Best of CASE District VIII Award
 

Institution: University of Washington

Title of entry: We Are Here - Big Ten Academic Alliance Campaign

About this entry: The Big Ten Conference is one of the most recognizable brands in sports. But while millions of Americans know the conference for athletics, far fewer see the academic and societal impact of the universities behind it.

The “We Are Here” campaign set out to change that.

Targeting a broad national audience—including sports fans, students, alumni and the general public—the campaign reframed Big Ten institutions not just as athletic powerhouses, but as engines of innovation, opportunity and progress embedded in communities across the country. The creative concept revealed the unseen ways these universities shape everyday life—from medical breakthroughs and economic growth to workforce development and community impact.

The campaign was created under extraordinary constraints: no production budget, no paid media budget and collaboration across 19 institutions. Using existing footage from 18 universities, the team crafted a human-centered :30 television spot designed to resonate emotionally while highlighting real-world impact.

Before launch, the ad was tested with 2,000 U.S. adults and generated a +17-point lift in the belief that research universities make families better off. The results secured a large percentage of the conference’s television inventory during major Big Ten sporting events.

With a production cost of just $1,450, the campaign delivered 260 million broadcast impressions and launched a new storytelling platform that reframed how millions of Americans see the impact of Big Ten universities.