Gates Cambridge

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'The Ripple Effect' for Gates Cambridge

Industry

Education

Charity

Services

Brand strategy

Go-to-market campaign

Stakeholder engagement

Event building

Summary

Gates Cambridge asked us to deliver a campaign to celebrate the Gates Cambridge Scholarship’s 25th anniversary in 2025. They specifically needed us to develop fresh messaging around their purpose and the impact of their scholars and alumni, with the objective being to raise the profile of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

We built The Ripple Effect – a dynamic campaign celebrating the global impact of Gates Cambridge scholars, and supported the inaugural Impact Prize 2025. Our unifying narrative and visual campaign identity meant all campaign communications were memorable and cohesive, an extremely high calibre of applications were received, and a real awareness and understanding of Gates Cambridge was fostered further.

Journalist Emily Kassie was awarded at the ceremony

The Impact Prize design concept

The strategic work and collaborative workshop saw us to The Ripple Effect. The campaign amplified that every Gates Cambridge scholar is a recipient of opportunity, and that each used it to generate meaningful change, and influence communities around the world.

The unifying theme of ‘impact’ was central to campaign communications. The roll-out included storytelling and social media executions around notable alumni, focused on the tangible impact they had made.

We produced a range of social media assets across the campaign

Our approach

We conducted desk research, stakeholder interviews, and facilitated a workshop to agree a clear set of objectives and messaging framework for the anniversary. When we encountered the committed, brilliant, and yet humble group of scholars with a mission to change the world, we recognised the importance of placing them at the heart of our messaging.

We knew that amplifying their mission would really strike a chord with potential donors – including alumni – and brought them in to serve as ambassadors for the campaign. The agreed-upon strategy centred on raising the program’s profile with the Gates Foundation, driving advocacy among alumni, supporting best-in-class applications and raising awareness with the public.

Results

The Impact awards applications were so impressive that the Gates Foundation contributed additional funds to award eight, up from the original five, awards to scholars and alumni doing work in the US, India, Gaza, the UK and beyond.

At the Impact Prize awards ceremony, we interviewed the six awardees who attended in person. The result was a video celebrating their work, the prize itself, and the work of the Foundation. The video was used on the Gates Cambridge website, at events welcoming and promoting the scholarship and cuts were also created for social media.

Physicist Urbasi Sinha was also among those awarded with The Impact Prize

Awards

Astrid Excellence In Design Awards 2025

Silver – Gates Cambridge 25th Anniversary Campaign

Digital Impact Awards

Silver – Best Use of Digital from the Education Sector for work with Gates Cambridge

SUMMIT Awards 2025

Silver – Education video: Gates Cambridge Trust Impact Prize

“The Wardour team grasped our brief with remarkable speed and clarity, aligning with our vision and values. They understood what we were trying to say and helped us to say it better. We needed a collaborative partner that could work flexibly and smartly, and they delivered on every front. They treated our constraints as creative challenges and met them with empathy, enthusiasm and professionalism.”

Provost

Gates-Cambridge Trust

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Emma Fisher
Executive Director
emma.fisher@wardour.co.uk
+44(0)7834 180827

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