Metaphorical stars, of course. As college application deadlines merrily roll through, the season of reflection is upon us. Let's explore one of the most successful higher education marketing strategies of 2022.
The school is Billy Blue College of Design, the problem? BBCD is a college of design with a marketing strategy akin to the usual paperback solution of mailers and brochures. If one were to ask about the era associated with such an outreach program, one might hear the faint callings of the Flinstone's screaming “Yabba Dabba Doo."
Flyers, brochures, what's the harm? Well, as it turns out, the attention span of Gen Z rests at eight seconds. So by the time you finish reading this sentence, your target audience has already moved on. A hurdle that paper printed materials no longer have the legs for.
Eight Seconds… Tick, Tick…
How could a higher education program possibly confine their institution to just eight seconds worth of content? Fair question. Billy Blue College of Design found the answer. In a single enrollment season, with only one major campaign adjustment, they exceeded their enrollment target by 109%. The sweeping change? Augmented reality.
Boom! Seriously, That's It
The goal of their campaign was to connect with their audience in an exciting, modern way that effectively markets their programs. After brainstorming with industry professionals, faculty, and alumnus, they decided to create an AR experience with an interactive interface. After all, studies find that AR doubles levels of attention and increases memory recall by 70%. The AR experience unlocks after scanning a QR code via smart phone. 3D projected worlds of all the different programs suddenly appear in a fun and interactive choose your own adventure. The result is a clever way for prospective students to engage with admissions marketing material before they even know what hit them.
(Source: Billy Blue College School of Design)
AR technology is a sensible addition to any marketing campaign. By 2025, over 75% of the global population will become active users of AR tech. From a business-related perspective, it makes even more sense. The majority of buyers state that they prefer retailers with AR experiences.
After BBCD implemented AR into their enrollment campaign, the results were overwhelmingly in favor of the design school's new approach to recruitment marketing.
Some Analytics to let sink in…
- Over 1,100 out of home campaign scans with users returning up to 15 times.
- Their TikTok campaign received 13 million views.
- There were over 30,000 activations of the AR experience (6 times the amount of downloads in the pdf formatted version).
- The campaign contributed to a 20% growth in enrollments.
- Led to 109% above enrollment targets.
The reduction of carbon footprint, the utlity of trackable analytics, the reduction in printing costs, shall I go on? The facts speak for themselves, AR is an effective tool for any marketing campaign. With 2023 around the corner, there are prospective students waiting to find their fit in the new year. Leave an impression in seconds that last.
Need help with enrollment marketing? Campus XR has the answer. Get in touch with a member of our team for a demo and let our products do the talking.