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Campaign communications: Laying the groundwork for a digital-first, phased campaign launch
Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing,
9
(4),
309-324
(2025)
Abstract
This paper provides a detailed insight into the communications strategy for the rollout of Georgetown University’s US$3bn fundraising campaign, which involved a gradual, primarily digital launch. A systematic and transparent process enabled the advancement communications team to define its objectives and audiences, develop a strong campaign identity, plan for high-impact collateral, maximise existing communications tools and activate the university community in service to the campaign ambition. Readers will learn about the six guiding observations shaping Georgetown’s work, how communications staff engaged the Board of Directors during the development of the campaign positioning, and the opportunities presented by a digital-first approach. This paper also shares specific strategic considerations that shaped Georgetown’s campaign communications planning and execution — questions that every institution could use to take a principled approach to launch.
Keywords: campaign communications; marketing; launch; digital; content strategy
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Heidi Atlas , in her role as a Senior Campaign Communications Strategist, helps to develop the messaging strategy and content for Georgetown University’s university-wide campaign, collaborating closely with senior campaign operations and development colleagues. Heidi has more than 20 years of experience in the editorial and marketing field at organisations and publications spanning higher education, health care, policy and politics and culture. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Duke University and studied at Columbia Journalism School.
Anupam Chakravarty is the Senior Director of Digital Channel Strategy at Georgetown University’s Office of Advancement, leading a team of marketing strategists in developing donor-facing digital communications for the institution’s capital fundraising campaign. With 14 years of experience in advancement communications, Anupam guides Georgetown’s online voice towards inclusion and prioritises quality storytelling around student equity. He also fosters partnerships with volunteer leaders to support the growth of alumni affinity groups. A double alum of Georgetown, Anupam earned his bachelor’s degree from the School of Foreign Service and a master’s degree from the Communication, Culture and Technology Programme.
Chris Enochs is the Senior Director of Video and Multimedia at Georgetown University’s Office of Advancement. After early work in broadcast television and newspaper production, Chris has spent the last 30 years in communications for higher education. His work has focused on video production, graphic design and event production for alumni relations, stewardship, awards and campaigns — and communications strategy across all university units.
Erin Mary Greene has more than two decades of experience in branding and design. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Creative at Georgetown University’s Office of Advancement, where she holds strategic responsibility for developing and disseminating the university’s visual identity and supports university-wide visual identity governance. In this role, she is the creative director of Georgetown’s current US$3bn campaign. Erin earned her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. She has won nearly two dozen awards, including the International Davey Award and the CASE Circle of Excellence awards for her visual identity and campaign creative work.
Hilary Koss has a decade of fundraising and advancement communications experience and is the Senior Director of Strategy and Operations for the Advancement Communications Team at Georgetown University. Previous experience includes the National Geographic Society and Reporters Without Borders. She earned degrees from Converse College and Queen’s University Belfast and is currently pursuing a second masters in public relations and corporate communications at Georgetown University.
Amy Levin leads Georgetown’s Advancement Communications Team. Before joining Georgetown in 2016, she spent 20 years working in content creation, digital strategy, brand strategy and corporate communications at Advisory Board Company, a health care and higher education research, technology and consulting firm in Washington, DC. Amy holds bachelor’s degrees in English and history and a master’s degree in English from the University of Virginia.
