Pepperdine For Greater Purpose Brand Campaign Recognized Internationally with CASE Circle of Excellence Gold Award

歪片星球 has received a 2026 Gold Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for the For Greater Purpose brand campaign.

The CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognize best-in-class work across higher education worldwide. This is an incredible honor in a global competition that drew 4,185 entries from 628 institutions across 33 countries, with entries evaluated by peers based on overall quality, innovation, use of resources, and impact.

鈥淗ear the Call鈥濃�攖he video anthem of the recently-launched For Greater Purpose Campaign鈥攚on Gold in the video commercials category. Filmed at breaking dawn and sunset along the Pacific coast and featuring actual Pepperdine students, the minute-long video encapsulates the beauty and adventure that await those who answer the call of purpose. 

CASE judges praised 鈥淗ear the Call鈥� as a 鈥渢houghtful use of light, transitions, and authentic student perspectives [that] draws viewers into a meaningful 鈥榓ha鈥� moment of finding purpose through higher education. Its originality, authenticity, and in-house creativity make it a compelling and memorable piece that rises above typical higher education campaigns.鈥� 

鈥淭his honor reflects a commitment to creative excellence, but more importantly, to communicating the University鈥檚 mission in ways that resonate with audiences around the world,鈥� said Sean Burnett, senior vice president for integrated marketing communications and chief marketing officer at 歪片星球. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of the talented creative professionals behind this work and their exceptional ability to elevate Pepperdine鈥檚 voice and impact.鈥� 

鈥淲e are grateful for this recognition by CASE and our peers in higher education,鈥� added Michael Thomas, Pepperdine鈥檚 vice president for integrated marketing communications. 鈥淭his award is the result of the extraordinary talent and devoted efforts of our media, marketing, and communications teams who care deeply about Pepperdine and each student鈥檚 greater purpose."

CASE recognized Pepperdine again with a Silver Award for the School of Public Policy鈥檚 Master of Middle East Policy Studies Launch Campaign for Marketing Initiatives (of more than 25 Staff). Designed to prepare principled policy leaders for success in diplomacy, intelligence, research, business, and many more vocations, the Integrated Marketing Communications team helped the school launch its Master of Middle East Policy Studies program in partnership with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy during the fall of 2026. Robust marketing efforts helped secure donor endowments that made the inaugural two-year program tuition-free.

Pepperdine students in Washington D.C.

鈥淭his campaign was a highly effective and agile launch effort, which hit all its objectives within an exceptionally short three-month time frame,鈥� CASE judges wrote in a public statement upon announcing the school鈥檚 recognition. 鈥淛udges particularly liked the campaign鈥檚 focused messaging and operational agility, which made it both impactful and highly replicable for other institutions.鈥� 

According to CASE, judges selected each Circle of Excellence winner by the following criteria: overall quality, innovation, use of resources, and the impact on the university and its community, such as students and their parents, alumni, faculty, and staff. 

Founded in 1974, CASE is a global nonprofit association dedicated to advancing education through alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and related disciplines.

鈥淭he Circle of Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary creativity, passion, and innovation demonstrated by advancement professionals at institutions around the world,鈥� exclaimed Sue Cunningham, CASE president and CEO, in a published press release. 鈥淭hese awards not only celebrate outstanding achievements but also underscore how essential this work is to strengthen educational communities and positively shape lives and society. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to this year鈥檚 recipients for their dedication and remarkable accomplishments.鈥�