Project Details

My alma mater approached me about creating a video that would inspire the local community to donate and support the fledgling business school which was privately funded though part of a public university (UC San Diego).  There were a few challenges here.  The school was new and largely untested.  The school’s branding was just being developed so there was not a clear point of view to harness. And, finally, we were asking for people to donate to scholarships at the height of the financial crisis and recession.

This is the story we told: funding scholarships that support the development of innovative leaders IS the solution we seek to this economic crisis because it is in these up-and-coming leaders that new businesses, industries and innovations will be formed. Our proof point: the Great Depression gave birth to more Fortune 500 companies than any other period in the 20th century.  Because the Rady School didn’t have a legacy, we interviewed the esteemed business leaders who supported the school and used their stories.  Because the school didn’t yet have a brand identity, we interviewed the students who best personified the innovative solutions we sought.

Together, we married these 26 interviews into one narrative about solving very real problems through scholarship.  As the Dean of the school later wrote, “this fresh approach was very well received by [their] supporters,” helping the school exceed its development goals.

To maximize the return on investment of this video, we edited two more pieces out of the existing footage and interviews: a “thank you” video from students to donors and a student testimonial video for Admissions.