Bringing clarity and purpose to postgraduate recruitment

University of Winchester – Postgraduate Campaign

The University of Winchester underwent a rebrand in 2017, with an overall proposition of “Be the difference” – a reflection of the values that the drive the institution. The new brand was reflected in overall institutional communications, as well as in undergraduate recruitment campaigns. However, the University had not extended this into postgraduate recruitment. Bell was briefed to develop a postgraduate recruitment campaign, taking the brand and its values into account whilst tailoring it to the specific needs and desires of postgraduate students.

We endeavoured to better understand the motivations and dreams of postgraduate students at the University; to see what made them tick, and why Winchester was the perfect place for them. For them, it was the growth that a postgraduate degree at the University empowered that made a real difference to them – not just academic growth, but also personal and professional. There was a noticeable ‘depth’ to their experiences, that would enable them to do more than just graduate. They really could Be more. This became our key campaign headline proposition. Sitting in harmony with “Be the difference”, “Be more” worked standalone and as the root form of an aspirational message, for example: Be more confident; Be more ambitious; Be more dedicated; and so on.

We interviewed eight current postgraduate students, that we made into campaign testimonial videos for multiple application across numerous channels, including a composite video. Their stories contributed to our overall postgraduate brand story. We also designed key pages and spreads of the postgraduate prospectus, which helped guide the University’s in-house team with their overall design.

“Bell put in the time and effort to get to know the University in a very short space of time which has been really appreciated and reflects in the work they deliver.”

Sam Jones, Assistant Vice-Chancellor