Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) Selects Widen Media Collective to Organize, Store Digital Assets

MADISON, WI--(Marketwired - March 01, 2016) -  Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), a global human rights organization, has selected the Widen Media Collective for its digital asset management (DAM) needs. Powered by grassroots collaboration, UUSC actively engages its more than 40,000 members and supporters in its social justice work. The nonprofit will use Widen's cloud-based DAM not only to organize its photos and videos for internal use, but also to share digital assets with the media and other supporters to expand their marketing and communications reach.

All of UUSC's digital assets were being stored on a shared drive in folders upon folders, as UUSC E-commerce and Merchandising Officer Eric Grignol explained, each using their own "Frankenstein system" of organization.

"It was past the point of being usable by our staff, with only one person really knowing where everything was," he said. "It wasn't doing us any good having a selection of materials that virtually sat on a shelf and weren't being used."

Grignol spent about three years trying to find the financial resources to fund a DAM, and eventually UUSC was able to garner donor funding to work the new Widen system into their budget. Grignol says price was one of the biggest factors in choosing Widen, in addition to the DAM fulfilling all of their needs.

The abilities to tag and search through UUSC's digital assets was a top priority and will not only make work easier and more efficient for internal staff, but also allow external partners, such as members of the media, to access what they need.

"For a small nonprofit, whose mission is not file management, it's important for us to be able to use this type of centralized database," said Steven Nutter, UUSC's associate director of communications and knowledge management. "We've been collecting photos and videos for years. Being able to tag and store them in one place, and then use them across our different channels -- from press releases and social media to print materials and our websites -- is a huge plus as we look to expand our reach," he added.

Gringol and Nutter also say they're relieved not to worry about storage anymore. With an exponential growth in the number of photos and videos they were capturing, Nutter said server space, as well as the need for back-up solutions and archiving, had become a concern.

"[The DAM] will allow us to use our assets more intensively than we have in the past," Nutter said. "By making them more searchable and accessible, we'll be putting them to good use."

UUSC has designated a staff member to oversee the DAM, which will be used daily by the communications and knowledge management team. They're also excited that any staff member will be able to return from the field and upload assets themselves, spreading responsibility across the organization and ensuring nothing gets lost in the shuffle.

"Knowing that the Media Collective DAM will be used to support and enhance the mission of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is something that all at Widen will take pride in," said Craig Bollig, senior advisor with Widen. "The team expressed early on that a resource center for UUSC brand and creative assets would help their teams engage with members and supporters to take informed action and have a positive impact. That's what the digital asset management solution does for all scenarios, regardless of industry. It enables individuals, teams and organizations to work toward their missions."

About Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is a human rights organization powered by grassroots collaboration. In more than 20 countries throughout the world, UUSC fosters social justice and works toward a world free from oppression. UUSC's innovative approaches and measurable impact are grounded in the moral belief that all people have inherent power, dignity, and rights. To learn more, visit uusc.org.

About Widen Enterprises, Inc.

Widen is a marketing technology company that powers the content that builds your brand. Leveraging cloud-based resources, Widen delivers configurable, scalable and cost-effective digital asset management solutions to help you easily store, search and share your digital content. Organizations of all sizes use Widen's SaaS DAM solution, the Media Collective, to streamline their marketing and creative workflows and make their content work harder. Widen is trusted by hundreds of thousands of users around the world at organizations like LG, Roche, Trek, Cornell University, New Orleans Tourism Marketing, the Atlanta Falcons, Red Gold Tomatoes, Electrolux, and Yankee Candle. To learn more about Widen, go to widen.com.