UA’s ‘Where Legends Are Made’ Campaign Wins Advertising Awards

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s new branding campaign, Where Legends Are Made, recently collected multiple advertising awards. The campaign, which launched in September 2016, picked up accolades from judges in the American Advertising Awards competition in two cities as well as a national award from the Higher Education Association.

Where Legends Are Made won five gold awards for print advertising, photography and national integrated campaign from American Advertising Federation chapters in Tuscaloosa and Mobile. It also received three silver awards for its national television commercial and the campaign’s website, ua.edu/legends. In its biggest win, Where Legends Are Made won Best of Show in Tuscaloosa for Cross Platform National Integrated Advertising. The campaign’s television commercial also won a special merit award from the Higher Education Association. Gold awards from AAF now advance to the national American Advertising Awards competition with winners to be announced in June.

“Where Legends Are Made” was created by The University of Alabama’s Division of Strategic Communications with production assistance from RSQ, an advertising firm in Mobile.

Other awards won by UA’s Division of Strategic Communication include a gold award from AAF-Tuscaloosa for the marketing campaign Roll Phoenix Roll, launched in January 2016 in conjunction Alabama’s run toward the national football championship; and a silver award for its cover design of Executive magazine, produced for UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

UA staff cited for the awards were Natorio Howard, graphic design; Andy Rainey, Olivia Ann Hodges and Mallori Hudgins, website; and Linda Bonnin, campaign creation. Miller Mobley of Tuscaloosa was credited for photography for the television commercial and print advertising.

“The campaign was launched just six months ago so it’s still in its infancy,” said Bonnin, UA’s vice president for strategic communications. “To have it recognized this early with multiple awards in several different categories and competitions is very gratifying for all of us who worked to bring it to life, but we are only beginning to tell the university’s story.”

According to the campaign’s website, “Where Legends Are Made is about the past, present and future of The University of Alabama. It speaks to the aspirations of our students and their parents, to the pride of our alumni and donors, and to the devotion of our legions of fans in our state, across the nation and around the globe. It highlights our successes and the legacy we will continue to build upon.”

Founded in 1905, the American Advertising Federation is based in Washington, D.C., and is comprised of more than 200 local organizations representing nearly 40,000 advertising professionals across the nation. Advertising competitions are judged by top industry professionals from across the nation.