The University of Wollongong (UOW) went to air on SBS TV and regional networks over the weekend with its new brand campaign in a bid to build brand awareness and align perceptions of the University with the actuality of its outstanding world-class achievements.
The integrated campaign, which spans cinema, TV, OOH, press and digital, signals UOW’s intensified efforts to consolidate its market position as one of the world’s best modern universities, following the brand’s strategic repositioning and launch of a refreshed 2016-2020 University Strategic Plan earlier this year.
Filmed to tell a series of research stories in which the University is actively undertaking world-first discoveries, the campaign uses the brand tagline – “Stands for Purpose” – across its 4×15, 2×30 and 1×60 second spots for online ads, TV and cinema, respectively.
“This is about triggering serious consideration about attending UOW through a reveal of its academic research and innovation around extraordinary things that affect society and the world at large,” said Ant Donovan, group creative director, Frost*collective.
“We want people to feel compelled to act on their life goals acknowledging the significant opportunities in both education and research that UOW offers.”
The five research stories represent significant medical, scientific, technological and social breakthroughs such as 3D printed organs helping to create new limbs, bionic bras to support breast health, new discoveries of human evolution, carbon dioxide monitoring with NASA to detect changes to the Earth’s atmosphere, and the use of Twitter data for disaster response to monsoons in Indonesia.
Creatively the concept intends to disrupt the category norm, which typically focuses on testimonial based student stories. To demonstrate the important impact of universities on society, it starts with the “why” rather than the “who”. The TV spots have the affect of an assemblage of fast-paced, news-reel footage and close-up shots of objects much like a series of news grabs.
“This year has been an extremely important one for UOW,” said Professor Paul Wellings CBE, vice-vhancellor, University of Wollongong. “We have refreshed our strategic plan to guide us into a new era of discovery, academic excellence and social leadership so that we can play a central role in transforming Australia as we move towards a knowledge-based economy.
“We’ve also announced an expansion into South Western Sydney with a new campus in Liverpool. To support this aspiration we have invested in building a strong brand presence to help those who don’t yet know us discover who we are in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
Emily Osborne, the University’s marketing and communications director added, “Frost*collective is responsible for helping us find our voice and be a more visible and authoritative brand. This campaign leverages our research achievements to drive awareness of our credentials harder than ever before.
“We hope it will prompt an informed reappraisal of our brand leading to positive outcomes not only to attract the right caliber of student but for the University’s future.”
The new campaign launched on SBS1 and SBS2 on Monday (5/6/16) and runs through to 25 June, while the cinema campaign period is 6 – 25 June. The campaign executions also include a comprehensive regional and metropolitan press, radio and outdoor media schedule.
Frost*Design was also behind the strategic brand refresh announced by UOW in March this year. The agency was commissioned by the University to undertake a strategic review to support aspirations in the University’s 2016-2020 strategic plan.
As part of the above the line campaign activity a student recruitment campaign will launch later this month continuing through until the start of 2017.
CAMPAIGN CREDITS
Cat Burgess – Strategy Director, Frost*collective
Ant Donovan – Group Creative Director, Frost*collective
Haidee Wallace – Account Director
Ryan Atkinson – Design Director
Alex Dalmau – Senior Designer
Ryan Curtis – Designer
Angus Lee-Forbes – Director
Production company – Collider
Tim Jones – Photographer
Media Strategy – Enigma
Emily Osborne – Director of Marketing and Communications, University of Wollongong
