Show your school spirit at the 2024 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education! The AMA, in partnership with Promotional Products Work (PPAI), invites all higher ed marketers to submit a nomination for the best branded merchandise used in a university marketing campaign. Celebrate the creativity and effectiveness of your marketing efforts with this exciting award!
To be eligible for the Best Branded Merch in a University Marketing Campaign sponsored by Promotional Products Work (PPAI) Award:
- Branded merchandise must have been produced and distributed within the last three (3) calendar years.
- Branded merchandise must have made a significant impact on the University’s campus.
- Sustainable and environmentally friendly submissions are highly encouraged, and all nominees will be considered regardless of organization size and budget.
The winner will be presented with an award during Spirit Day on November 13 at the Symposium!
Deadline: October 7, 2024
Eligibility and Process
To be eligible for the AMA and Best Branded Merch in a University Marketing Campaign sponsored by Promotional Products Work (PPAI), nominees must be currently employed at a higher education institution. All nominees will be considered regardless of organization size and budget.
Everyone is invited to submit nominees by completing an online application by October 7, 2024. The application will include:
- Contact information for the University Representative.
- An image or video of the branded merchandise and/or marketing campaign the merchandise is associated with.
- A short essay (<500 words) that explains the positive impact the branded merchandise/marketing campaign had on the university. For example, the essay could highlight what the branded items did to build student loyalty and drive admissions, how it made the campaign unique or innovative, and how it was environmentally sustainable. See the Sample Campaign Description example below.
The winner will be announced at the Symposium on Spirit Day, Wednesday, November 13.
Please note that current AMA Symposium committee members are not eligible for the award and do not participate in award selection.
Award Criteria
Nominations must adhere to the following criteria:
- Branded merchandise must have been produced and distributed within the last three (3) calendar years.
- Branded merchandise must have made a significant impact on campus.
- Extra points if branded merchandise is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Sample Campaign Description
Illinois State University offers free teacher classroom packs to teacher alumni each year. Requests for the packs are submitted online and since the number of packs is limited to 300-500 each year based on inventory and budget, the packs typically “sell out” in just a matter of hours of the submission form being live. Each pack contains 30 pencils, 30 Redbird temporary tattoos, a full-sized penant, sticker decals, Illinois State marketing materials, and occassionally a shirt or other branded promotional items.
This initiative is a partnership between the College of Education, Admissions, and University Marketing and Communications at Illinois State. As the largest producer of teachers in the midwest, the campaign aims to thank and reward teacher alumni for their contributions to education and allows them to show off their Redbird pride in their classrooms. An additional benefit of the classroom packs is the brand awareness component–the penant and decals can be proudly displayed in classrooms across Illinois and the country, while the tattoos and pencils can be distributed to prospective students. The goal is to educate prospective students about the benefits of an Illinois State education through their amazing teachers and to reach prospective students who might not otherwise have any connections to ISU.
The campaign is incredibly well-received by teacher alumni, who receive their packs and then take to social media to express their gratitude and Redbird pride for their followers. This user-generated content makes for great reshares from the university flagship account, again, featuring these alums in their classrooms and sharing the impact of ISU on education in the state and across the country.
This cross-campus partnership is unique in the way it utilizes branded promotional items to serve as Admissions-focused advertising in elementary and high schools, while at the same time engaging alumni and increasing alumni affinity for the University.
Congratulations to the 2023 Winner
2023 Best Branded Merch in a University Marketing Campaign Sponsored by Promotional Products Work
Illinois State University
Congratulations to the 2023 Finalist
University of Arizona
Sponsored by Promotional Products Work (PPAI)
