On March 14, Ferris State’s marketing team won three American Advertising Awards in Memphis, Tenn, for promoting the Jim Crow Museum’s exhibit “Overcoming Hateful Things.”
The team created a cross-platform campaign and a 30-second television commercial that earned two Gold American Advertising Awards and the Mosaic Award for diversity. The awards were presented by the Memphis Museum of Science and History during the exhibit’s run.
The work was judged by advertising professionals on creativity and impact.
Cyndi Tiedt, collections manager for the Jim Crow Museum, described how the exhibit came to light.
“The inspiration came from the powerful objects and stories in the exhibit. The campaign invited people to witness difficult history, understand its impact, and start conversations that support healing, which aligns closely with the museum’s mission.”
Tiedt explained that the museum’s mission is to witness, understand and heal. The Memphis campaign helped audiences witness the realities of racism, encouraged understanding through education and created space for reflection and dialogue that supports healing. She emphasized the importance of students knowing their history so it does not repeat itself.
The awards are more than just an accomplishment, they make statements and foster education.
“These awards highlight the meaningful work happening at the Jim Crow Museum and Ferris, showing how the university is contributing to meaningful conversations beyond campus,” Tiedt said.
She added that the impact of the commercials will be extraordinary, and she hopes the message resonates with the audience.
“Storytelling is central to our work,” Tiedt said. “The objects tell real stories that help people connect with history and understand why it still matters today. Storytelling isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about education and capturing key themes that drive the point home.”
Tiedt discussed how she balances education with keeping the audience’s attention.
“Using video, social media, and clear storytelling helps reach younger audiences and people who may not be familiar with the museum. It makes the content more approachable and relevant,” Tiedt said.
Her goal is to focus on education first and invite people into thoughtful, respectful and meaningful learning experiences. Sharing difficult history may be a challenge, but it is important to make content accessible while remaining respectful and grounded in education.
The awards left a positive impact on audiences and highlighted the collaborations it took to create the media. The campaign helped build awareness in Memphis and brought new audiences to the exhibit. The awards also reflect the campaign’s effectiveness. Collaboration was a crucial component while establishing this exhibit.
“The Memphis Museum of Science and History worked closely with their creative partners and with our team at Ferris to ensure the campaign reflected the exhibit and its mission,” Tiedt said.
She explained that every message is created with care to reflect the seriousness of the history; Tiedt also discussed the museum’s future after the collaboration. She said the recognition encourages continued collaboration and creative storytelling that supports the museum’s mission to witness, understand and heal.
The collaboration allowed the university to do something it had never done before, presenting the dark history of Jim Crow, while reaching a target audience came with many challenges. Tiedt noted that everyone has their own perception of history, but education must remain at the forefront.
She offered advice for other institutions that want to get involved and make a difference.
“It’s not easy putting these kinds of projects together. It takes hard work and dedication. If you are passionate about getting a message out there, you shouldn’t let challenges get in the way. Having others who want to get involved can make your project easier,” Tiedt said.
For more information on the Jim Crow Museum, visit Ferris360.