Challenge and background
In a quick two-month turnaround, Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)) announced the fundraising success of University of California at San Francisco Foundation's (UCSF) seven-year Campaign for UCSF. The Campaign netted more than $1.6 billion for health-related research, education, patient care, community outreach and capital projects. UCSF wanted to increase enthusiasm among existing donors and use the success of the campaign to lay a foundation for future fundraising efforts, both here and beyond the Bay Area. The Campaign for UCSF funded the new Mission Bay campus, which opened a Community Center to coincide with the end of the campaign.

Strategy
LCI created key messages leveraging the Campaign's success, especially locally and regionally, highlighting that it was the largest university fundraising campaign devoted exclusively to health sciences. Spotlighting donor and volunteer success stories helped build awareness for UCSF and the Campaign throughout the Bay Area. To gain visibility among potential high profile donors, LCI invited the social philanthropy media to a donor dinner event capping off the Campaign. LCI's strategy also included promoting the Mission Bay campus Community Center opening as one example of UCSF's positive impact in San Francisco.

Results
LCI's media coverage exceeded all expectations. Coverage ran locally, regionally and nationally in print and broadcast. The Campaign for UCSF announcement was covered by the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Business Times, Silicon Valley Business Journal, St. Paul/Minneapolis Pioneer Press and KQED. Social philanthropy reporters covered the donor dinner, including the Nob Hill Gazette, Gentry Magazine and the Hillsborough Boutique and Villager. The media tour of the Mission Bay Community Center included coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, KGO-TV and KNBR radio, among others.

Testimonial
"The Campaign for UCSF was the university's largest fundraising effort. Landis Communications Inc., through its excellent strategic thinking, consistent messaging, strong media outreach and can-do attitude, led the effort to publicize the end-of-campaign announcement. The results were on-target. I confidently recommend their services."

--Barbara J. French, University of California, San Francisco