Building School Spirit, One Block at a Time
Challenge: Stand out with a gift students would keep
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has a tradition of gifting admitted students something special at their admitted student events, and each year the bar gets higher. The admissions team wasn’t looking to reinvent the wheel; they were looking to outdo it. Their goal was simple but ambitious: give admitted students the coolest gift possible, something fun, exciting, and built to last well beyond the event itself. Not just something students would hold onto through the end of the semester, but something that could follow them through their college years and into alumni life, and that they’d genuinely want to share.
Solution: The Build-a-Bucky Set
To deliver on that vision, the university partnered with Magellan to create a custom Build-a-Bucky set: a hands-on building block kit that assembles into Bucky Badger, UW–Madison’s iconic mascot. Distributed to admitted students at check-in, the set was theirs to take home and build at their leisure, a keepsake from day one.
Few schools were doing anything like it, which helped UW–Madison stand out immediately. The design process was a true collaboration: the client was able to share feedback and suggestions throughout, getting Bucky just right. The packaging offered additional creative real estate to reinforce the university’s brand and personality, and the result was something students would genuinely want to keep and show off.
Outcome: A gift worth keeping and sharing
Since the set’s distribution, it has generated enthusiasm far beyond the admitted student audience, with current students and alumni expressing interest as well.
The Build-a-Bucky set is the latest in a line of thoughtful annual gifts that UW–Madison has developed with Magellan, each one distinct, each one designed to make students feel the excitement of being admitted. This year’s set raised the bar with a collectible, durable keepsake that sparks recognition and pride long after the event ends. It’s the kind of gift students hold onto as undergrads, display as alumni, and talk about in between.
