Many nonprofits use digital asset management (DAM) systems to coordinate marketing efforts between chapters, partners, and volunteers. Our case study of YMCA England & Wales showcases how they use the Widen Collective^® across 101 local organizations to create collateral that aligns with national campaigns and brand guidelines. 

In this article, we’ll explore how their evolving use of the Collective advances broader organizational initiatives and goals.

Nonprofit organizations in the service sector advance causes that make our world a better place. But because they often do so with limited resources, spending decisions are made with thoughtful consideration. After all, every dollar, pound, or euro spent helps a person in need!

Investments in new technology often have a significant impact on nonprofit budgets. But the right solution can create operational efficiencies that extend the reach and impact of an organization's work — and offset the initial cost. Let’s look at how Widen customers are using our digital asset management (DAM) system, the Widen Collective^®, to do just that.

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) implemented their first digital asset management (DAM) platform, the Widen Collective^®, to store and organize all of their marketing assets — from creative files to employee photos. 

When they were ready to start, they created a metadata structure and assembled a team of interns to upload assets. However, many of these uploaders lacked the institutional knowledge needed to create meaningful metadata, and as a result the values entered were incomplete or inconsistent. Further, SFO didn’t have a governance policy, archival strategy, or a designated site administrator. Their DAM system became so ineffective it was barely used. 

Six years later, SFO decided to overhaul the entire DAM site; and Robin Brown, their Brand Manager, was asked to lead the effort. At the 2019 Widen Summit she shared how she turned this underutilized platform into an essential tool across their organization, and beyond. 

The launch of any new software can create some trying times. After all, change can be hard, and workflow interruptions are frustrating! That’s why it’s essential to offer user training as part of any digital asset management (DAM) implementation. 

Best Friends Animal Society is an animal welfare organization that finds homes for rescued pets across America. They use their digital asset management (DAM) system, the Widen Collective^®, to store, organize, and distribute all of their digital assets — which includes a lot of images of ridiculously cute dogs and cats. 

Sarah Kichas is Best Friends’ Photography Manager, and DAM administration is just a small part of her job. It entails managing a constant stream of new content from a diverse group of photographers — including staff, freelancers, and volunteers — many of whom take pictures at just a single event. Giving them all access to the Collective with the appropriate login credentials, permissions, and upload instructions could be a part-time job in itself. 

At the 2019 Widen Summit, Sarah shared how they use the Widen API and Dropbox to turn this onerous upload process into a simple, streamlined workflow. “I love it,” she said, “because it saves me time and energy, and most importantly, my sanity.”

The execution of digital asset management (DAM) software is dynamic — it’s constantly being modified with the goal of meeting, or even anticipating, evolving user needs. User feedback can provide valuable insights into what these updates should be, and why. 

At the 2019 Widen Summit, Sara Fix, Brand Project Manager at Pega, shared how her team uses surveys to gather feedback that informs improvements to their Widen Collective^® site. 

For over fifty years the Boston Ballet has brought internationally-acclaimed performances, world-class education programs, and valuable community initiatives to the Boston area. Their rich and interesting history is reflected across photographs, posters, brochures, news articles, and other artifacts. 

As the webmaster at the Boston Ballet, Michaela Donnelly manages this archive and administers their digital asset management (DAM) system. At the 2019 Widen Summit, she shared how she uses the Widen Collective^® to preserve and protect the Boston Ballet’s long-standing history.

The Best DAM Contest is always a highlight of our annual Widen Summit. Four exceptional Widen customers showcase how they use their Collective^® site to meet unique user needs. Each contestant has a different use case, a different strategy, and a different winning approach to their DAM system.

We’re always proud to share the good news about our customers, especially when they’re doing great things with our technology!

Sargento recently won a 2019 MarTech Stackie Award for best marketing technology stack design. While MarTech Today spotlighted the story of how Sargento cooked up their stack, I had the chance to meet with Cami Schenck, the senior marketing manager of media and digital at Sargento Foods to learn more about the secret ingredients.

The Marketing Communications unit at the University of Georgia is responsible for capturing photographs that highlight what’s going on across campus. Their team of four photographers produce a lot of images, from student features to campus scenes. These photos are used in various channels and repurposed by many of the schools and colleges.

Photographers shoot and deliver images for a specific job. For example, an environmental portrait of a professor for a specific story. And as part of this job, they might capture other scenes — like the professor doing research or interacting with a graduate student. While some of these additional shots get used, Rick O’Quinn, Operations Manager at the University of Georgia, says “a lot of good images were kind of falling through the cracks.”