Anglia Ruskin University

Amplify

We worked closely with Anglia Ruskin University’s (ARU) marketing team to blaze a new trail in the sector with a concept that promoted the wider university experience.
Together we created the ‘Amplify’ proposition and brought it to life for their disruptive undergraduate and postgraduate student recruitment campaigns.

Brief

At ARU, students grow in confidence, find their voice and amplify their skills, ambitions, talent and impact. Through telling the stories of real ARU students and graduates in an authentic way, we aimed to show future students how their learning experience at ARU could help them go on and make an impact in the world.

Instead of focusing on stats and rankings, we aimed to flip the narrative and shift the value perception from just gaining a degree to showing the broader benefits of the university experience – developing practical skills, gaining real-world experience, growing in confidence, finding your voice and amplifying your talent.

Solution

‘Amplify’ was a concept we created for a successful campaign for the University’s Faculty of Business and Law. The digital assets, Instagram Stories, online banners and audio postcards worked so well, they asked us to ‘Amplify’ their University-wide student recruitment campaign.

After all, ‘Amplify’ perfectly captures the spirit of ARU helping its students to grow over three years, providing the practical and innovative learning they need to discover their strengths and unlock their potential. On their learning journeys that go way beyond their courses, students develop their skills and purpose, so their future actions can reverberate throughout the community and improve people’s lives.

To make the campaign stand out, we created a bright and bold design. We worked closely with different students to bring out their stories, their ambitions and the impact they want to make on the world. We promoted key messages about the ARU experience. And we developed a suite of campaign assets including 60-second videos, shorter video edits for social, online banners, social posts and even design templates for the prospectus. We also produced a toolkit, so the ARU marketing team could create their own assets.

To attract all students, even those not considering university, we aimed to inspire them that they can make a difference through authentic student stories. A social work student who wants to fight for social justice and care for people as a specialist mental health social worker. A digital media student who is tackling knife crime. And a zoology student who wants to use her skills to put an end to animal extinction.

Results

Together we created an inspiring campaign that tells real student stories, communicates their ambitions, promotes the broader university experience and inspires other students to amplify their potential and make a positive impact on the world at ARU. The UG campaign results are highly impressive:

• UCAS clicks & applications grew by 48% from 1410 to 2,763, smashing the 10% target
• The campaign increased open day bookings by 20% from 378 to 455 (10% target
• The number of website sessions grew +155,000 YOY (13% growth against a 5% target)
• At the end of the UCAS cycle (post UCAS January deadline) ARU applications for undergraduate courses were up +17.70% YOY.
• To-date firm acceptances to ARU’s undergraduate courses are up+18% YOY.

27,503,486 impressions and 186,545 clicks.