How an integrated, multi-channel campaign turned the University of Cincinnati’s Bicentennial into a record-breaking celebration.
The Setup
The University of Cincinnati’s 200th anniversary was a once-in-a-generation institutional moment — the centerpiece being the Bicentennial Bash during Homecoming weekend. With 300,000+ alumni to reach and a goal of 2,000 attendees, the campaign needed to cut through a crowded homecoming season and make a 200-year milestone feel personally relevant to a massive, dispersed audience.
The Twist
A single big push wouldn’t be enough to reach an audience this large and varied. Alumni experience campus differently depending on where they are — some see campus signage every day, some only check email, some only scroll social. Reaching them all meant meeting people wherever they already were, not funneling everyone through one channel.
“Reaching 300,000 alumni isn’t about picking the right channel — it’s about showing up everywhere your audience already is.”
The Pivot
I directed a fully integrated omnichannel campaign spanning print, digital, broadcast, and on-campus physical touchpoints. The campaign included direct mail (save-the-date mailers, invitations, postcards), digital advertising across GoBearcats.com, Google My Business, and Facebook/IP retargeting, physical signage across campus and in Fifth Third Arena and Nippert Stadium, a full six-touch email journey (from save-the-date through post-event follow-up), promotional swag and video content, and broader media and social amplification — all unified under one Bicentennial narrative.
The Result
The campaign drove 5,000 attendees at the Bicentennial Bash — 2.5x the original goal of 2,000 — while generating over 18 million impressions and 36,658 engagements across channels, making it one of the most successful single-event campaigns in the university’s alumni engagement history. The work was recognized with multiple national and regional honors, including CASE Gold in Special Events and CASE Grand Gold in Marketing.
Key Takeaway
Reaching a massive, dispersed audience isn’t about picking the right channel — it’s about showing up everywhere your audience already is, with one consistent story tying it all together.