University Gains Awareness and Consideration in Core Market

Direct Response Campaign

Challenge

East Texas A&M University (formerly Texas A&M University – Commerce) is one of the largest universities in the A&M system. With an impressive graduate school, strong research funding, and national rankings for its online MBA, the University has many strong features. The culture of the university is humble and marketing efforts had been understated for many years. So, when Steel surveyed high school students in the Northeast Texas area, few were considering it for college and many did not even know about ETAMU.

Goals and Objectives

With undergraduate application numbers trending downwards, ETAMU hired Steel to increase consideration with prospective students in DFW high schools.

CLIENT:
East Texas A&M University logo
RESULTS:

37-63

%
Increase in Awareness with DFW High School Students Intending to go to College
Our Pride Runs Deep sign - Texas A&M University Systems - Commerce Awareness Campaign
TAMUC Collateral in magazine - Texas A&M University Systems - Commerce Awareness Campaign
TAMUC Collateral - Texas A&M University Systems - Commerce Awareness Campaign

Here’s How We Did It

Drawing on the incredible accomplishments of the school and its humble nature, Steel developed the “Our Pride Runs Deep” campaign to allow storytelling that did not seem like shallow bragging. The campaign launched first on campus celebrating the school’s history. We activated the faculty, staff, and students first in the rally cry to increase school pride and maintain a feeling of authenticity that was so important to their culture.

Steel then developed a strategy that would activate alumni pride, appeal to first generation college students, and raise the esteem of local school districts for referral. The integrated marketing campaign ran across advertising, PR, database marketing, social, web and recruitment materials. The media schedule was a mix of TV, radio, outdoor, print, search, social, digital, and mobile. We also employed an Ambassador program to encourage alumni and students to share campaign posts on their own personal social media accounts.

Tactics

  • Facilitated Stakeholders Meetings
  • Year 1 Awareness and Perceptions
  • Benchmark Study
  • Brand Development
  • Campaign Strategy
  • Ad Testing
  • Marketing Plan
  • Television
  • Radio
  • Outdoor
  • Print
  • Digital, Social Mobile and Search
  • Ambassador
  • Database Marketing
  • Web Design
  • Media Relations
  • Event Support
  • Collateral
  • Year 2 Awareness and Perceptions
  • Comparison Study

Results

In DFW, we measured a 12 month increase in intent/consideration from 37% to 63% awareness with high school students intending to go to college.