The Brand Driven Admissions Communications Strategy
A brand driven admissions communications strategy is a school’s best opportunity to control the look and the messages it delivers to prospective families and students. On one level, a brand is built on messages, and these become the drivers of content covered in the brand driven viewbook and other publications. On another level, a brand is authenticated through student, school community, and family stories. These people and stories become the school’s brand ambassadors, putting a human face on institutional distinctions and achievements.
York College enlisted Skelton Design and Robert Gray Writing and Editing as communications partners to convey its brand, qualities, advantages, and value proposition to prospective undergraduate students through an integrated and strategic admissions marketing campaign. The overall theme of the campaign, From Day One, captures the all-encompassing and life changing experience of attending York College. It expresses the College’s commitment to student success that begins as soon as the student arrives and continues through graduation.
On Your Way
The centerpiece of the admissions campaign, the viewbook features an illustrated map of the four-year experience at York College. Every York student’s journey is unique, but all benefit from student-focused resources and schoolwide support…from day one. Illustration by Eric Hanson.
Your Life’s Work Begins Now
The viewbook conveys themes and messages through students’ personal stories of opportunity, discovery, and success made possible by their York College experiences.
The overall theme of the campaign, From Day One, captures the all-encompassing and life changing experience of York College.
A Classic College Experience
The travel brochure, displayed at college fairs and handed out by high school guidance counselors, summarizes why York College can be the right fit from day one. York’s bright green color, full bleed campus photos (on the reverse), and student testimonials draw viewers into the four-panel fold-out.
Like Family From Day One
The Parent’s Guide offers tips and resources for families and outlines first steps for York students.
Get Ready…Get Set…Go!
The yield brochures, mailed consecutively to students admitted to York College, is the final component of this year's admissions stream. The pieces convey the many advantages of attending York. “Get Ready” tells new students how they can get involved and feel at home on campus. “Get Set” discusses ways York can prepare undergraduates for a career while working toward a degree. And “Go!” highlights outcomes stories from recent alums.
Writing: Robert Gray; Major Photography: Peter Howard; Illustration: Eric Hanson
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