← Selected work
EdTech
Recognition as brand reach
Redesigning an awards program around values — not popularity
Role
Brand & Community Strategy
Year
2021
6,800
Community votes
Nat'l
Press coverage
3×
YoY participation
The challenge
The existing awards program rewarded the loudest voices. The result felt like a popularity contest and quietly excluded the educators doing the most meaningful work.
The approach
- 01
Rebuilt the criteria around impact, equity, and contribution to peers.
- 02
Introduced peer nominations and a transparent rubric so participants understood why winners were chosen.
- 03
Crafted a launch narrative that framed the awards as a movement, not a marketing campaign.
- 04
Coordinated with PR for sustained coverage instead of a single press hit.
The outcome
- →6,800+ community votes — nearly triple the prior year.
- →National press coverage in tier-one education outlets.
- →Awards became a flagship moment in the brand calendar.
Watch it
A look at the Educator of the Year awards.
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