Founded in 1953, Clark University’s College of Professional and Continuing Education (COPACE) curriculum and teaching methodology is focused on the needs and learning styles of the adult learner. The COPACE programs and courses are grounded in the basic liberal arts curriculum of Clark University.
Clark University is well known for its internationalism and academic interest in international affairs. Their American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI) program draws significant numbers of students from Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
COPACE wanted to cultivate a larger pool of international students without diverting their effort to attract local prospects.
To gain a greater understanding of the international marketplace, we conducted Closed-Loop Focus Groups™ with students representing the countries from which Clark wanted to recruit. We initially conducted a series of focus groups with the students, presenting three ideas for the campaign, then we closed the loop by conducting a second series of focus groups where we tested the actual campaign. The fully developed campaign resonated well with the international students.
The strategy was to cultivate a larger pool of international students without diverting the effort to attract local prospects. We developed an integrated brand campaign to attract international students. For the domestic market, we employed a traditional media campaign, punctuated with program-specific direct mail.
Clark University’s COPACE also needed to develop a brand identity that was distinct to them while conforming to graphic and messaging guidelines put forth by the University.
The print materials used to market COPACE as an entire division followed established identity guidelines very closely, while new program launches took visual liberties in order to maximize their appeal within targeted niche audiences.
We developed a catalog for the entire division used to market to both undergraduate and graduate adult learners for international and domestic markets. A viewbook was written and designed their graduate programs for international and domestic markets.
We also developed direct mail campaigns to promote the launch of the Master of Professional Communications program and the newly-introduced Master of Science in Information Technology program.
We conducted a Brandstorming™ session with the COPACE leadership team to develop a website architecture that would support their international and domestic enrollment goals. The website was programmed using an open-source content management system (CMS) that featured an easy-to-use dashboard interface that allowed COPACE staff to make timely content changes inhouse.
The website design served to reinforce the COPACE brand identity while conforming to institutional graphic standards. The website design and messaging needed to resonate with an international audience, without negatively affecting local marketing efforts. In addition, the site was programmed to take full advantage of organic international search activity.
We deployed an email campaign to international prospects, utilizing unique landing pages for each email. This allowed for proper tracking and measurement for each email in the campaign. The emails featured photographs of international students graduating.
Enrollment advertising, outdoor, radio and print, were launched prior to fall and spring semester starts. The ads targeted domestic adult learners and appeared in newspapers and on the radio within a 30-mile radius of the Worcester, Massachusetts, campus.
The radio ads were read in a newsroom format, focusing on the current relevancy of each program. We juxtaposed gripping news headlines that supported the need for COPACE degree programs against a promotion for the actual programs.
The print ads supported the major messaging of the radio ads. They also served to dispel myths about the college degree programs. New degree program launches often used outdoor media.
Enrollment goals for both international and domestic students were met. Julie Parent, COPACE Director of Marketing, said, “Having worked with Bergeron Creative for 20 years, they are experienced in the educational arena, and the quality of creative in print or web, is award-winning.”
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