.universityofcalifornia.edu

UCOP has won several CASE District VII Awards of Excellence this year — one gold, four silvers and one bronze. These prestigious awards recognize organizations that demonstrate outstanding alumni relations, fundraising, public/government relations, advancement services, special events, and marketing and communications. Experts from all disciplines throughout the district judge the entries in more than 60 categories. View the full list of winners. Here are UCOP’s award-winning projects.

GOLD

UC admissions site
Category: Digital Communications, Websites

The redesigned UC admissions site launched in 2019 to complement the redesigned UC application. The site now features a more efficient navigation system, content that is accessible all year and an engaging, vibrant design; it is responsive and accessible across all devices. Judges described it as “a beautiful site, with meaningful and very intentional design. A focus on specifically increasing mobile traffic for an admissions site was an important result.”

SILVER

LinkedIn Live alumni
Category: Alumni Relations, Targeted Constituency Engagement

When LinkedIn launched LinkedIn Live — a live-video broadcast service — the University of California was invited to be part of the beta launch. Now an interactive, bimonthly series, “UC Career Insights” provides meaningful, quick career advice to a broader base of constituents on LinkedIn Live. Judges noted, “This program did an excellent job of reaching a new audience looking for second careers. The video was informative and engaging.”

UCAN Student Ambassador Instagram shorts
Category: Student Recruitment Videos

Starring UC and UCAN Student Ambassador alum Mark Sebarrotin, this short video was created to persuade students to apply to the UC Advocacy Network (UCAN) Student Ambassador Program. The video empowers students to recognize that they can use their voice to influence lawmakers and shape legislative outcomes that impact their lives. “We found this piece to be a good use of a popular media channel, with strong outcomes. The production values and techniques were well-chosen for the platform and audience,” said judges.

Opportunity rising: Celebrating Women’s History Month visually
Category: Social Media – Student Life

This social media campaign profiled current students and UC community members who were doing their part to empower other women in diverse ways. “The quality of work and the different interactive components to tell a nuanced story broke out of the typical ‘higher education’ model and helped it stand apart. Great, campaign-based social media content covering important subject matter,” noted judges.

UCAN gymnast spot
Category: PSAs and Commercial Spots

This short and lively PSA/targeted ad highlighted the viral ‘Perfect 10’ video that made UCLA alumna/gymnast, Katelyn Ohashi, a social media sensation. It was created to boost Californians’ participation in the UC Advocacy Network (UCAN). Judges said: “We appreciated the ‘less is more’ aspect of this video, and its effective use of an influencer to boost the campaign’s efforts. The video includes a clear call to action: Be a UC Advocate.”

BRONZE

Defending DACA recipients
Category: Public Relations and Community Relations Projects

In fall 2019, UC’s case challenging the Trump Administration’s intention to end DACA — a policy that has allowed nearly 700,000 young people, brought to the U.S. as children, to live, work, and study in the U.S. without fear of deportation — reached the Supreme Court. UC’s Governmental Relations, Marketing and Communications and Media Relations teams launched a multi-faceted three-month campaign branded “Defend DACA.” It attracted thousands of new supporters and high-profile media coverage and united the UC community. It also set the table for further advocacy by engaging top government leaders. Judges noted that this was “a highly collaborative and well-thought-out campaign with clear goals and objectives, matched with a huge impact, given the investment. The design is clear and simple yet creative. An example of a strong, effective entry with timely content.”

Participating teams

Congratulations to the following UCOP teams who helped bring these projects to life:

• Constituent Engagement
• Executive Communications & Engagement
• Federal Governmental Relations
• Internal Communications
• Information Technology Services
• Marketing Communications
• State Governmental Relations
• Strategic Communications & Media Relations

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