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Gold & Silver Awards: Purple & Gold Day/The Western Challenge (Special Events Category)
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Gold Award: WIU Facebook (Social Media)
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Silver Award: WIU Alumni Magazine (External Publication)
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Silver Award: The Right Choice Billboard @ the Good Hope Junction (Outdoor Advertising)
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University Marketing, University Relations Nab Top Honors for Marketing, Social Media Programs

April 9, 2018

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MACOMB, IL -- University Marketing's (UM) and University Relations' (UR) efforts at Western Illinois University have earned top honors for the third consecutive year from the Collegiate Advertising Awards (CAA).

Western was the only school in the 5,001-10,000 category to receive Gold awards for the WIU Viewbook (Student Viewbook-Electronic category), designed by UR Creative & Digital Integration Manager Jessica Lambert, and for the Purple & Gold Day/Western Challenge Event, orchestrated by the WIU Foundation/Annual Fund, Alumni Programs and University Relations (Special Events category).

Western was also the only school in the 5,001-10,000 category to receive Silver awards for Western: The Magazine for Alumni of Western Illinois University, designed in house by University Relations, and produced by University Relations, Alumni Programs and Advancement and Public Services (Publications external) and for "The Sky is the Limit" video featuring President Jack Thomas, produced by former University Relations student content producer and broadcasting major Ryan Garity, Broadcasting and Journalism Department Chair Buzz Hoon and UTV Director/Producer Phil Weiss (Special Video Production).

In addition, for the second consecutive year, Western received Silver awards from the Higher Education Marketing Report (HEMR) Educational Advertising Awards for The Right Choice billboard, designed by Lambert, (outdoor category) at the Good Hope junction, which features Emily Phillips, a WIU sophomore and West Prairie High School graduate, and for the Purple & Gold Day/Western Challenge Event (Special Events category). Western also received an honorable mention for "WIU: The Right Choice" (total advertising campaign), which included :30 commercials scripted by UR and shot by UTV; and social media ads, billboards, newspaper ads, yard signs and displays designed by UR graphic designers

For the first time, WIU also received a Gold award from the Higher Education Marketing Report (HEMR) Education Digital Marketing Awards for the WIU Facebook page, which is maintained by Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Public Services/Director of University Relations Darcie Shinberger and Public Information Coordinators Alisha Looney and Jodi Pospeschil. Western also received a Bronze award for the :15 "The Right Choice" digital ad featuring former WIU broadcasting major Emily Manley and produced by Garity. Western also received an honorable mention for Go Western Snap and Instagram :10 video ad, produced by Weiss.

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

"These awards are well-deserved," said Brad Bainter, vice president for advancement and public services, who, along with Shinberger, oversees University Marketing. "The work that University Relations, the Visual Production Center, University Television and Alumni Programs produce are all completed in house by talented professionals, who go above and beyond to ensure that Western is represented well across all platforms. I'm proud of the work our staff does each and every day."

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