American University

Celebrating activism and impact

American University attracts a specific type of person—one who is hungry to enact meaningful change. The university’s adaptive and forward-thinking mindset, position in DC, and legacy in policy make it uniquely primed to provide those people with a springboard to success. Our brand campaign, Challenge Accepted, grew out of a story about purpose and impact—helping students and the greater AU network see themselves as the ideal candidates to address the most difficult problems facing society. As this work took shape across 2020, we showcased the activism, engagement, and impact inherent to the institution. This became particularly salient during a turbulent moment, helping to increase AU’s relevance in real-time.

The big idea

Advertising

Case statement and campaign materials

Fundraising campaign

As we took the “Challenge Accepted” rallying cry to market, we also built AU’s Fundraising campaign, “Change Can’t Wait”, and brought it to life alongside their main brand story. The campaign appealed to their alumnae’s desire to immediately and directly address our societal crises.