UCLA
In the land of sunshine, beaches and movie stars it’s understandable that some may overlook the fact that the #1 ranked public university in the nation also resides in L.A. And with a 100th anniversary looming and a $4.5 Billion ambition, it was time to show the world the power of optimism.
Jackie Robinson. Francis Ford Coppola. James Dean. Anna Lee Fisher.
It turns out that the right amounts of sunlight, water, academic and athletic pursuits lead to the greatest list of game-changers the world has seen.
Storyline
In just shy of a century, UCLA has achieved, innovated, and accomplished more than most institutions twice its age. It’s where the Internet first blinked to life. Where racial integration began, decades before Brown v. Board of Education. Where Nobel Laureates, Academy Award winners, Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurs, rock stars and Hall of Famers, inventors and initiators got their start.
But despite its vast accomplishments, and in part due to its fierce independence and decentralized structure, significant misunderstandings persisted about UCLA’s impact, costing public support. The University called on 160over90 to craft a singular brand platform that could encompass the $8 billion, 42-unit business enterprise, furthering its standing as an international leader in teaching, research, and service for the advancement of society.
Building on a common thread of optimism, we launched a star-studded reputational campaign featuring film icons James Dean, James Franco, and Francis Ford Coppola; athletes Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Jackie Robinson, and famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden; and scientific discoverers from astronaut Anna Lee Fisher to Internet founder Vinton Cerf—all UCLA alumni, and all game-changers in their respective fields.
- Advertising & Branding
- Digital
- Higher Education
- Video & Content
- Education
- Sports
- US
Bottomline
This set the stage for UCLA’s $4.2 billion centennial campaign. 160over90 drew inspiration from the ‘Optimists’ platform and the UC System motto, introducing a purposefully open-ended campaign theme—‘Let There Be’—that could flex across all facets of the UCLA community, recognizing remarkable forward leaps in the institution’s first 100 years and setting up for a second century of breakthroughs.
$5.1B
Raised
36%
Increase in Applications
#1
Public School in 2020, According to U.S. News & World Report Rankings
