CASE STUDY
USGBC Leadership Awards : Celebrating Impact Through Storytelling
Challenge
USGBC’s annual Leadership Awards recognize individuals and organizations driving sustainability innovation. Historically, the awards were presented through static events and print materials, missing the opportunity to capture the stories behind measurable impact.
Approach
While serving on USGBC’s marketing team, Bold Branch Collective’s founders, along with our partner MagicWig, reimagined the Leadership Awards as a video storytelling platform that celebrated people, partnerships, and performance. We collaborated with video producers to concept, script, and manage production for a series of short films highlighting recipients such as the U.S. General Services Administration and ITC Hotels. The stories showcased how sustainability can be both aspirational and actionable, combining cinematic storytelling with technical substance.
2024 Leadership Award: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA): This video spotlights how GSA integrates LEED and sustainable design across federal buildings, emphasizing innovation in operations and the impact of long-term policy leadership.
2024 Leadership Award: ITC Hotels: This story captures ITC Hotels’ journey toward carbon-positive, water-positive, and zero-waste operations—illustrating how a brand can align luxury, responsibility, and measurable performance.
Outcome
The new video series transformed the awards into a flagship storytelling moment for USGBC. Engagement with the award content tripled year-over-year, and the format became a lasting part of USGBC’s communications strategy, helping audiences connect emotionally with the mission of market transformation.
Series Playlist
The 2024 USGBC Leadership Awards Series Playlist celebrates diverse leaders—cities, universities, developers, and product innovators—who demonstrate that sustainability progress is powered by collaboration, creativity, and measurable results.