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Proposal to:
The University of Cincinnati Foundation/UC Bicentennial
06/02/2017
CREATING A MEMORABLE BICENTENNIAL
312.356.8000
200 South Michigan Avenue, 16th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604
lipmanhearne.com [email protected] #thatswide
Lipman Hearne 2
WE WANT YOU TO GO WIDE. Because wide is where
the answers are. Wide contains the small, overlooked detail
and the expanse of the landscape. Wide sees it all and misses
nothing. Wide is strategic and focused. Wide is disciplined.
Wide is the space we occupy. And we want you to be there,
too. So widen your expectations. We’ll show you how.
This proposal contains proprietary information and is confidential.
Lipman Hearne 3
Table of Contents
About Us 4
Our Understanding 5
Our Approach 7
Budget 17
Our UC Bicentennial Team 19
Case Studies & References 28
Lipman Hearne 4
About Us
Lipman Hearne provides marketing communications strategies and solutions
to strengthen visionary institutions. From brand development to digital
platforms, from capital campaign support to awareness generating programs,
our job is to clear new paths to success for our clients.
Qualifications and Resources
With almost 60 professional staff members representing a full range of
disciplines, we have worked with many of the best foundations, advocacy
organizations, cultural institutions, and universities in the country. Drawing
on our combined expertise in brand building, philanthropic marketing, and
communications, we offer a full array of services to help organizations
achieve identity, positioning, visibility, and fundraising goals. What’s more,
we are a fully integrated, full-service marketing and communications agency.
For our clients, this means that outcomes result from the work of leaders
with proven expertise in the nonprofit space.
Our History
Lipman Hearne can trace its roots to the founding of Lipman Design in 1966
and of Hearne Communications in 1969. The two companies worked closely
together on behalf of a number of large clients, including the University of
Chicago, the Institute of European Studies, and the John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation. In 1988 the companies merged, creating Lipman
Hearne, Inc.
Our Services Include:
Philanthropic Communications
Research
Brand Development
Marketing Communications
Creative & Design Services
Digital Services
Enrollment Marketing
Social Media
Media Strategy & Buying
Lipman Hearne 5
Our Understanding
“The University of Cincinnati story is unfolding one Boldly Bearcat moment at a time. Our Bicentennial celebration honors the past, elevates the present and bends the future. It propels us onward to our next exciting quest in an epic of unlimited possibilities.”
-- President Neville G. Pinto
The University of Cincinnati Bicentennial is an important pivot point—an
opportunity to celebrate the history and accomplishments of the past, while
stimulating the collective imagination of the University’s many fans and
stakeholders about an equally bold future.
Today, nearly 300,000 living alumni count themselves as Bearcats — united
by a set of shared experiences, a sense of community, and the people and
ideas that make up the University of Cincinnati. And, as the largest employer
in the region with a powerful economic footprint, UC’s impact can be
measured and felt across generations and sectors.
We understand that the bicentennial campaign, Boldly Bearcat, can be a
mechanism to invite and inspire UC stakeholders to new levels of pride and
engagement—and that this success can lay the groundwork for the
University’s next comprehensive campaign, as new stories of UC inspiration
and impact are told and shared.
We’re committed to collaborating with you to build on the foundational work
the Bicentennial team has put in place—to translate the creative brief,
messaging, and themes to new creative executions that inspire evangelism
from your champions and prompt new levels of engagement from friends
and acquaintances within the University of Cincinnati universe.
What’s more, Lipman Hearne has skin in the game: Our founder, Bob
Lipman, is an alumnus of UC/DAAP, as is art director Matt Mefford, who will
be one of our creative leads on this assignment.
Lipman Hearne 6
Our Understanding (cont.)
Lipman Hearne’s deep experience and love for UC is rooted in our more than
14 years of enrollment marketing and brand-building for the University. We
are endlessly curious, creative and adaptable, and will build on our existing
knowledge to generate new insights and create new modes of connection
and interaction.
Our process is iterative and collaborative, and we will share findings and best
practices to refine our approach in partnership with the leadership team to
ensure optimal use of resources.
Lipman Hearne 7
Our Approach
1 Discovery
3 Marketing
Plan
4 Campaign
Execution
2 Campaign
Branding
Lipman Hearne develops tailored integrated communications plans and
programs based on insight, creative intelligence and an ongoing collaboration
with our clients. And our smart, strategic approach ensures synergy,
coordination, and optimal use of resources. The subsequent pages describe
our proposed, customized work plan for the UC Foundation and University of
Cincinnati Bicentennial.
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 8
Discovery
At the start of the engagement, Lipman Hearne will focus attention on
thoroughly understanding all aspects of the UC Bicentennial that have been
discussed, planned and developed to date. We’ll begin our work by unpacking
the thinking around and importance of “Boldly Bearcat” as the Bicentennial
tagline, and similarly, we’ll want to absorb insights from all of the planning
intake, messaging, and discussions that have taken place so far. Our goal: a
comprehensive understanding of the important work that the Bicentennial
Team has already accomplished, to ensure that our future work together
builds effectively from this strong strategic foundation. We want to leverage
the Bicentennial Team’s existing strengths, and not waste time reinventing
the smart decisions of the past.
Our Discovery work will include:
A kickoff meeting with our project counterparts to define roles and
responsibilities, and reconfirm the work plan and engagement
deliverables.
An intake and immersion visit, which will include dedicated Team
Collaboration time. We want to provide both our team and yours with an
opportunity to more fully get to know each other, so we can create a
powerful and collaborative working environment early on based on
mutual respect and understanding.
Development of a Strategy Brief to capture key criteria that our work
products must satisfy, and to establish an overall strategic framework for
campaign communications.
Kickoff, Materials Review, & Environmental Scan
We’ll begin the engagement by meeting (via phone and/or screen-sharing
interface) with our core UC Bicentennial team counterparts to reconfirm the
work plan and engagement deliverables and to clarify roles and
responsibilities. This will include a discussion of the work that was developed
by 160over90, so we can understand the strengths and concerns that are top
of mind for your team. We’ll also want to review UC’s current marketing and
communications materials to understand how you currently engage with the
community, including internal communications, alumni and donor-related
communications, any current Bicentennial communications, community
stakeholder communication efforts, and more.
1
Discovery
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 9
Intake & Immersion Visit
Following our kickoff meeting, we’ll work with the project team to organize a
Cincinnati campus (and beyond) intake and immersion visit. This will allow
our team to become more fully immersed in the Bicentennial experience, and
will include time for us to connect with individuals and groups that the UC
Bicentennial team believes will be most helpful for us to hear from.
Our initial thinking is that we’ll have a team of four visit with you on campus
and in the city—our EVP/relationship lead, account director, creative director,
and senior writer—for a two-day period that will entail:
A working strategy session, to include the Lipman Hearne team, the
Bicentennial project team, and key leaders from the board and
Foundation leadership (as appropriate).
Several one-on-one and/or small group interviews with key
administrators, faculty, staff, a representative selection of students, key
Bicentennial campaign leaders, and representatives of the Cincinnati
community who will be active participants in the Bicentennial effort.
Some of these discussions might be held off campus, so we can gain a
sense of how Bicentennial partners outside of the University are viewing
things from their own city-based perspectives.
A half-day Team Collaboration session. This will involve our team and the
core staff members of the UC Bicentennial team, and will allow for both
our teams to better understand each others’ strengths, to collaborate
and brainstorm on the marketing plan, and to begin developing a sense
of teamwork that will be essential for a successful Bicentennial campaign
outcome. We will include group exercises to facilitate the process, and
will end with a team dinner together off campus.
We’ll work to create an efficient schedule for the visit and will prepare
question sets and discussion guides for the interviews to ensure that we are
optimizing our time onsite, and will review these with the project team to
ensure we are aligned on what we’ll discuss and learn.
Deliverable: Once our Intake visit is completed, we will draft and share a
Strategy Brief document that summarizes our observations and insights,
captures key criteria that our work product must satisfy, and establishes an
overall strategic framework (or recommended adjustment to the current
framework) for all Bicentennial campaign communications.
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 10
Campaign Branding We will develop a branded approach for the Bicentennial campaign through
graphics, visual style, photography, inspirational copy, and a treatment for the
campaign name—Boldly Bearcat—that will help underscore the campaign’s
character and reinforce the campaign’s distinction from other business-as-
usual University of Cincinnati materials. We’ll take into consideration existing
UC and Foundation brand guidelines and identity standards—and the work
performed to date by 160over90—to make explicit recommendations
concerning how the campaign’s visual vocabulary should interface with other
University of Cincinnati marks.
Message Translation
Building on the framework that emerges from the discovery process, we will
craft a set of succinct, compelling bicentennial message translations from
which we, you, and other communicators can draw language and inspiration
going forward. In our experience, such a messaging translation tool kit is
invaluable in empowering key spokespeople to tell a cohesive story yet still
make it their own—both leading up to the Bicentennial and beyond.
Our methodology involves synthesizing what we learned in intake; conducting
follow-up phone interviews and discussions; drafting, reviewing with you, and
revising the message translation document; and then demonstrating how the
message set is best used. Together, our message translations will help further
define what it means to be Boldly Bearcat, and will inform the voice, tone, and
structure of all the communications efforts that will follow.
Deliverable: A set of campaign message translations addressing the UC
Bicentennial’s key constituencies, each developed to further the
understanding of Boldly Bearcat and the importance of the Bicentennial
celebration.
2
Campaign Branding
Campaign Brand Guidelines
Our campaign brand guide will address
graphic guidelines, campaign messages,
themeline usage, and editorial voice,
providing clear definitions and usage
directions for all of UC’s Bicentennial
partners. As seen in the samples for Lions
Club International and the University of
Sydney, the guidelines will also include
brand hierarchy—an architectural schema
for treatment of the campaign brand, and
how it applies to the institutional brand.
We expect the guide to be both an
instructive tool and a rallying cry for
internal audiences.
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 11
Campaign Creative Concept & Brand Mark
A compelling creative concept will serve as the foundation for the look and
feel of all communications for the UC Bicentennial as they evolve over the
life of the campaign, and can be interpreted for materials as the needs
evolve. Our first step will be to conduct a creative intake session and develop
a creative criteria document, that will include:
Assumptions about expected usage situations for the campaign
expression.
Specific information about the technical and creative components for
the brand mark (colors, images, symbols that can be in or out, etc.).
Insights from our review of the University of Cincinnati’s traditional and
social graphics, visual identity, and existing materials.
We will share the document with the UC Bicentennial team for discussion.
We’ll then create two campaign ad concepts, each including a different
expression of the brand mark itself, in context. The selected direction will
then be translated into a proof of concept presentation; the selected
concept materials could include items such as print and email newsletters, a
PowerPoint application, digital “hero” elements for the Bicentennial website,
bus wraps and more. Our concepts will bring to life all that the Bicentennial
team is looking for with regard to a celebratory feel and vibrancy.
Finalizing the Campaign Graphic Identity
The selected graphic identity approach will come out of our concept work
where we will be sharing the mark in context. We know that the mark itself
will have many uses and applications over the course of the Bicentennial
celebration and we will present and then fine tune the campaign identity to
ensure its quality, legibility, and flexibility across applications (print, digital,
and social), and in multiple size formats as well.
Deliverable: Creative criteria document to be shared and discussed with the
project team.
Deliverable: Two campaign concepts, each with recommended “Boldly
Bearcat” graphic ID approaches embedded and in context. One round of
revision to the selected direction will be provided prior to finalization.
Deliverable: Final files in multiple color variations and formats for use in
various media.
EXAMPLES OF OUR IDENTITY
WORK
Vanderbilt University
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 12
Style Guide
The goal of the campaign style guide is to establish strategic and
creative guidelines for both internal and external communicators that
set forth a consistent and compelling way of telling the UC Bicentennial
story. It will provide clear guidance on how to uniformly express and
adhere to the campaign brand. We will work with the UC Bicentennial
team to determine the level and specificity of the guide, but at minimum
the guide will provide suggestions and rules around use of messaging,
themeline, graphic ID, and graphic approach to the campaign.
Pending the team’s budget parameters and preferences, we can extend
the guide to make it a more comprehensive tool—a resource that
provides the building blocks for expressing the campaign personality in
editorial communications, photography, and visuals represented by a
few sample applications. This piece will be an aid to managing the
institutional voice by directing the proper and consistent application of
the campaign brand, as well as points of connection to the overall
University of Cincinnati brand.
Phase 3: Marketing Plan
Strategic Agenda
The marketing plan is the strategic agenda for bringing the UC
Bicentennial campaign to life. It will detail the touch points, strategies,
channels, and tactics to reach both new and existing audiences and will
broaden the circle of engagement and celebration.
As part of our campus immersion visit, we’ll incorporate time to
collaborate with the working team to define objectives, identify and
prioritize audiences, and brainstorm strategies, channels, and tactics to
bring the Bicentennial to life. This will be an opportunity to share
creative approaches to messaging that go beyond traditional means, to
explore best practices together, and identify novel solutions. By
initiating the communications plan via workshop, our objective is to
create opportunities for collaboration and to share ideas and innovate
together.
3
Marketing Plan
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 13
The plan will focus on:
Marketing objectives
Target audiences and their needs
The influencer audiences of greatest significance
The most effective tactics to reach key audiences
Measurement suggestions for marketing tactics
Materials (print, digital, video, training tools, etc.) to use in the
communication of the campaign throughout the Bicentennial period
The ways in which the campaign key messages might be
augmented, translated across disparate channels, and integrated
with existing communications, including UC Magazine, individual
school publications, and more
Recommendations for generating public engagement outside of the
University—including integrating with planned special events, as
well as other effective marketing channels by which to raise
awareness among alumni, Cincinnatians, and the broader national
audience
The engagement of the internal UC community (i.e., faculty, staff,
students, and governing boards)
The framework for a public relations/media plan, including
development of a social media plan
A digital engagement strategy to guide social applications, and
prioritization of the best digital components to develop for engaging
the University’s key audiences
Paid media recommendations (if warranted): We can develop a
comprehensive media plan drawing on standard consumer research
tools, including Simmons, MRI, Kantar, Arbitron, and Nielsen to dig
deeper into the psychographic profiles and media consumption
habits of the Bicentennial target audiences, and identify the most
effective media to reach them.
Deliverable: A comprehensive plan, in presentation format, with
descriptions of the tactics for each phase of the campaign, and a general
timeline for creating and executing tactics.
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 14
4
Campaign Implementation
Phase 4: Campaign Implementation
Communication Deliverables
In this phase of work we will develop the Bicentennial campaign’s market-
ing materials across multiple channels and tactics. This means we’ll create
detailed project plans, production schedules, book maps, storyboards, vid-
eo scripts and treatments, photography schedules, and more as we organ-
ize and produce the communications that will explain, motivate, and ener-
gize UC’s key constituencies.
Importantly, while we have the in-house capacity to do it all for you, we will
be working closely with the UC Bicentennial team to leverage your internal
strengths, and to provide the team with a solid foundation for continuing
the campaign beyond the time of our engagement. Below, we have provid-
ed our perspective on the initial deliverables to be developed, as outlined in
the RFP.
Anthem Video
We will develop a 5-7 minute video for the Bicentennial, including treat-
ment, concept direction, script, storyboard, location scouting and oversight
of the video shoot. Our team will collaborate closely with the UC Bicenten-
nial team in the development of this important piece, and we will do so
with an eye toward cost efficiencies whenever possible.
The RFP asked that our quote for this portion of the work include examples
in a comparable range. As you’ll see on our budget page, we estimate the
UC Bicentennial’s anthem video to cost between $160-285,000—the actual
price will be dependent upon the specific concept that we develop and that
the team selects, and is largely dependent upon the number of shoot days
that will be required. For comparison, here are some other anthem video
prices for work that Lipman Hearne has produced:
University of Miami “Momentum 2”: $200,000 (4 minute video)
University of Texas/Arlington: $300,000 (7 minute video)
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 15
Video Series
Our proposal includes completion of a series of 10 vignette videos,
each :30-:45 in length, that will be used as complements to the anthem
video and will focus on key elements of celebration within the
Bicentennial. The topics may include UC innovations, famous alumni,
the University’s impact on the greater regional community—we will
determine priorities in collaboration with the UC Bicentennial team as an
outgrowth of our anthem video planning. We expect this series to be
produced from both anthem video footage and production work (50%),
and from new video shot specifically for this purpose (50%).
We’ve provided a range of pricing for this work. We anticipate that the
budget could be on the lower end if we work closely with your team and
carefully plan the work as part of a comprehensive effort in conjunction
with the anthem video. In working with you, we will also discuss the
possibility of entertaining other approaches to address this video
interest. For example, we recently completed work for the University of
the Pacific that resulted in a longer (1:30) video piece that allowed
development of a more emotionally driven story, for a budget of $70K.
This approach might yield fewer total videos, but might provide for more
impactful communications overall.
Examples of our videos, including our newest University of the Pacific
work, are available at: https://www.lipmanhearne.com/
port_pg_samples/ucincinnati_foundation/
Website Design
We believe it critical that the UC Bicentennial have a website that, while
aligning with the University’s overall presence, creates a unique and
special opportunity for connecting all of your key constituencies with the
celebration. Our work with Rutgers University in developing their
dedicated 250th anniversary website has given us a particularly strong
understanding of the best ways for insuring these constituencies can all
feel welcomed and engaged throughout the length of the Bicentennial
period—regardless of location or age. The Bicentennial website will be a
truly global endeavor, boldly welcoming and engaging Bearcats and
their friends from all around the world.
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne 16
We will work with the UC Bicentennial team (and the IT@UC team) to
create a robust, interactive, celebratory website. Our work will focus on
the front end efforts for this, including intake, digital strategy
development, creative and content strategy, information architecture,
user experience and design of the site. We will also develop specific
content for 8 key pages of the site, and will work closely with the
Foundation’s internal team to insure that our writing direction provides a
solid basis for keeping the site exciting and strong as the Bicentennial
celebration marches forward.
Campaign Toolkit
Since the campaign will be supported and implemented by partners both
within and beyond the University, it will be essential for the campaign
toolkit to provide a broad range of tools that are accessible,
customizable and consistent with the overall campaign presence.
Guided by the UC Bicentennial team’s initial thinking and by the
recommendations that will be drawn from our Marketing Plan efforts,
we will develop a set of toolkit assets for use in various media and
applications. We will work with the team to develop a complete list of
deliverables, and expect the toolkit to include the identity guidelines and
style guide that we have outlined as deliverables in Phase 2 of our
proposal. Beyond those items, we also expect the kit to include:
Letterhead and note cards
Email templates
PowerPoint templates
Video bumpers (for inclusion on partner-developed efforts)
Billboard concept
Bus/transit advertising concept
Additional ideas and considerations will be included as our teams work
together to determine the optimal tactics for connecting with the UC
Bicentennial’s key audiences.
Proposed Budget & Timeline
Lipman Hearne 17
Estimated Budget & Timeline Phase 1: Discovery (4—6 weeks)
Discovery (Includes kickoff, background and materials review, 2-day on-campus intake.) $25,500
Strategy Brief (Includes findings, insights, and an overall strategic vision for campaign communications that will frame
the messaging, campaign concept direction and implementation of executional elements.) $6,500
Subtotal Phase 1: $32,000
Phase 2: Campaign Branding (6—10 weeks)
Message Translations (Three- to five-page document of key messages in the form of bold themes, with supporting
points, along with a short, narrative elevator speech (about 1 minute in length.) $14,000
Campaign Brand Mark & Creative Concept (Two directions, presented in up to four different applications. Includes
development of the Boldly Bearcat brand mark.) $53,000
Style Guide (Establishes strategic and creative guidelines for application of the Bicentennial mark.) $24,000
Subtotal Phase 2: $91,000
Phase 3: Marketing Planning (4—6 weeks)
Strategic Agenda (A final plan, in presentation format, with descriptions of the tactics for each phase of the campaign,
and a general timeline for creating and executing tactics.) $30,000
Social Media Plan $13,000
Subtotal Phase 3: $43,000
Phase 4: Campaign Execution (6—10 weeks)
Anthem Video (5-7 mins., price dependent upon concept selected and # of shoot days required.) $160-285,000
Video Series (Ten :30-:45 vignettes at $17K-35K each; assumes 50% of content pulled from the Anthem Video. Price
dependent upon concept selected and # of shoot days required.) $170-350,000
Website Design (includes intake, digital strategy, content strategy, information architecture, user experience , design,
and content writing for up to 8 key pages) $90-125,000
Toolkit Elements
Letterhead and note card (with envelopes) $8,000
HTML email template $7,500
PowerPoint template $8,500
Video bumper end card $2,800
Billboard concept (initial concept included in our Campaign Brand Mark & Creative Concept line)
Bus advertising concept (initial concept included in our Campaign Brand Mark & Creative Concept line)
Subtotal Phase 4: $446,800-786,800
ONGOING: Engagement, Strategic Consulting, and Presentations
(Estimated for 6 months. Includes: board presentations, stakeholder meetings, troubleshooting, etc. We expect our work
here to modulate over the course of the assignment, and we will work with the Bicentennial team to determine the most
desirable level of support.)
$42,000
TOTAL FEES $654,800-994,800
Notes:
Budget estimates do not include travel, hotel, and out-of-pocket expenses (an estimate of these costs is on the following
page).
Proposed Budget & Timeline
Lipman Hearne 18
Estimated Travel Expenses (assumes 4 separate trips)
Intake and Immersion Visit (4 LH team members, 2 days) $3,275
Creative Concept & Brand Mark Presentation (4 LHers, 1 day) $1,900
Marketing Plan Presentation (3 LHers, 1 day) $1,450
Executional Elements Presentation (3 LHers, 1.5 days) $2,350
Total $8,975
Lipman Hearne 19
The core team we have assembled to work with the UC Bicentennial team is
composed of professionals with extensive experience in their respective fields.
They are the individuals you will primarily interface with, and who will lead our
discovery, strategy and creative development efforts to ensure we exceed your
expectations.
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Jeff Puma Serving as our primary UC Bicentennial day-to-day contact, Jeff will provide overall account maintenance and strategic guidance.
Our UC Bicentennial Team
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Derrick Rivers With an unmatched ability to connect with any audience, Derrick brainstorms, promotes, and shepherds projects from concept to completion.
MEDIA DIRECTOR Stacey Decker Stacey will use her extensive knowledge of media planning and buying to help create a powerful marketing plan for the UC Bicentennial effort.
SR. DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR Matt Mefford A proud Cincinnati alum with a deep understanding of real-world implementations, Matt brings a tech-savvy approach to digital creative direction and design.
EVP, RELATIONSHIP LE AD Sara Stern Sara will serve as the engagement lead and will guide our approach. She’ll ensure that all necessary resources are brought to bear to support a successful partnership.
SR. WRITER Drew Sottardi As the lead writer, Drew will lend his verbal prowess—and deep understanding of the sector—to every aspect of the Bicentennial’s communications work.
PROJECT MANAGER Jennifer Taylor As the project manager, Jennifer will ensure projects are completed on time, and within budget.
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Jeremy Ryan Jeremy is the energy behind and overseer of all digital strategies. He’ll ensure that digital communications are fully optimized.
Our Team
Lipman Hearne 20
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Sara Stern
Sara leads the philanthropic marketing practice at Lipman Hearne, and has
guided capital and annual campaign communications for such clients as the
Brown University; Saint Louis University; Children’s Hospital Colorado; Caltech;
Juilliard; the University of Massachusetts Foundation; the University of
Minnesota Foundation; the Nature Conservancy; the University of Wisconsin
Foundation; and others—and with goals ranging from $10 million to $4 billion.
Sara joined Lipman Hearne to lead the Creative Services team where she
connected the insights of the agency’s consultants with the multichannel
creative approaches of our creative directors, designers, writers, and
producers. In that role she oversaw creative development for philanthropic
clients as well as for branding, advocacy, and enrollment marketing clients.
She brings to clients an insider’s understanding of nonprofits’ issues and
imperatives, honed from years of managing the complex demands, techniques,
and tactics of large-scale integrated marketing and branding programs at Rush
University Medical Center, the national Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois
Institute of Technology, and clients of Burson-Marsteller.
Sara came to Lipman Hearne from Rush University Medical Center where she
was associate vice president for marketing communications. She led the
institution's consumer marketing including branding, advertising, public
relations, employee communications, and web strategies. Prior to Rush, Sara
was vice president for communications at the National Alzheimer's
Association, where she led co-marketing efforts with the pharmaceutical
industry, created public education campaigns, and developed its first
transactional website. She was head of public relations and marketing at Illinois
Institute of Technology prior to her position at the Association. She started her
career at Burson-Marsteller and Ruder & Finn in Chicago and New York.
A frequent speaker on philanthropic marketing, Sara has conducted numerous
presentations, webinars and workshops for CASE, CASE/IRF, Development
Dialogues, Academic Impressions, the Annual Bridge to Integrated Marketing
& Fundraising Conference, and the AMA Non-profit conference. She is married
to best-selling writer and journalist Ted C. Fishman and lives in the
neighborhood of Hyde Park in Chicago.
Our Team
Lipman Hearne 21
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR
Jeff Puma
Jeff currently leads Lipman Hearne’s work with the University of Iowa,
University of the Pacific, Notre Dame, and Sweet Briar College. He has gained
communication leadership skills from a number of experiences, including work
for one of the world’s largest technology companies, a high-performing public
school district, and a start-up private school.
As Director of Communications for GEMS World Academy — Chicago, Jeff
created marketing and advertising programs that led to significant year-over-
year increases in inquiries, applications, and enrollments.
At Community High School District 155, Jeff oversaw internal and external
communications. He overhauled the district’s communications mediums,
introducing social media, online newsletters, and a dynamic Web presence. He
and his team were recognized with multiple Awards of Excellence for website
communication and video productions by INSPRA, Illinois’ school public
relations association.
Prior to joining District 155, Jeff held various roles for Siemens USA. He created
Siemens Corporation’s executive outreach program — employing C-level
leaders as ambassadors to connect the company with communities and
customers — and managed the Siemens Foundation’s on-site media relations
for the prestigious Siemens Competition. He also directed advertising, media
relations, trade shows, and internal communications for Siemens’
transportation business.
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he received a
Bachelor of Arts degree in government & international studies, with a
concentration in the Hesburgh Program in Public Service. He earned a varsity
monogram as a member of the Fighting Irish track and field team and was
honored as a Big East Conference Academic All-Star.
Our Team
Lipman Hearne 22
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Derrick Rivers
Derrick Rivers is a well-rounded marketing professional with over 14 years of
experience across several products and service accounts in both general market
and multicultural segments. He has been a military brat, a filmmaker, and a
high school track record holder. He’s flipped burgers, rolled pretzels, and
manned an air-belt line for a major parcel company. He is living proof that
creative, corporate life, and entrepreneurship can peacefully coexist in one
brain. As a fine artist by trade, his first love was architecture; however, when his
math and science scores proved him wrong, he pursued a career in advertising
and visual communications. At Lipman Hearne he has been helping our clients
with game-changing creative concepts, including Penn State University, the
Woodrow Wilson Foundation, and the Ministers & Missionaries Benefits Board.
Derrick is also an early adopter and second-generation innovator in utilizing the
urban/youth culture and mindset in adverting across all mediums, including
non-traditional and social executions. His work has provided successful results
for Nissan, AT&T, BellSouth, Coca-Cola, Russell Athletic, McDonald’s, Procter
& Gamble, and Heineken. In his last position, he was an Associate Creative
Director at Fluent360 (the multicultural arm of DDB Chicago) working on the
Nissan and Infiniti accounts. He has also held full-time creative positions at
Burrell, AT&T, PanaVista (Ryan Partnership), WestWayne, and BBDO in
Atlanta. His work was featured in Adweek, Communcation Arts, Lurzer’s
Archive, and HOW Magazine and garnered him recognition for creative
excellence at the POPAI Awards, Hugo Awards, and of course, the Chicago
Addy Awards.
In his leisure time, Derrick enjoys experiencing the joys of parenthood and the
pitfalls of being an occasional and talentless golfer. Also note, he can’t survive a
week without Mexican food and will drop everything to watch his beloved
Dallas Cowboys.
Derrick holds a B.F.A. from Virginia State University; and an M.B.A. from
Kennesaw State.
Our Team
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SENIOR DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR
Matt Mefford
Matt is a 2000 Bearcat, and credits his professional success to the strong design
foundation he was exposed to while at the University of Cincinnati. A seasoned
art director, Matt brings more than 18 years of design experience to the
Creative and Digital Team. Matt helps guide the conceptualization and design
of projects to deliver the best possible products to Lipman Hearne’s clients.
With over 10 years of digital experience, Matt uses his eye for best practices
and innovation to lead the designers in the creation of new media, from
inception to implementation. Matt contributes creative concepts and supports
the advancement of digital and creative services with his clients. From websites
and mobile applications to print designs, Matt adds a creative flair to
everything he touches.
Matt has served clients such as the University of Chicago Booth School of
Business; the California Institute of Technology; University of Notre Dame
Mendoza College of Business; Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of
Business; and Rutgers University.
Prior to Lipman Hearne, Matt worked as the senior interactive art director at
the Chicago-based agency Commonground Marketing. He has also worked as a
designer and art director at a variety of firms in the Chicago area.
Matt has a B.S. in graphic design from the University of Cincinnati.
Our Team
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SENIOR WRITER
Drew Sottardi
Drew is the senior writer in Lipman Hearne’s creative department, where he
crafts copy for everything from billboards to brochures to social media and the
web. A natural storyteller, he has a passion for words and design—and he loves
to bring them together.
At Lipman Hearne, his clients include Alverno College, the University of Iowa
College of Law, the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School and the
University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business. Before coming to
Lipman Hearne, he was a copywriter and editor for five years at Loyola
University Chicago—so he knows how to work collaboratively with our clients’
internal teams.
Drew started his career as a journalist and worked for some of the nation’s
leading newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and the St. Petersburg
Times. At the Tribune, he wrote copy for informational graphics on a variety of
topics, ranging from the Tour de France to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
He also was part of the original Tribune team that launched RedEye, a
commuter newspaper aimed at young professionals.
Drew graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in
journalism. He grew up in a small town near Daytona Beach, and his home
county is the shark bite capital of the world. He loves $1 tacos, $2 draft beers
and $3 bottles of Pepto-Bismol.
He lives with his wife and two daughters on the city’s North Side.
Our Team
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MEDIA DIRECTOR
Stacey Decker
Stacey leads the media team in the strategic development and execution of
media initiatives across our primarily non-profit client base. Drawing on 20
years of local media experience spanning automotive, retail, hospitality,
telecom, entertainment, and higher education clients, Stacey approaches our
clients’ media solutions with a wide lens. Her Lipman Hearne client work
includes experience with the University of Notre Dame; University of Chicago;
University of Tennessee; Northern Arizona University; University of Cincinnati;
Elmhurst College; and more.
In her previous Associate Media Director role with Starcom MediaVest Group,
Stacey managed broadcast media initiatives at regional and local levels for the
Chevrolet Division of General Motors.
Stacey graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in
Communication. She is passionate about family, friends, her dog Maizey, and
of course, media!
Our Team
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DIGITIAL STRATEGIST
Jeremy Ryan
Jeremy Ryan is an award-winning, seasoned creative technologist—a digital
and creative executive with expertise in strategic planning and execution of
multichannel initiatives to strengthen market presence and gather audience
engagement. He oversees our creative and digital team, and will be taking on
the role of Digital Strategist for our work with the UC Bicentennial.
Since joining Lipman Hearne, he has provided leadership to a wide range of
clients including the University of Pittsburgh; the University of Notre Dame;
Caltech; the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business; Cornell
University; Hillsdale College; Juilliard; Bard College at Simon’s Rock; Asheville
School; ELCA; and Winrock International.
Prior to Lipman Hearne, he served as the director of development at Anthem
Worldwide, the brand development division of Schawk, Inc., where he
delivered cutting-edge solutions for both the company and its clients. During
his time at Schawk/Anthem, Jeremy honed his expertise in promoting brands
and products online, becoming an expert in the “digital path to purchase.”
While working at Schawk/Anthem, Jeremy taught advanced web design and
programming at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Earlier, Jeremy
spent nearly a decade refining his digital skills at Accenture, where he was a
senior designer and developer, working as an end-to-end solutions architect,
prototyping and delivering innovation in digital and multi-channel experiences
for its clients. He began his career at Carnegie Hall, in the education
department, developing and managing music education and outreach
programs and the marketing and education materials to support them.
He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College and currently
resides in Evanston, Illinois. Jeremy is a musician, technology entrepreneur,
skier, an avid amateur distance athlete, lake-swimmer and triathlete, and loves
to take full advantage of the Chicago lakefront.
Our Team
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PROJECT MANAGER
Jennifer Taylor
Jennifer Taylor has more than 15 years of experience in the marketing and
advertising industry that include agencies such as Frankel/Arc Worldwide, Leo
Burnett, Rhea + Kaiser, and Abelson Taylor. She’s managed the execution of
websites, microsites/landing pages, mobile apps, CRM implementation and
tracking, direct mail, print collateral, advertising, and interactive and animated
convention panels.
She’s worked with the University of New Orleans; Hillsdale College; Alverno
College; University of Rochester; DePaul University; Chamberlain College of
Nursing; Allstate; US Army; P&G; Wamu; Visa; Bayer CropScience; Amgen; and
Teva Pharmaceuticals. Jennifer also worked for three years as a back-end
Software Developer and four years as a System Administrator.
Jennifer has an Associates Degree in Accounting from Triton College. She also
studied Information Technology at American Sentinel University.
Lipman Hearne 28
Case Studies & References
Results
A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION LEVERAGING OUR EXISTING BRAND STANDARDS A very special birthday for America’s 8th oldest college.
The Initial Challenge
Rutgers University is among the nation’s leading flagship
institutions, but in its home state of New Jersey, few
appreciated its true reach and importance. And within
Rutgers’ three New Jersey campuses, there was debate
among faculty, staff, and students about what the
Rutgers brand meant. Lipman Hearne was initially hired
to create a unifying visual identity and communications
platform that would bring pride and understanding to
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
More Recently
As Rutgers prepared for its 250 anniversary, they
returned to Lipman Hearne for help in developing a
celebration website. Leveraging our established brand
standards and working closely with the University’s
internal marketing team, we created an exciting new
portal that generated both interest and participation in
Rutgers’s many anniversary activities.
Rutgers University
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Case Studies & References
Initial Results
ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM KICKOFF WITH 41% EMAIL OPEN RATE
We’ve just begun a celebration of Juilliard Drama’s 50th
year.
The Challenge
Juilliard Drama alumni are an intimate, tightly bonded
family; to this day, no more than 18 students are
admitted each year, and a grand total of 1,149 theater
artists have passed through the Division in its 50-year
existence. They share a common respect for and ability
to create honest, courageous communication—and in
late 2016, Juilliard set out to celebrate this remarkable
group and convene a first-ever community-wide
homecoming, to occur in October 2017.
Our Approach
Lipman Hearne worked with Juilliard to strategize, frame
and brand the reunion communications to invite this
group back to campus to celebrate, and share Juilliard
Drama’s impact on the world of theater and beyond.
Our work began with a set of messages and themeline,
The Readiness is All, to brand this year-long celebration.
A reference to Hamlet, it invokes a familiar Juilliard
tenant: that expressing the human condition requires
discipline, rigor, and preparedness.
We then created a visual mark system and color palette;
a print and digital save-the-date and invitation series; a
limited-edition gift set of archival photo postcards
featuring quotes from beloved Drama faculty;
celebratory performance Playbill inserts; and an image-
rich messaging presentation rallying major donor support
for a parallel philanthropic appeal.
The Juilliard School
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Case Studies & References
Style Guide overview
Postcard Gift Set
Lipman Hearne 31
Case Studies & References
Introductory Email
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Case Studies & References
UMass Foundation
The Results
$129.5 MILLION IN NEW GIFTS Total for five campuses in FY’15. Endowment reached a
record high of $768 million
The Challenge
The University of Massachusetts Foundation supports
the Commonwealth’s public research university system,
which consists of five campuses in Amherst, Boston,
Dartmouth, Lowell and UMass Medical School in
Worcester. While each campus has responsibility for
planning and executing its own development plan, the
Foundation’s role is to provide overall support and to help
create a more positive environment for giving.
Our Approach
As part of our deep-dive into learning about UMass, we
discovered that graduates and leaders of UMass schools
have made amazing contributions to the state in a wide
variety of ways.
We worked with the Foundation to connect with many of
these graduates, and then developed a market softening
campaign to help make more citizens of the state aware
of these amazing accomplishments through inspiring
stories and creative expressions on multiple platforms.
Our comprehensive marketing and media plan included
digital advertising, print advertising, a microsite, and
dramatic out-of-home displays at Boston’s Logan
International Airport. We also negotiated digital
takeovers for some key Massachusetts-focused websites,
including redsox.com.
The Results
The campaign was remarkably successful and helped the
UMass Foundation achieve its strongest fundraising year
ever. A record $129.5 million was raised collectively by
the five campuses, and almost $100 million of that was in
cash gifts.
Print Ad
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Case Studies & References
OOH Advertising
Campaign Microsite
Lipman Hearne 34
Case Studies & References
American Medical Association
The Challenge As the largest association of physicians and medical
students in the U.S., the American Medical Association
(AMA) has a rich heritage of helping physicians thrive. With
its Annual Meeting fast approaching, delegates were split
and acrimonious about health care reform. With this in
mind, the AMA partnered with Lipman Hearne to bring
doctors together and focus on the ideals they all shared.
The organization wanted to highlight the AMA’s breadth of
services and deliver a message that inspired and connected
with conference attendees.
Our Approach Lipman Hearne worked with the AMA to engage
in a “re-launch” at the approaching annual
meeting. Building off the conference’s organizing
principle—“Moving Medicine Forward”—we
created a message platform that reminded
attendees why they are doctors, and why the
AMA is an essential partner in the ongoing
evolution of medicine. Produced in just one
month, our campaign “I am a doctor. We are
the AMA.” reminded members that they are
The Results
A STUNNING VIDEO AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS THAT POINTED THE WAY TO NEW MEMBERSHIP STRATEGIES
Lipman Hearne 35
Case Studies & References
References The Juilliard School
Elizabeth Hurley
Vice President for Development & Public Affairs
60 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023-6588
Phone: 212.799.5000, ext. 278
Email: [email protected]
University of the Pacific
Burnie Atterbury
Vice President, Advancement
3601 Pacific Ave., Hand Hall
Stockton, CA 95211
Phone: 209.932.2967
Email: [email protected]
University of Massachusetts Foundation
Kate Wilkinson
Program Manager
225 Franklin St., 12th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Phone: 617.287.7199
Email: [email protected]