Seeking to enhance its brand and marketing efficacy, the International University of Applied Science (IU) partnered with our team to overhaul its outdated advertising assets. As Germany's largest university, IU aimed to boost brand recognition and lead generation through a refreshed creative campaign, addressing the needs of its diverse and extensive student body.
01. The Challenge
Existing static and video advertisement assets were outdated and overused affecting the performance of their campaigns. IU reached out with the need to develop a new overarching creative campaign strategy, including taglines and creative assets to support lead generation and advertising scaling efforts of the performance marketing team of IU as well boost the brand recognition.
02. What We've Done
Phase 1 | Creative Strategy & Visual Concept Development
- Onboarding Interview: We conducted an in-depth interview with the university team to gain a thorough understanding of their vision, target audience, and products.
- Audit & Research: We performed a comprehensive audit of the university's existing product umbrella, customer personas, and content. This process included an analysis of marketing insights, competitor strategies, customer feedback, and market-product fit.
- Strategy Creation: Our team brainstormed three comprehensive campaign concepts, each emphasizing relevant functional, emotional, and self-expressive benefits. Following this, the client selected one concept, after which we made the final adjustments necessary to proceed to the next stage.
- Visual Concept Development: Under the guidance of our creative director and graphic designers, we developed a distinctive visual style for the campaign. This step involved updating color schemes and graphic styles, as well as deciding on the incorporation of new photographic or graphic elements.
- Landing Pages Update: We presented an updated copy that shifted towards more storytelling-driven narration. Additionally, we updated the design of the pages to align with the campaign's aesthetic, ensuring they included conversion optimization strategies while remaining cohesive with the website's overall design.
- Static Visual Assets Design: Utilizing the established visual concept, we created customizable templates for various social media platforms, catering to the unique needs of each platform.
Phase 2 | Video Production
- Video Concepts Creation: We successfully developed and received approval for five creative video concepts, including three program-specific and two general brand videos. This crucial step set the stage for the upcoming production phases.
- Preproduction:
- We finalized the scripts, ensuring they effectively conveyed the intended messages for each video.
Our team developed detailed storyboards to visualize the scenes, along with comprehensive shot lists to meticulously plan the visual sequence of the videos. - The casting process was carefully conducted to select actors who perfectly fit the required roles
- We scouted and secured suitable filming locations, taking into consideration aesthetic appeal, logistical requirements, and budgetary constraints.
- Our project management team worked diligently to align all preproduction elements with the client's expectations, ensuring a smooth transition to the production stage.
- Production:
- The general producer and director adeptly managed the overall production process, directing the filming with precision and efficiency, even in the absence of the client on set.
- Postproduction:
- This stage included extensive video editing, the creation of motion graphics, sound design, color grading, voiceover recording, and art direction.
- We engaged in several rounds of feedback with the client to refine and perfect each video.
- The final advertisements, lasting 30-40 seconds, were resized to suit different platform specifications.
- Additionally, we created shorter versions for TrueView and bumper YouTube videos, complete with new scripts and voiceovers.
03. The Result
- The project wrapped up with a fantastic lineup of engaging, high-quality campaign materials, including standout advertisement videos that captured the university's unique brand and the wide array of programs it offers.
- The videos were well-received by the target audience and successfully adapted to various digital platforms, enhancing the university's online presence and market reach.
- The collaborative efforts between our team and the client ensured that the final products not only met but exceeded expectations, contributing to the overall success of the university's marketing campaign.
