TGI

Objectives

To strengthen relationships between peers, academia and the surrounding community, Wilmington University established the Green & White Scholarship Ball. A secondary purpose of the Ball is to raise money to augment the school’s scholarship fund, enabling more students to pursue their dreams for a degree in higher education.

Challenge

Wilmington University needed a multi-pronged marketing support program that would efficiently accomplish the following goals:
1) promote the Ball to students, alumni and the community;
2) invite/inform attendees;
3) encourage the participation of local businesses. The University’s event coordinators turned to TGI to provide the tools necessary to market and enhance the annual Green & White Ball.

TGI Solution

Months before the inaugural Green & White Scholarship Ball, TGI joined forces with the University’s event committee to develop a marketing plan, including strategies, tactics and timelines. The University quickly realized that TGI would be their turnkey marketing support partner, demonstrating as much enthusiasm and commitment to the project as them! By the Ball’s second year, the marketing program grew to support the growth of the event. The resulting plan consisted of the following elements:

Save the Date Postcard Mailing – to a database of students, alum, and community
Elegant Invitations– printed on distinctive 92lb pearl cover stock and personalized to resonate with audiences to increase overall response rates
Outdoor Banners & Signage – printed on weather-resistant substrates
Indoor Wall Murals – averaging 9′ x 20′ to decorate each room of the Ball
Green & White Ball Booklet – with event information, sponsor listing, and university promotions
Professional Photography – to cover the event for future promotions
Professional Video (DVD) – the previous year’s event is expertly videotaped and edited to create a 3-minute promotional video clip used on the web site and to attract future sponsors

Results

In just two years, TGI has helped elevate the Green & White Scholarship Ball to a “must do” item on the social calendar in the state of Delaware as it spotlights the region’s top restaurants and musical groups. Crowd pleasers include a champagne bar, all-you-can-eat chocolate truffles and live music provided by local bands.

Today, as guests move from floor to floor of Wilmington University’s impressive Doberstein Center where the Ball takes place each year, they discover food from the region’s top restaurants in themed rooms all transformed with TGI wall murals. An Irish Pub has all of the authenticity of a Dublin tavern. A romantic mural backdrop sets the mood for the Italian room featuring regional wine and an Italian minstrel. A TGI-decorated Caribbean Beach Shack, Southwest Saloon and New Orleans Speakeasy also entertain guests.

Last year, the Ball raised more than $100,000 for scholarships and entertained over 500 guests – a 20% increase over the previous year’s event.

“There were so many different elements to this campaign, but TGI managed everything efficiently,” said Dr. Thomas Cupples, Assistant Vice President at Wilmington University. “We only had to partner with one company, making our jobs much easier.

“The video that TGI recommended may be the most effective element of the whole campaign because it brings the event to life for potential sponsors. I fully anticipate that with this powerful marketing tool, we’ll be able to generate twice as many sponsors as the previous year,” continued Cupples.