Q&A with IIDA: Behind the Scenes of Their Gold Circle-Winning Member Retention Campaign
When it comes to member retention, creativity and consistency are often the difference between a reminder email and a true movement. The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) proved this with its award-winning “I Am IIDA” campaign, which not only celebrated the organization’s 30th anniversary but also energized members across every segment of its community. The campaign recently earned the prestigious ASAE Gold Circle Award for excellence in membership retention.
To take Association Adviser readers behind the scenes of this standout effort, we spoke with Cody Czmyr, Director of Member Services at IIDA. In this exclusive Q&A, Cody shares how the campaign came to life, the strategies that drove impressive year-over-year retention growth, and the lessons other associations can apply to their own engagement and renewal efforts.
Congratulations on winning the ASAE Gold Circle Award! To start us off, can you tell us the story behind your “I Am IIDA” campaign and what inspired it?
The idea came from our Creative Team, who wanted a way to highlight the wide-ranging community of incredible people within the IIDA membership. Paired with our 30th Anniversary, it gave us the perfect moment to celebrate what makes IIDA unique: our members. We were inspired by the Screen Actors Guild’s “I Am An Actor” campaign, where actors share their stories and end with the phrase, “I am an actor.” Our version gave members the same platform to tell their stories – closing with “I Am IIDA.” It was powerful, personal, and a true reflection of the diverse, vibrant, and empowered design community we represent.
Your campaign coincided with IIDA’s 30th anniversary. How did you weave that milestone into your strategy and messaging?
Thirty years is a milestone worth celebrating, and we wanted that energy to be felt throughout the entire campaign. We leaned into the number “30” as a creative thread—offering $30 gift cards, providing members with limited-edition 30th anniversary posters, and encouraging chapters to host their own celebrations to mark IIDA’s “birthday.” The goal was to build excitement and a sense of pride around the anniversary while connecting it directly to the value of membership. We made sure the 30th anniversary was woven into every layer of our renewal messaging—whether through visuals, giveaways, or social media—so that members felt part of a larger, celebratory moment in IIDA’s history.
One of your standout goals was to improve retention across multiple segments—individuals, corporations, and student-to-associate transitions. How did you prioritize and structure the campaign to meet those distinct goals?
Our approach was rooted in creating meaningful touchpoints and incentives that spoke directly to members’ commitment to IIDA. We knew retention wasn’t just about reminding people to renew—it was about motivating them to do so early and rewarding that commitment. To minimize the number of members renewing during the grace period, we structured the campaign around a month-by-month calendar of promotions. Each month offered something fresh, whether it was a fun giveaway, a useful tool, or a unique engagement opportunity, so that members always had a reason to act sooner rather than later. This cadence kept the campaign exciting, gave us multiple chances to re-engage members across different segments, and ensured that our messaging felt less transactional and more like a celebration of their continued membership.
Let’s talk results. Your presentation shared some impressive year-over-year retention growth rates. Which of those numbers was most exciting for your team and why?
The most exciting result for us was seeing our individual member renewal rate reach 50% by the end of the year. Hitting that milestone was significant because it demonstrated that, with intentional effort, we have real capacity to continue growing. In fact, we hadn’t seen half of our members renew by that point in the cycle in many years, so it was both a milestone and a motivator. It showed us that when we put concentrated, proactive strategies in place—whether that’s through targeted outreach, creative promotions, or more structured timelines—we can directly influence member behavior. That 50% benchmark validated our approach and gave our team confidence that year-over-year growth is achievable with the right mix of creativity, planning, and consistency.
The “I Am IIDA” Week and themed elements like the ‘Donut Forget to Renew’ promotion were really creative. Can you walk us through the timeline and thought process behind these promotional tactics?
Our goal was to strike a balance between meaningful storytelling and playful, unexpected moments that would grab attention and keep members engaged. “I Am IIDA” Week served as the campaign’s anchor—a five-day celebration featuring member stories, highlights, and tie-ins to our 30th anniversary. In the weeks leading up to it, our Membership Team collaborated with our Social Media Manager to create a content plan that encouraged staff participation first. Each team member developed their own “I Am IIDA” post to model the campaign, which helped spark momentum. We then worked with Chapter Leaders to amplify the message, and, during the week itself, we tagged members to “challenge” them to share their own stories. This peer-to-peer approach generated a wave of authentic content, which we were able to repost and highlight across platforms.
To complement those deeper storytelling moments, we layered in lighthearted promotions like “Donut Forget to Renew.” This was strategically timed to coincide with the release of renewal notices at the start of the month and was promoted through both digital invoices and social media. It served as a fun, low-pressure reminder that reinforced our message without feeling transactional. Together, these tactics created a campaign rhythm that combined celebration with creativity, ensuring our retention efforts stayed fresh and engaging throughout the year.
Your Firm Invoicing Project helped eliminate financial barriers for members. What kind of feedback did you receive from members and employers about this change?
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Firms appreciated the streamlined process because it cut down on administrative headaches and made it easier to support memberships for their teams. It also gave us a chance to build stronger relationships with decision-makers at some of our largest member companies and demonstrate that we’re just as invested in their employees as they are. On the member side, it removed a huge barrier—no more worrying about reimbursements or covering the cost up front. They could simply focus on the benefits of being part of IIDA. It was a big operational shift, but it made a significant big impact on both accessibility and retention.
You highlighted a focus on DEIB in your campaign. How did you make sure your messaging was inclusive and resonant with the diversity of your membership?
We were very intentional about highlighting members from a wide range of backgrounds, career stages, and design disciplines. The beauty of the “I Am IIDA” theme is that it shows there’s no one-size-fits-all path in interior design—and that’s exactly what makes our community so strong. Every person contributes to the larger design tapestry, and we wanted to celebrate that. Our goal was for every member to see themselves reflected in the campaign. By centering authenticity and representation, we ensured that “I Am IIDA” wasn’t just a slogan – it was a true statement of belonging.
Leadership buy-in is often cited as a key success factor. What role did internal alignment and staff engagement play in the campaign’s execution?
It was absolutely essential. From the very beginning, both leadership and staff were aligned on the importance of making retention and engagement a top priority. That alignment gave us the confidence to be bold creatively while staying consistent strategically. Every department—membership, creative, sales, marketing, etc.—had a role in shaping and executing the campaign, which made it truly a shared effort. When it came time to present our plan internally, we brought forward a data-informed proposal that outlined both the need and the opportunity. Just as importantly, we ensured that every team member had a voice in the process, which made the campaign stronger and more collaborative. That internal buy-in not only smoothed execution but also created a sense of ownership across the organization, making the success of “I Am IIDA” Membership Campaign a collective win.
Looking back, what was one tactic or strategy that worked even better than expected?
The testimonial-style storytelling was the standout. Members were not only willing but excited to participate, and their authentic voices gave the campaign a credibility and warmth that static quotes couldn’t replicate. It created a ripple effect—once members saw their peers being highlighted, more wanted to contribute their own stories. This snowball effect kept the campaign fresh with new, member-driven content throughout the year. Beyond the content itself, it reinforced a sense of belonging: members loved seeing themselves and their colleagues celebrated. That “real person” marketing built community spirit in a way that aligned perfectly with who we are as IIDA, and it became one of our strongest assets for engagement.
What advice would you give to other associations struggling with retention and engagement right now?
Don’t be afraid to disrupt your own process. Take a hard look at how you’re currently handling renewals and ask yourself: where can we innovate, simplify, or surprise? Sometimes it’s not about creating something entirely new but about tweaking existing practices in ways that re-energize your members. Pair that with strong creative—campaigns that feel fun, fresh, and personal—and then commit fully to the plan. Consistency matters just as much as creativity, and the combination of the two can yield powerful results.
What’s next for IIDA’s member engagement efforts? Are there new initiatives building on the success of this campaign?
We’re already looking ahead. Planning is underway for our 2026 membership campaign, where we’re exploring new ways to both incentivize early renewals and acknowledge the loyalty, dedication, and volunteerism of our members. We’re also thinking about how to evolve our storytelling approach—continuing to showcase members’ voices while layering in new platforms and formats to reach them. The success of “I Am IIDA” Membership Campaign reaffirmed that recognition and community are at the heart of retention, and those themes will remain central as we design what’s next.
Have questions or want to learn more about IIDA’s award-winning retention strategies? Reach out to Cody Czmyr, Director of Member Services at IIDA, at [email protected].
