TAU GLOBAL CAMPAIGN
When Tel Aviv University set out to grow its endowment, we uncovered a deeper truth:
breakthroughs aren’t a moment—they’re a journey. Thus, “Optimism at Work” was born.
Tel Aviv University’s latest international fundraising campaign isn’t just about raising money—it’s about reshaping the way donors engage with the university and its future.
For the first time, TAU set out to significantly grow its endowment funds, ensuring lasting impact for generations to come. Through deep conversations with university leaders, fundraisers, and donors, one insight became clear: TAU’s supporters don’t just give—they see themselves as part of the university. They identify with its values, its mission, and its role in shaping Israel and the world.
At the same time, we realized something fundamental: breakthroughs don’t happen overnight. Science, social progress, and education aren’t the result of a sudden flash of genius, but rather a long road of hard work, persistence, and vision. This challenged the myth of the “Eureka moment”—Newton’s apple, Archimedes’ bathtub, the entrepreneur who wakes up with a million-dollar idea. The reality? Real change takes time.
The Aha Moment
As we shaped the campaign, one insight stood out: breakthroughs don’t happen overnight. While the world loves stories of sudden genius—Newton’s apple, Archimedes’ bathtub, the entrepreneur who wakes up with a million-dollar idea—the reality is different. Real progress is a long, demanding journey.
Science, education, and social change don’t come from fleeting moments of inspiration but from years of dedication, persistence, and belief. And that’s exactly what endowment giving is about: investing in the long road to impact.
From Strategy to Story: Optimism at Work
To set out on this long journey, you need optimism. Optimism that research will lead to discovery. That education will spark change. That investing today will transform tomorrow.
This campaign doesn’t just invite donors to contribute—it invites them to see themselves as visionaries. Are you an optimist? Join us on the road to breakthroughs.
The message resonates on multiple levels:
- With TAU donors: It positions them as forward-thinkers, committed to making a lasting impact.
- With Israel itself: The country was built on optimism—on pioneers who believed in the impossible and made it happen.
- With Tel Aviv: A city that thrives on resilience, creativity, and the belief that anything can be achieved.
A Campaign Built in the Shadow of Crisis
This entire campaign was developed during one of Israel’s darkest moments—the aftermath of October 7th. In a time of despair, we wanted to project a different message: that Israel is recovering, rebuilding, and pushing forward. For many donors, this campaign became a way to take action—supporting Israel’s resilience through education, research, and social impact.
Bringing the Message to Life
The campaign unfolds across multiple touchpoints, each reinforcing Optimism at Work:
- Rollups & Banners – Showcasing how optimism fuels disciplines like humanities, life sciences, entrepreneurship, and student success.
- The Campaign Video – A playful, relatable take on Tel Aviv’s everyday challenges—traffic jams, jellyfish at the beach—and how optimism helps us push through. This connects to TAU’s impact: overcoming obstacles to fight cancer, solve environmental crises, and bridge social gaps.
- Project Pages – Highlighting initiatives that need funding—projects that will only succeed with the long-term commitment of optimists who believe in real change.
More Than a Campaign—A Movement
This isn’t just a fundraiser. It’s a call to action. A mindset. A belief that breakthroughs aren’t a moment—they’re a journey.
And the optimists? They’re the ones leading the way.
Credit:
Client Management & Campaign Leadership: Weinpress Marketing
Strategy: Alon Weinpress & Atara Biller
Creative Concept: Yariv Ratner (Copy) & Eran Barkan (Art)
Digital & Print Design: Levi Afuta
Photography: Yoram Reshef
Head of Strategic Communicationsduction, TAU: Rava Eleasari
Credits:
Branding Strategy and Initiative Lead : Weinpress Marketing
Art : Neta Ashet and Levi Apota
