Overview

Objective

The objective of the recruitment campaign creative and media plan was to engage prospective students and their parents or influencers, inform them of our academic success at the University of Rhode Island, and drive them to apply to the school with intent to enroll. The secondary objective was to build pride with alumni in the primary markets.

Strategy

The strategy focused on engaging prospective students and their parents or influencers through an integrated media plan of traditional and digital platforms. It allowed students to “see themselves here” and showcased why the University of Rhode Island was the right school for them and a pathway to a successful career.

Tactics

The integrated media plan targeted key audiences through various media including:

Target Audiences

• Primary: High school juniors, seniors, parents, and influencers.
• Secondary: Alumni, donors, legislators and community members.

Primary Markets

Creative Concept: Calling All Big Thinkers

The 2019 recruitment campaign creative concept used a cinematic narrative to present the essence of URI — an invitation to experience what it’s like to be a member of the URI community. The concept illustrated research and scholarship, showcasing unique experiences and industry-leading technologies that come together for our students both in and out of the classroom, on campus or abroad.

Video Treatment

The television and digital video spots included all-new footage that moved the viewer from the abstract to a literal identification with the featured student.

Spots typically began with close-up shots detailing activity that was given broader context later in the spot, where the camera moved to an “over the shoulder” perspective. This provided the viewer with a first-person experience while not yet fully connecting them with the featured student.

Finally, the spots closed by focusing on the face of the student in detail, making a deep connection between the activities the viewer had witnessed and the real student who had been carrying them out. The goal was to allow the viewer to see themselves in the students and make the conclusion that they, too, would thrive at URI.

Featured Programs

The campaign featured students from six academic and two non-academic interest areas. Each area was shot in a single location and focused on a main activity with the student.

• Engineering: Engineering lab // student interacting with robotic arm
• Ocean Science: Inner Space Center // underwater research lab
• Health: Treadmill room // suiting up and walking / jogging
• College of the Environment and Life Sciences: Peckham Farm // measuring lambs / animal care
• Harrington School of Communication and Media: Harrington Studio // video editing suite
• Pharmacy: Pharmacy lab // late night lab work
• Athletics: Ryan Center // basketball team getting ready for game
• Place/Club Sports: Sailing Center // sailing and adjusting sails

Featured Students

Health Sciences / Kinesiology

Kaki (“Kay”) Tse ’19

• Major(s): Kinesiology and Psychology
• Home: Cranston, RI
• Highlights: Works at campus rec facilities – class instructor

Ocean Sciences / College of the Environment and Life Sciences

Benjamin Hooks ’19 (Dec)

• Major: Marine Biology
• Home: Charlestown, RI
• Highlights: Independent study course. Trying to see if a shell disease will decrease the abundance of lobsters in the ocean.

Robotics / College of Engineering

Nathan Ankomah-Mensah ’19

• Major(s): Computer and Electrical Engineering
• Minor(s): Computer Science and Math
• Home: Pawtucket, RI
• Highlights: Work – biosensing lab; Studied abroad sophomore year – Ghana.

Harrington School of Communication and Media / College of Arts and Sciences

Edhaya Thennarasu ’21

• Major(s): Film Media and Communication Studies
• Home: Andover, MA, pre-college high school in India (BVM)
• Highlights: Ellen Show visit – Spring 2018; Alternative Spring Break, 2019 – Peru.

Animal Science / College of the Environment and Life Sciences

Julie Bosland ’19

• Major(s): Animal Science and Technology
• Home: North Attleboro, MA
• Highlights: Worked with Professor Sartini on egg and chicken regulations and inspections.

Athletics / Student Life + Marketing / College of Business

Jeff Dowtin ’19

• Major: Marketing
• Home: Upper Marlboro, MD
• Highlights: URI Basketball Team; Brings skill of teamwork into academic and social life at URI

Pharmaceutical Science / College of Pharmacy

Marisa Pfohl ’15

• Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
• Bachelor’s:B.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Minor: Minor in Biology, Cum Laude
• Home: Warnerville, NY
• Highlights: 8 years in pharmacy program; Research in toxins

Sailing / Student Life / Place

Parker Colantuono ’21

• Major: Finance
• Home: Portsmouth, RI
• Highlights: Uses finance principles in practicing sailing

Creative

TV – Digital – Social

The television and digital video spots featured completely new cinematic creative that aligned with the admission viewbook messaging and supported our brand tag line, “Think Big. We Do.”

A mix of :15 and :30-second spots were developed with a student voice-over inviting the viewer to take a closer look at URI. Each digital video linked to a dedicated, interactive landing page where the user could explore majors, admission information and student life opportunities.

Television Media: Targeted morning national broadcast TV in all markets and cable placements in the New York market with cable overflow viewing in Connecticut and New Jersey.

Digital Video Media: Included 1) non-skippable placement throughout NBCUniversal properties, Hulu, across desktop, mobile, connected TV and video on demand (VOD), and 2) outstream video, which was served in contextually relevant environments including business/finance, entertainment, food and drink, news, sports, science/tech, travel, lifestyle, education, and music.

30s TV and Digital Spot

15s TV and Digital Spots

Landing Pages

The campaign landing page bridges the divide between the ads and the university website. It carries the momentum of the ad, provides the visitor with a broader view of the university, and drives them to key areas of the website.

The page provides an in-app experience with a swiping interface reminiscent of social media platforms. This mobile-friendly interface creates a seamless transition between apps and the website, and is intuitive for the target audience.

This year's campaign uses only one landing page that serves dynamic content specific to the ad that was clicked (e.g. an engineering ad click results in an engineering-themed landing page). To engage visitors with broader interests, additional disciplines are a swipe away. Rounding out the page is content requested in student focus groups, with themes like tuition, student life, and standardized test score ranges.

The primary call to action is labeled in a friendly, non-committal way: "Stay In Touch". Secondary calls to action encourage visitors to learn more about tuition, student life, admission requirements and to add URI in the Common Application.

View landing page

Out-of-Home Billboard

The billboard featured the robotics lab in our engineering center and visually represented our big thinking, industry-leading technology, diverse student body, and opportunities for students. The billboard featured Nathan Ankomah-Mensah ’19, who was also included in our :15 television, digital video and Instagram Story videos.

Media Flow

The media flow strategy supported enrollment goals for the early action deadline (December 1, 2019) for all markets except Rhode Island. The Rhode Island buy was dedicated to drive interest for yield season in March 2020.

Budget

Resources

Coordination of departments with multiple checkpoints

• President Dooley and Senior Leadership Team
• Marketing and Communications
• Enrollment Management
• Office of Admission
• Athletics
• All featured colleges
• Public Safety

Internal Resources

• Brand Management / Marketing: Heather A. Colby
• Social Media: Shaun Holt
• Graphic Designer: Susan Jamison
• Copywriters: Nicki Toler, Mary Elizabeth Reilly-McGreen
• Web Design: Brandon J. C. Fuller