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Fall 2016 Western Illinois University Alumni Magazine: Gold Award. Find the full issue at http://wiu.edu/alumni/Western_News.php
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University Relations, University Marketing Win Top Awards for Marketing, Social Media Efforts

March 1, 2017

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MACOMB, IL -- For the second consecutive year, University Marketing's (UM) and University Relations' (UR) efforts at Western Illinois University have earned top honors from the Higher Education Marketing Report (HEMR) Educational Advertising (EduAD) Awards.

In the HEMR EduAD Awards, the new alumni magazine, which just debuted in November 2015, received a "Gold" award in the internal publication category. The magazine was produced entirely in-house by University Relations and Alumni Programs, under the direction of Vice President for Advancement and Public Services Brad Bainter. Alisha Looney, public information coordinator, serves as the magazine's designer and editor.

University Marketing's 2016-2017 "I am a #SuccessStory, I am A Leatherneck" commercial featuring WIU Luke Otto (television single category) and tuition reduction campaign (total advertising campaign) and University Relations' "Rocky Takes Over Snap" (social media category), each received a merit award.

According to the Higher Education Marketing Report, the Educational Advertising Awards is the largest educational advertising awards competition in the country. This year, more than 2,250 entries were received from over 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools across the world. Gold awards were granted to 319 institutions. Western is the only Illinois public university to receive gold award from Higher Education Marketing in the internal publication category.

Earlier this month, UM and UR received a gold award for social media, "The Western Challenge - #LeatherneckStrong;" a silver award for a single newspaper ad, "Keeping the Region Strong;" two bronze awards for social media and total ad campaign for "#RockySnapTakeover" and "Tuition Reduction" campaign, respectively; and three merit awards for publication: "Western: The Magazine for Alumni," social media: "#WIUGrad16" Storify and television ad: "I Am a #SuccessStory, I Am a Leatherneck" (Otto commercial) from the 14th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards (SIAA).

Last year, the 2015-2016 "I am a #SuccessStory, I am A Leatherneck" commercials and University Relations and Office of Admissions recruitment package (viewbook, search piece, folder and prospective student mailers) received a silver award and merit award, respectively, from HEMR.
UM and UR also took top honors in the 2015 Collegiate Advertising Awards (CAA) program. The "I am a #SuccessStory, I am A Leatherneck" marketing campaign and University Relations' #WIUGrad15 social media campaign each received "Gold" status from the CAA.

Western's marketing and social media campaigns, as well as recruitment materials and initiatives, are the result of coordinated efforts between University Marketing and University Relations, with support from University Television and the Visual Production Center.

A complete list of winners can be found educationaladvertisingawards.com/winners-list/winners-list-2017.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing