University of Rhode Island Capital Campaign
A PLATFORM
Like other clients of ours, the University of Rhode Island embarked on a brave mission - to launch a campaign in the middle of a once in a lifetime pandemic. It was Big and Bold, like their campaign theme. Their confidence proved to be a major selling point.
What was launched as an online webinar turned into a rapidly moving campaign that surpassed its initial goal and then surpassed its stretch goal. One thing was clear from this campaign: URI philanthropy was never going back to where it had once been. This campaign brought URI not to a plateau they would recede from, but to a platform they would now never leave.
XPL was brought in by URI to demonstrate, in a fiscally responsible manner, just how far the university had come and that it was in all ways, here to stay. We designed and executed the culmination of the campaign with a program and celebration that honored that which was most responsible for its success: people.
Less is more
While there was a giant appetite to go both big and bold with this capstone event - the antithesis of its on computer screen launch - XPL took several campaign and university threads and convinced stakeholders to go the opposite way. Eschewing big tech, we designed a program that leveraged only spotlights, a pedestal, and inspirational storytelling.
Higher education has been under the microscope lately and state schools especially have a much higher fiscal responsibility to demonstrate. XPL was able to lean into this state of affairs and design a truly moving experience that bolstered attendee confidence, not budget line items.
Be True
A lot of time was spent up front fully understanding the personality of this institution - its people, its traditions, its rich history. A hallmark of XPL events is to ALWAYS ensure the event embodies this personality. Its look, feel, tone, ambition, hospitality. URI’s campaign celebration dedicated itself to the “spirit of the institution” in ways big and small. We carried that philosophy downn to the team that executed the event, bringing alumni onto the show team.
You may not need a video wall to successfully pull off this type of event. But you do need to remain true to the hallowed walls of the institution.
Event Type: Capital Campaign
Brand/Company: University of Rhode Island