1

The University of Nottingham Life Cycle

Website

An interactive website was a central part of the campaign. With social media links, a live Twitter

feed, daily updated blogs from the riders (including the Vice-Chancellor) and clear calls to action via

a ‘sponsor a rider’ button, the site included information on the charity and the riders and was

regularly updated with daily images and video clips. (www.nottingham.ac.uk/lifecycle)

2

The community element helped involve staff and other supporters directly and added an extra level

of engagement.

Screenshot of the homepage with Life Cycle on it

Promotion via the University home page and, additionally via our pop-up “Message of the Day”

service helped raise internal awareness and engagement.

3

VC’ Blog including video links

The VC blogged daily, enabling colleagues across all three campuses to connect with the campaign.

This was our first ‘corporate’ University blog and such was its impact that the VC has continued to

blog regularly. The VC writes all his own text.

4

Video footage helped update interested parties.

Exchange magazine/Exchange online with Life Cycle features

Internal magazine articles helped build profile. Life Cycle was covered in both on and offline versions

of Exchange magazine.

5

E-newsletter to alumni

Life Cycle acted as an additional engagement tool with our alumni.

E-mail signature (with ‘to’ addresses removed for confidentiality)

E-signatures reflecting the branding were widely used to build awareness with an interactive click

through to encourage sponsorship.

6

Life Cycle flyer

A flyer was used to help encourage participation in the community Life Cycle.

Life Cycle Facebook advert

Limited Facebook advertising helped drive traffic to our site.

7

Life Cycle Twitter feed

Life Cycle was widely covered on Twitter with lots of chatter online.

Life Cycle Just Giving pages (team and VC)

Branding was consistent across our Just Giving pages, building in photography and video to keep

messaging fresh and engaging.

8

Social media stats relating to Life Cycle — Facebook, as highlighted in the section:

‘results/evaluation’ help demonstrate the impact Life Cycle had on our online

traffic

New likes Jul to end of Sep 2011

People talking about our Facebook page for the same period

9

Funding to date and a breakdown of sources Constituent Group

Amount % of total

Alumni 18%

Corporate £ 39,597.30 30

17%

Non-Alumni £ 31,875.91 91

14%

Trusts & Foundations

£ 23,804.63 63

51%

Justgiving £ 91,279.80 80

40%

TOTAL £ 226,811.41 .41

Overall, Life Cycle raised over £226k. Core riders raised £152, 195.31 and members of staff involved

in the Nottingham leg or the CommunityRide a further £25,000. University staff have themselves

raised a readily trackable £177k plus — a very clear and significant measure of the engagement

generated.