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The University of Minnesota's "Driven to Discover" marketing effort, created by Olson, recently received international honors from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the American Marketing Association (AMA). More specifically, CASE, a worldwide association of academic institutions, honored the University with its Grand Gold Medal, and the AMA selected the case study to be presented at its upcoming Annual Symposium of Marketing of Higher Education.

"Branding a 158-year-old institution with the breadth and depth of the University of Minnesota is a significant undertaking," said Karen Himle, vice president for university relations. "'Driven to Discover' has helped increase awareness of the amazing discoveries underway in our classrooms and laboratories and how they impact our quality of life. We've just taken the first steps and these two honors underscore they are steps in the right direction."

More than a campaign, "Driven to Discover" was built to be a long-term movement, according to Olson president, Kevin DiLorenzo. "The U first had to clarify its inspired mission of becoming one of the world's top three research universities and then engage a disenfranchised general public in its cause. That's a tall task, which takes time - and more than just a few catchy ads to achieve." Thus Olson's holistic, groundbreaking marketing initiative - where one only needs his or her single greatest question to get involved - was born.

"Search TV" spots, a first-of-its-kind media form, began with a person in the general public posing his/her biggest question. Then, thanks to a first-ever negotiated media buy of its kind, viewers saw a superimposed branded U of M search bar over non-University promos. Viewers literally searched through competing commercials for answers, which were ultimately provided by actual U of M professors. Print ads became search games; sidewalk clings drove you from one block to the next to discover something new; and all offline media drove the general public to the U of M web site, where they could pose their single greatest question, vote on others submitted, and enter into an online forum to chat with U of M professors.

"At the end of the day," adds DiLorenzo, "we have, in fact, started the movement we set out to create. Research is showing Minnesotans overwhelmingly support the U's strategic initiative; the state legislature has been supportive of U of M research funding requests; and professors are using real questions from the public in their classrooms and on their exams."

Turns out curiosity makes for the ultimate connective tissue.

More information about the University of Minnesota's "Driven to Discover" campaign can be found at www.discover.umn.edu