Internal Campaign Activation Kit
“Let’s get to work”
“Let’s get to work”
The University of Phoenix was navigating a period of significant disruption: approximately 40% of campuses were closing, 800 employees were laid off, and the stock price dropped by 22%. Amidst this uncertainty, enrollment and graduation teams – our front-line advisors – needed clarity, motivation, and practical tools to communicate new program offerings and campaign benefits to prospective students.
My role as Associate Creative Director was to lead the creative development of internal activation materials for the “Let’s Get to Work” campaign. The goal: equip enrollment, finance, and academic advisors with tangible, digestible resources that would cut through organizational noise and empower them to have productive, confident conversations with students. As part of my role, I was responsible for helping the product marketing team define strategy for the Brand Ambassador program that was also a part of this project.
The primary purpose of the Phoenix Champions (Brand Ambassador) program was to create a peer-led grassroots network across university campuses to drive internal adoption of national marketing campaigns and key institutional differentiators. The team designed a pin that selected peers that were passionate about the mission would wear to easily stand out as an ambassador of the brand.
Project Highlights
Player-Coach Leadership:
I led a focused two-person team (one designer, one writer), balancing strategic direction with hands-on creative involvement. This player-coach approach allowed me to guide the vision while remaining deeply engaged in the creative process.
I led a focused two-person team (one designer, one writer), balancing strategic direction with hands-on creative involvement. This player-coach approach allowed me to guide the vision while remaining deeply engaged in the creative process.
Employee-Centered Design Solution:
Recognizing the importance of employee experience, I pushed the team to look at possible friction points around adoption and they selected the use of a magnetic closure for the ambassador pin. This thoughtful design choice protected employees’ clothing, reflecting our commitment to practical, user-centered solutions.
Recognizing the importance of employee experience, I pushed the team to look at possible friction points around adoption and they selected the use of a magnetic closure for the ambassador pin. This thoughtful design choice protected employees’ clothing, reflecting our commitment to practical, user-centered solutions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Throughout the project, I worked closely with the Product Marketing Manager to align on expectations, ensuring our creative assets supported both immediate campaign needs and broader strategic objectives. This partnership fostered open communication and mutual respect.
Throughout the project, I worked closely with the Product Marketing Manager to align on expectations, ensuring our creative assets supported both immediate campaign needs and broader strategic objectives. This partnership fostered open communication and mutual respect.
Delivering the Activation Toolkit:
I oversaw and helped design the comprehensive internal toolkit—including flashcards, at-a-glance charts, and postcards—unified under a "suitcase" theme. These resources were designed to be both morale-boosting and highly functional for our front-line teams.
I oversaw and helped design the comprehensive internal toolkit—including flashcards, at-a-glance charts, and postcards—unified under a "suitcase" theme. These resources were designed to be both morale-boosting and highly functional for our front-line teams.
Results
Empowered Teams:
The activation toolkit enabled enrollment and graduation advisors to clearly articulate the university’s differentiators and campaign benefits, even amidst organizational upheaval.
The activation toolkit enabled enrollment and graduation advisors to clearly articulate the university’s differentiators and campaign benefits, even amidst organizational upheaval.
Thoughtful, Lasting Impact:
The ambassador pin – with its magnetic closure – became a symbol of our attention to employee needs and our commitment to practical, meaningful design.
The ambassador pin – with its magnetic closure – became a symbol of our attention to employee needs and our commitment to practical, meaningful design.
On time Delivery:
Despite the challenges of layoffs and campus closures, my small but mighty team delivered on time and with integrity, supporting our colleagues on the front lines and reinforcing a culture of empathy and excellence.
Despite the challenges of layoffs and campus closures, my small but mighty team delivered on time and with integrity, supporting our colleagues on the front lines and reinforcing a culture of empathy and excellence.
Team Members: DeeAnn Hairgrove, Consuelo Ferreira