StudyPerth Australia has partnered with Digital Crew to create a highly localised campaign encouraging Chinese students to study in Perth and strive to achieve their potential.

Branded ‘Destination Perth’, the campaign aims to develop Chinese students’ spirit of curiosity by encouraging them to step out of their preconceived box of limitations and discover their capabilities in Perth.

The campaign involved a multi-channel approach which included:

• Brand localisation – adapting to the Chinese audience
• Key messaging – communication strategies
• Integrated media buying – on Chinese social media platforms like IQIYI, Youku, Baidu, WeChat, Weibo and KOLs strategy

StudyPerth executive director Phil Payne said the campaign was developed in response to findings from a report developed for StudyPerth last year by QS Enrolment Solutions, Understanding the International Student Experience in Perth.

Payne said: “We had suspected for some time that awareness of Perth as a study destination could be better, and the findings from the report confirmed this suspicion.

“78 per cent of prospective international students considering study in Australia say they know nothing or very little about Perth.

“China is a very important source of students for Western Australia so we wanted to use these findings to inform a strategic approach in China to the promotion of Perth as a world-class study destination and attract increasing numbers of students from this country.”

He added: “The development of this campaign was also a key component of the StudyPerth Action Plan 2019-2025, which we released earlier this year.”

The digital assets produced for Destination Perth targeted four million prospective students from major cities in China and emphasised Perth’s excellent student experience, desirable lifestyle and the array of opportunities that Perth offers to its students.

The TVC, which garnered over 1.5 million impressions across multiple Chinese platforms within the first three days, featured a young woman as she explored her education and career potential at Perth institutions, and enjoyed some of Perth’s most exciting activities.

The girl was shown literally stepping out of a box and immersing herself in Perth’s enriching educational experiences beyond her imagination.

Tourism Research Australia stated that one in seven international visitors to WA hail from China, of which 58 per cent were students seeking international education.

Digital Crew co-founder, Ophenia Liang said: “We want to bridge communication gaps between the two countries and strike a cohesive bond to bring about a fusion of cultures, ideas and perspectives.”