Wolfie can add another trophy to his trophy case — the Seawolves loveable mascot and cyber-celebrity just netted the Best of Category Award for the 2012 SUNYCUAD Awards for Excellence in Electronic Communications and Interactive Media for the “Where in the World is Wolfie?” campaign launched in 2009.
In his quest to spread the word about Stony Brook, Wolfie has logged many miles, traveling to such destinations as Aruba, Singapore, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Fans of Wolfie track his travels religiously at www.Facebook.com/WhereintheWorldisWolfie by clicking on the Google Map link on the top of the home page.
The Google Map has also had more than 57,000 views. Fans participate by purchasing their own Wolfie plush at either ShopSB, the official online store of Stony Brook University, or at the Seawolves MarketPlace located at the Student Activities Center.
Then as fans travel, they document Wolfie’s travels with photos and submit them, along with a location description, by either e-mail at Wolfie@stonybrook.edu or upload them to the “Where in the World is Wolfie?” Facebook fan page.
Wolfie’s global presence has increased his visibility and boosted school pride and spirit. Wolfie already has more than 27,000 hits on his blog, nearly 2,000 Twitter followers, and more than 2,500 likes on his Facebook fan page, as well as his own YouTube channel, where fans can see him perform “Hammertime,” “Party Rock Anthem,” “Thriller,” “Smooth Criminal” and “Single Ladies” with the Stony Brook Dance Team.
The idea mimics the Flat Stanley children’s literature character’s itinerant nature but was actually inspired by a featured article in Currents that highlighted the sojourns of the American School of London’s plush mascot, Eagle.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that a Wolfie campaign has been affiliated with a SUNYCUAD award.
The SUNYCUAD Awards for Excellence Program rewards the best efforts of its members in 20 categories ranging from advertising to websites, and awards are bestowed annually at its educational conference.
Andrea Lebedinski, coordinator of Annual Giving and Branding for the Department of Athletics, handles Wolfie’s annual 200-plus-appearance schedule. She said, “Winning this year’s Best of Category award for the “Where in the World is Wolfie?” campaign further demonstrates Wolfie’s significant presence on the Web and how great of an impact he has had in increasing school pride and spirit. It is through fun and creative campaigns such as this one that we are able to build upon the University’s overall strategic marketing and branding efforts. Most importantly, by engaging the fans and encouraging participation, we are able to reach a wider audience which only further increases the visibility of Stony Brook University.”
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