Etown’s award-winning Blue Jay pop-up mascot mailer
Elizabethtown College’s Office of Marketing and Communications (OMC) was recently named as a recipient of a College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania (CUPRAP) 2024 CUPPIE Award.
The department earned gold-level recognition in the Wild Card category for the innovative design of a Blue Jay pop-up mascot mailer – a unique, informational piece sent to high school guidance counselors and prospective students to share interesting facts about the College and promote visit opportunities. View an opening of the pop-up mailer.
“This award is a testament to the creativity and collaboration of our highly-talented team to elevate Elizabethtown College’s strategic enrollment marketing efforts by designing and executing meaningful, experiential pieces,” Elizabethtown College Vice President for Marketing, Communications & External Relations, Keri Straub said. “Through innovative creations such as the Blue Jay mascot pop-up mailer, Etown is developing unique approaches in our strategy to differentiate ourselves in a competitive landscape.”
Packaged in a custom-designed, zip-strip mailing envelope, the folded form “pops” into a dimensional Blue Jay mascot shape when unpackaged. Quick facts about Etown were strategically positioned on various panels, along with QR codes promoting digital engagement opportunities and information about Etown’s academic offerings and student life. A corresponding notecard tucked in with the mascot invited prospective students and their families to attend upcoming Open House events at the College.
“The pop-up is a strong example of how we’re using experiential marketing to push the envelope and create an interactive surprise element for our audience rather than approaching them with traditional marketing tactics,” Elizabethtown College Senior Director of Creative Services, Wendy Sheaffer said. “We’ve been thrilled with the authentic excitement received from guidance counselors surrounding the Blue Jay mascot!”
A total of 407 entries were received from colleges, universities, agencies, and providers of private, specialized, and secondary education. Judges represented experts in the field of communications and included designers, writers, educators, corporate executives, and media professionals. Award winners were recognized at the annual CUPRAP Awards Dinner on March 14 in Lancaster. CUPRAP, a professional community committed to advancing higher education marketing and communications, has been awarding CUPPIE Awards to member institutions since 2005 for creative excellence in marketing and communications in the categories of advertising, electronic media, print, public relations and marketing, writing, and photography. Learn more.