WashU Presidential Debate
Washington University in St. Louis was selected to host the second presidential debate of 2016. The Office of Public Affairs was then tasked with the creation of print and digital collateral to support the event. This included a series of animations, illustrations and social campaigns used to excite students and get them involved in the historical debate. These assets were intended for distribution on social media platforms, integration into news coverage, used to advertise across campus and displayed within the media center of the debate hall.
Creative Direction • Design • Animation • Digital Strategy
Outcome
On debate day, social media was our primary focus. The #WashUdebate2016 hashtag garnered over 11,000 posts from Twitter and Instagram users, showcasing behind-the-scenes photos from Spin Alley, student activities, and insights about the debate. Additionally, Snapchat sent two representatives to create a five-minute "Our Story" segment titled "Debate Day," featuring contributions from WashU students, media figures, and political surrogates. The university also offered Snapchat geofilters for use around the debate hall. In the two weeks leading up to the event, WashU's Facebook page gained over 2,000 new followers, with total interactions exceeding 10,000. Growth rates for followers on Instagram and Twitter doubled during this period.
