Journalism and Storytelling

Pop-Up Magazine is inspired by a magazine but is performed onstage, creating an immersive experience that uniquely blends journalism and storytelling with music and other mediums. Here’s an excellent review of how its co-founders have learned to engage with an expanding audience.

Social Media Insights from Sprout’s Social Index

Figuring out a social strategy that’s right for a specific organization’s mission, audience, and goals can be tricky. Thankfully, companies like Sprout Social have done loads of research and were kind enough to share it with our friends at Maven Communications. Here are some of the most important takeaways from Sprout’s Social Index for social media marketers.

The Power of Penn

Our long-time client, the University of Pennsylvania, recently announced “The Power of Penn: Advancing Knowledge for Good,” a $4.1 billion fundraising and engagement campaign. Broad campaign initiatives include expanded student opportunities, pioneering work in healthcare, driving energy solutions, incubating innovation and entrepreneurship, and enhancing research across disciplines.

VC Trends

PitchBook has released their latest report showcasing what went on in the US venture capital industry during the third quarter of 2017. A couple of key takeaways:

• As of the end of the third quarter, this year is set to reach a decade-high in terms of total VC investment—but deal activity is on pace to decline sharply for the second year in a row.
• Software is the most popular industry for VC investors, a trend that’s remained unchanged as the years have gone by. Other industries are maintaining historical figures, too.
• The West Coast has been home to the lion’s share of completed deals and deal value, followed by the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes New York. A visual summary and link to the full download is here:

 

Following the Founder

For over eight years, we’ve served the University of Pennsylvania developing key print and digital communications programs for fundraising, admissions and alumni relations. Our recent work for Penn Engineering’s annual giving fund shows how the School has taken founder Benjamin Franklin’s words to heart by continuing to change, adapt and innovate. The campaign features large images and brief text describing recent advances including adding 165,000 square feet of engineering space, increasing tenure track faculty size by 30 percent, and significantly increasing course offerings to connect resources with talent. Results? Fundraising and application numbers are both record-breaking.

Moving the Needle

Independent and private schools face unique challenges – and also unique opportunities – when it comes alumni cultivation and stewardship. CCS Fundraising has published an interesting white paper called “Moving the Needle from Alumni Engagement to Alumni Giving,” Co-authored by Detroit Country Day School (DCDS), you can download the report and discover how DCDS developed stronger bonds with their alumni and dramatically boosted their giving.

 

A Valuable Resource

Our print and digital work for Johns Hopkins spans many decades and various institutions, departments and programs. A recent assignment for the Health System allowed us to write and design an annual report for the Department of Human Resources. Targeted primarily at an internal audience, the piece aims to communicate the value created by the department across multiple entities and institutions.

When Marketing Is Creativity

Dave Trott, legendary British copywriter and creative director, writes a monthly column for Campaign magazine. Always compelling and interesting; often challenging and thought provoking – his column is well worth bookmarking. His December article is a good example:

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/when-marketing-creativity/1418871

 

Nano Scaling-up

As part of our ongoing work with the University of Pennsylvania, MSK Partners recently rebranded the Singh Center for Nanotechnology – located on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus in Philadelphia, the Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology is a multi-user facility where the research and educational programs at the University, partner institutions and industry come together to form a regional hub for nanotechnology. The firm developed a new logo, messaging strategies and a series of direct mail and collateral materials.

Don’t Visit In The Winter

After claiming to be the first country to abolish censorship 250 years ago, Sweden is now boasting that it is the first country with a phone number.

“The Swedish number” is part of a campaign for the Swedish Tourist Association by the Ingo ad agency (part of WPP). The concept is simple – dial the number and you will be redirected to a random Swede who will happily (we assume) chat about their country. Campaign magazine spoke with a nice person from Stockholm called Jan who said he’d been getting up to five calls per day through the scheme. Asked if he had any messages for Campaign readers who might wish to visit Sweden, he said: “It’s lovely in the summer.” See? Well there you have it.