The
Anniversary
Forum

NASCAR Turns Another Corner at 75

NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary came at a seminal moment, with a business imperative to broaden the appeal, audience, and strengthen cultural relevance both domestically and abroad. The unlock was to use the universal appeal of racing as a celebration of progress: while the past shaped who we are, the future is where we are going. Our goal was to tap into the excitement of racing, and its notion of positive momentum, to bring more diversity into the sport.

The 75th Anniversary campaign was foundational to storytelling and promotion throughout the 2023 season. NASCAR focused on three chapters of the 75th Anniversary campaign; Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Presence, and Driving the Future.

All content, messaging, activations and experiences were tied to storytelling around the themes and moments during the season. Sentiment around the NASCAR 75th Anniversary celebration was unanimously positive by the entire industry, and most notably, by new and long-standing loyal fans.

Engaging Stakeholders through Effective Storytelling

How does the largest privately held company in the U.S. — which is largely unknown outside of the food and agriculture industry — tell its story to a global audience?  By leveraging a significant milestone and a newly launched brand system to demonstrate how they’ve been helping the world thrive for 150 years.

Learn how Cargill used its 150^th Anniversary to bridge their proud past to an even brighter future by sharing stories of how they’ve been helping their stakeholders achieve success.

Karen will share:

• Cargill’s 150^th Anniversary strategy & objectives, including how Cargill used its 150^th Anniversary as an extension of the company’s brand promise, the importance of establishing objectives and confronting challenges head-on, and ensuring the anniversary program remained relevant to targeted stakeholders through a year-long cadence of activities.
• Specific tactics Cargill employed including the creation of compelling content and how this was implemented across a variety of channels, developing a variety of activities to engage multiple internal and external audiences, and enlisting support to help execute the program in a globally consistent yet locally relevant way.
• How Cargill engaged 150,000 employees across the globe to become passionate and dynamic brand ambassadors by using the Anniversary to share their pride in the work they do to nourish the world.
• Measuring the success of the 150^th Anniversary, including specific goals and actual results, lessons learned and how Cargill continues to use many of these tactics beyond its anniversary.

Eyes on the Horizon: Texas Tech’s Centennial Celebration

Leading by example has been the key to success for Blayne Beal as he has led Texas Tech University’s Centennial efforts over the last four years.

Being both a leader and doer has ensured that this massive undertaking has been a success. Eyes on the Horizon, Texas Tech’s Centennial Campaign, originated after thorough research across the universities various stakeholder groups and has grown into the University’s largest and most comprehensive marketing campaign.

Unum Group’s 175th – Transforming Milestones into Momentum

Anniversaries often come and go, but Unum Group seized the opportunity to transform a single moment of celebration into a yearlong journey of energy, unity and enthusiasm.

Challenged to develop a comprehensive campaign to engage core audiences – internal and external – a small group of communications professionals designed and deployed an unforgettable yearlong experience centered on the company’s 175^th anniversary. The cross-functional team was formed with a clear mission: to unite employees, celebrate their contributions and the company’s achievements, and infuse a renewed sense of pride and energy both at work and within our communities.

This comprehensive campaign was meticulously aligned with Unum Group’s business strategy, focused on its purpose of helping the working world thrive throughout life’s moments.

Join us as we delve into the strategies and successes of this remarkable yearlong celebration, exploring how a milestone can be leveraged to foster unity, pride, and a vibrant workplace culture.

Video Storytelling to Transform Milestone Moments into a Movement
(co-presenter)

Most organizations understand that video is an important addition to their content distribution plan, but exceptional organizations understand how to make video a strategic part of their communications efforts.

Throughout the session, Gibson will discuss how to leverage the power of video storytelling to unite your people around a mission.

From creative ideation to production to distribution, Gibson will discuss how prioritizing strategic storytelling at every step of the process will make your video content have ripple effects that last far beyond your organization’s anniversary celebration.

In addition, Vern will share a selection of proprietary creative development tools to help guide you through the initial phase of your video strategy.

Celebrating 125 Years: How DePaul University Strengthened Its Chicago Legacy Amidst Adversity

Peter Coffey will share an inside look at the planning process, challenges faced, and lessons learned, offering valuable insights into this successful multi-pronged campaign.

Founded in 1898, DePaul University transformed from a small local institution into the largest Catholic university in the U.S. For its 125th anniversary in 2020, DePaul organized a year-long celebration despite the challenges of the global pandemic. A multidisciplinary team engaged stakeholders and students, who even competed to design the anniversary logo. The celebration culminated with DePaul Day, officially proclaimed by Chicago’s Mayor.

Peter will share how they organized the yearlong campaign and set the strategic goal to strengthen DePaul’s ties with Chicago, which  culminating in impressive results: $7 million raised in a single day, 368 million media impressions, and multiple awards for special event campaigns. A legacy gift helped revitalize a local park, cementing DePaul’s connection to the city.

Commemorative Publications and Archives: Capturing Your Story During a Milestone Anniversary

A milestone anniversary offers a rare opportunity to reflect on your organization’s history, values, and achievements. It’s the perfect time to modernize or transform your narrative, making sure your story is told authentically and powerfully.

Stephen from The Winthrop Group has helped many organizations bring their stories to life through commemorative publications, archives, videos, and exhibits. These tools not only celebrate your past but also create a foundation for future growth.

Establishing or updating your archives during an anniversary is invaluable. Archives preserve your history and provide the foundation for impactful storytelling, ensuring that your legacy is documented for future generations.

They play a vital role in enhancing commemorative publications and digital stories, amplifying the impact of your milestone anniversary.

In this session, Stephen will share best practices for creating commemorative publications, including insights on budgeting, formats, and strategies to ensure your story resonates long after the anniversary.

Video Storytelling to Transform Milestone Moments into a Movement
(co-presenter)

Most organizations understand that video is an important addition to their content distribution plan, but exceptional organizations understand how to make video a strategic part of their communications efforts.

Throughout the session, Vern Oakley, owner of Tribe Pictures, professor of corporate communications, and creative director behind multiple award-winning anniversary films will discuss how to leverage the power of video storytelling to unite your people around a mission.

From creative ideation to production to distribution, Vern will discuss how prioritizing strategic storytelling at every step of the process will make your video content have ripple effects that last far beyond your organization’s anniversary celebration.

In addition, Vern will share a selection of proprietary creative development tools to help guide you through the initial phase of your video strategy.

Making Milestones Matter

Anniversaries are more than a celebration—they’re an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and set the stage for future success. Whether you’re celebrating a 25th anniversary or a bicentennial, milestone events allow leaders and communicators to incorporate these moments into strategic growth plans.

Anniversary University offers guidance and the definitive resources to ensure you maximize this opportunity by accelerating and elevating the planning, starting with attending The Anniversary Forum.

As the founder of Anniversary University®, Lisa Alonge has gathered insights from hundreds of executives who’ve successfully navigated planning milestone anniversary campaigns. Across sectors, sizes, and budgets, certain best practices remain consistent. In her talk, Lisa will outline key strategies from her comprehensive guide, Milestone Anniversary Planning, and share how the “Anniversary Effect” can unlock transformative, lasting results for your organization.