Campaign summary
Getting your typical 16 year old to think a day ahead is never easy - never mind a year! But that was the challenge facing us when Leeds Metropolitan University asked us to create a graduate recruitment campaign. With an average gestation period of 18 months for the further education market, any communication has to be seriously memorable! To ensure our campaign had that kind of impact we highlighted the successes of past graduates in a series of stunning posters, press ads and bus-sides rolled out across the north of England.
The brief
The impending change in the way universities are funded is making the education sector a lot more competitive. With students facing average degree fees of £27,000, institutions are keen to show they represent good value for money. With an excellent track record in employability and first rate facilities Leeds Metropolitan University wanted to be on every student's UCAS list!
The approach
The first thing we did was to refresh the university's look, updating the rose logo and typeface - and creating a funky transparent holding graphic that worked across all media.
For the messaging itself we switched the focus away from the university and onto the student- and how we unlock their potential. Our line "It's amazing what you can do" emphasizes this shift, and sets an upbeat tone. It's amazing what you can do at the university - with its facilities and flexible syllabus. And it's amazing what you can do after university - as shown by a successful alumni that now numbers Oscar winners, designers and even film stars!
Stunning photography of these talented individuals featured throughout the campaign, appearing on 96 sheets, 48 sheets, 6 sheets, bus-sides and local press ads across the whole of the north of England, as well as the university's website. Nobody who saw the campaign can be in any doubt that the University is a springboard for a huge variety of careers!
The result
The true effect of the campaign won't be known for some time - until the number of applications in September 2012 is revealed. But already the early signs are encouraging with an overwhelmingly positive reaction from feeder colleges, local businesses, lecturers and current students alike.