Today, Jack J. Chielli, Executive Director at Wilkes University presented a session titled “A Majority of One†about an integrated recruiting campaign his institution launched this year.
This is Lacey Lacey Updegraff’s second scheduled post.
Wilkes University, a small school in Pennsylvania, placed a high bet on a large marketing campaign last year. Their main advertising message is about mentoring and one-to-one relationships. Jack did mention that they did use a large marketing firm, 160/90, whose other clients include Sobe and American Eagle.
They first recreated the view book by giving it the feel they wanted to have, mostly with quotations marks, which stood for conversation and inclusion. Afterwards, they redesigned their Web site, hellowilkes.com.
As part of this redesign, they sent out direct mail pieces that gave out individual usernames and passwords for accepted students to use online. Current students monitored the Web site and answered questions on topics from getting into nursing to not gaining weight in college.
The most public part of their campaign is what they did next. They targeted 6 students in small towns near the university and got detailed information from them (with the student and parents permission, obviously) and made billboards on it in their town where students hung out. Here are two examples of these ads (please note, there were no photos on these ads):
“Megan Smithâ€
As editor of the West Scranton High newspaper, you can spot the the typo on this sign. That attention to detail will serve you well at Wilkes University. Megan, call a Colonel 570-408-6032.
“Liz Wendolowskiâ€
You’re a star on the Meyers debate team. We hope you can settle the ramen noodles vs. mac n’ cheese debate at the Wilkes University dorms next year. Call a Colonel 570-408-6032.
Each “real” phone number on these billboards went to a personalized recording created by that student.
Another thing pretty “out there,” was that they rented planes to fly over each student’s high school during graduation with a banner saying “Welcome to Wilkes University [insert name here]”.
I don’t think I can really do this marketing plan complete justice without being able to show what they actually did. I would definitely check out the Web site and try to talk to Jack. These ideas were amazing.
