Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Davis

Title of entry: Get Ready With Me!

About this entry: Graduation is a moment of pride and celebration but for students, it also coincides with information overload and high-stakes logistics. This entry targeted UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM) master’s students as the primary audience with a clear strategic goal: reduce confusion, increase confidence, and elevate understanding of the master’s hooding tradition during Commencement.

In 2025, GSM graduates were required for the first time to carry and don their own master’s hoods prior to the ceremony. Past ceremonies revealed frequent errors, including hoods worn incorrectly, often by well-meaning family members. Beyond the “how,” students also had unanswered questions: What does the hood represent? How is it different across degree programs? How should it be prepared?

Our Marketing and Communications team responded with a creative, audience-first solution: a 60-second training video inspired by the popular “Get Ready With Me” social media format. Designed for mobile viewing and short attention spans, the video combined humor, fast-paced editing, animation, and sound to explain both the mechanics and meaning of hooding. We partnered with Student Services, UC Davis central communications, and the campus bookstore to ensure accuracy and alignment.

The result was our No. 1 Instagram Reel of the year on @ucdavisbusiness, reaching 97% non-followers and generating more than 60,000 impressions with zero paid promotion. The video was also used in internal Commencement training, reducing day-of confusion while delivering information students found engaging, memorable, and worth sharing.