Best of CASE District V Award
 

Institution: University of Wisconsin Madison

Title of entry: Brand 101: Stranger in a Strange Brand

About this entry: The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a vast, decentralized institution, and its marketing and communications landscape reflects that complexity. Across campus, many communicators (often as a one-person team) find themselves juggling design, PR, and branding tasks, despite not being trained marketing professionals. To bridge this gap, our office launched Brand 101, a hands-on workshop designed to demystify the UW brand, boost confidence, and connect communicators with practical resources.

Rather than relying on traditional lectures, Brand 101 embraced an interactive, discussion-driven approach. Structured in dynamic 20-minute segments modeled after a late-night talk show, the workshop blended branding fundamentals with real-world problem-solving. Participants shared insights, tackled challenges, and strengthened their professional networks across campus.

The impact was immediate. Attendees gained awareness of previously unknown branding tools, left feeling more confident in applying brand guidelines, and formed connections with colleagues facing similar challenges. By empowering communicators to be more self-sufficient, Brand 101 also helped reduce one-off support requests, allowing our team to focus on strategic initiatives.

This workshop is just the beginning. Brand 101 lays the foundation for a broader curriculum that will soon expand to include more advanced branding and design workshops, ensuring that UW communicators are not just informed but truly equipped to tell the university’s story.