Campanie
General Information:
Strategic approach:
| Strategic approach: |
Attracting Romanian students to local universities is becoming increasingly difficult, due to the continuous decrease in the number of those who choose to study here and the increasing interest in academic training abroad. Studies show that, while Romania is European “champion” in school drop-down rate, 1 in 15 students wishes to leave the country to find better educational opportunities. In this context, the admission campaign at the Romanian-American University, as a private, tuition-based educational institution, was full of challenges. The client's specifics are niche, the budget available was reduced by 30% compared to that allocated in previous years, the objective of the campaign was not one of awareness but of conversion (registrations with paid fee), the target audience being one of the most difficult segments existing on the market: Generation Z. A generation that has the smallest attention span in digital (1.3 seconds) but also the greatest exposure to information. A heterogeneous target, which emphasizes the immediate professional benefits when choosing higher studies, characterized by the passion for technology and unconventional, which requires a different communication approach from universities that want to attract them. Given these challenges, the Romanian-American University (RAU) aimed to: 1. Maintain student enrollments at the same level as 2023 while operating with a reduced budget. 2. Engage and convert Gen Z students using a modern, interactive, and personalized admissions experience that aligned with their digital-first behaviors and experiential learning preferences. The communication strategy developed was based on a deep understanding of the target audience, as well as on the knowledge acquired by Cognition in the development of campaigns for the university environment in the past 3 years. Faced with a multitude of options and an overwhelming amount of information, Generation Z tends to struggle with confusion in decision-making processes. A worrying fact, which requires taking responsible and immediate measures in the academic environment, considering that these young people represent a third of the world's population and, soon, over a quarter of the workforce in developed economies. Digital natives, accustomed to having multiple information at their fingertips, often seek clarity and concise details when exploring their options. The increased pressure they feel at the educational level (from the performance point of view, choosing a specialization or a profession that is not dissonant with their passions) can have serious consequences: from the alarming increase in the dropout rate, to taking refuge in the digital environment or other vices, and a strong tendency towards escapism. ESCAPE is the favorite word of the majority. Moreover, young people have a perspective on learning that is very different from previous generations, being inclined towards alternative education, based on skills and valuing the unique development potential of each one, and prefer authentic, transparent communication aligned with their own values and aspirations. Hence, the increased need for GUIDANCE. URA understands these particularities and supports its students with programs and extracurricular activities adapted to their requirements, as well as with specialized resources to offer them professional support and guidance. The solution we identified in this context was the development of an educational tool that combines URA's commitment to providing guidance to young people throughout the educational journey, with the playful, dynamic and experimental side preferred by Gen Z, through a gamification mechanic, with a solid engagement component. A friendly and attractive space where they can escape to find the answers they seek, an opportunity to explore their abilities, experiencing the thrill of the game and at the same time receiving specialized guidance that will help them in choosing their future college. |
Execution:
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