As an agency, it’s extremely gratifying to be the creative partner to an organization doing so much good in the world. Such is the case with the Drew Brees Foundation. Since 2007, we’ve been working with the Super Bowl MVP’s non-profit, and the impact we’ve helped to create has been nothing short of remarkable. With more than $22 million in contributions to charitable causes globally, the foundation has become a difference maker in cancer research, education and assistance for children and families in need.
It’s an honor to be recognized with a Best in Show Award from the W3 Awards for our work on DrewBrees.com. We always set out to create award-winning work for every client. Receiving this award validates all the hard work that went into the site. But quite honestly, the real reward is seeing the success of the new website winning every day for the foundation.
Award-winning websites that make a difference too… now that puts a smile on our faces!
I remember sitting in the Superbowl MVP’s kitchen the first time we talked about the website and what he and his wife, Brittany, wanted to accomplish with the foundation. He wanted to make a difference, impact others and personally connect with his fans socially. It was so refreshing to see his intent was so honest.
We’ve had the opportunity to work with quite a few professional athletes and music artists over the years. Let me just set the record straight… all the rumors are true. Drew is one of the most authentic, down to earth people I have ever met. A deep rooted mantra for the Brees Family when it comes to the foundation – putting others first. Knowing this first hand, we set our sights on re-defining what foundation websites look like online for people of influence.
We observed that most foundation websites do not get the attention they deserve, and lack of awareness limits their ability to directly impact their causes. We decided to approach the site just like we do for all our for-profit clients.
We started with a playbook on how to win as a foundation on and off the field.
We spent the time evaluating the overall landscape of pro-athletes’ foundation websites, dedicating the proper time to UI/UX in order to create the best possible experience.
We had the game plan, now it was time to bring the vision to life. Our creative approach to the site was to design something world-class that reflects Drew’s values on and off the field.
We defined our goal: come home with the win. Our mission from day one was to make a difference, help the foundation grow and increase their ability to make an impact for their causes.
"The team at Magnetic Creative truly understands how important the foundation is to us and they did an outstanding job building an amazing website. We’re so excited at the progress we’ve made, the donations we’ve raised and the impact we’ve been able to make in so many lives around the world."
- Drew Brees
After launching the site, we saw an immediate response from supporters and partners around the world. Drew continues to extend his reach off the field, growing his social authority by engaging fans and community every day through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Website traffic has increased dramatically, and we’ve been seeing upward movement in donations and inquiries from supporters, new partners and brands.
We can’t say we know what it feels like to be an NFL quarterback tossing a perfect pass downfield to win the big game, but we imagine it feels something like this. Building a meaningful digital experience for the Drew Brees Foundation has been so fulfilling for all of us. We can make a difference. We can impact the world through non-profit organizations. We believe it’s all worth it.
It pays off when you spend the time and investment to garner the kind of response that can follow from doing it right. Don’t cut corners, do something that matters and you’ll be amazed at the results.
The W3 Awards honors creative excellence on the web, and recognizes the people behind award- winning sites, marketing programs, social content, mobile site/apps and online video. In honoring the best of the Web, the W3 Awards is the first major web competition to be accessible to the biggest agencies, the smallest firms, and everyone in between. Small firms are as likely to win as Fortune 500 companies and international agencies.
In its tenth year the W3 Awards received over 5,000 entries from Ad agencies, Public Relations Firms, Interactive Agencies, In-house creative professionals, Web Designers, Graphic Designers and Web Enthusiasts.
“We were amazed at the caliber and quality of work we received this year from the smallest agencies to the biggest firms worldwide. As the Web continues to expand in new and exciting ways, our winners continue to truly push the envelope of Internet creativity and web design.” said Linda Day, the director of the IAVA.
“On behalf of the 600+ members of The Academy Interactive and Visual Arts, we are honored to recognize our winners as they continue to set a high standard of excellence for Web development.”