UNLIMITED

Short List
TitleUNLIMITED
BrandWESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
Product / ServiceUNIVERSITY (HIGHER EDUCATION)
CategoryB06. Media Relations
EntrantRED AGENCY Sydney, AUSTRALIA
PR RED AGENCY Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation RED AGENCY Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
James Wright Red Agency Managing Director
Nick Day Red Agency Account Manager
George Betsis WE.Collective Executive Creative Director
Scott Christensen Western Sydney University Marketing Director
Angelo Kourits Western Sydney University Vice-President, People and Advancement
Aaron Crowther Red Agency General Manager
Jade Devlin Red Agency Account Manager
Charmaine Tanti Red Agency Account Manager
Jae Morrison Finch Director
Rob Galluzo Finch Executive Producer
Corey Esse Finch Executive Producer
Tanja Perl WE.Collective Producer

The Campaign

Research uncovered the following insight - “The West” has a strong identity but that doesn't mean people identify strongly with it because its perception as working-class with lower socio-economic issues. However, in the West lives a growing sense of optimism and pride. Parents' desire a better future for their children, so we wanted to redefine what that means, 'better' previously being defined by the affluence/prestige of Sydney's East. We leveraged Western Sydney's diverse tapestry, battler nature and development. We put 'the West' first in the new name - Western Sydney University - and highlighted the positive and unlimited potential of the region. Whilst Alumni stories are nothing new, we unearthed an incredible story that we believed could be used to represent this unlimited potential - and we knew that if we told it right, we could capture the hearts and minds of not just Western Sydney but all of Australia.

Execution

Influencer Engagement: A teaser social influencer engagement program coined #NewWS ('New Western Sydney'). Championing viewing Western Sydney through a new lens utilising high profile personalities. PR: Seeding stories that spoke to the values highlighted as part of the rebrand and demonstrate how changes in society and business have made the University increasingly relevant. Importantly PR addressed objectors when the rebrand leaked. Experiential: An ultra-modern Open Day festival was created including TEDx-style talks delivered by inspirational Australians: Jess Watson, teenage sailor; Waleed Aly, TV commentator; and Steve Waugh, Australian cricket legend. All aligning to our ‘Unlimited’ attitude. Content-films: Amplifying storytellers, including Deng Adut. Deng was taken from his family aged five in Sudan and turned into a child soldier. After being shot, Deng was rescued by the UN. Western Sydney took him in. At 15 he taught himself to read, before completing a law degree. He's now a human rights lawyer.

The results have been incredible: o 1000+ earned media items (July-September). o Deng content trended at the top of Facebook and Reddit for 48hours. o 50%+ growth of University social profiles. o 128% uplift in Open Day attendance. o Deng’s video attracted 4M+ views across Facebook and YouTube (over 200k views before any paid support and over a million organic). o Media interviews secured with every major Australian broadcaster and globally with BBC World and CNN. o A massive 7% increase in school leavers putting Western Sydney University first preference. ABC's leading marketing TV show Gruen Planet called the campaign their 'best of the year'. Commentators around the world celebrated the work as a new benchmark for higher education marketing. The story so much attention, Deng was asked by the NSW Premier to give the prestigious keynote address at Australia Day 2016. He has also signed a book deal.

The Situation

We took the transformational Western Sydney University alumni story of Deng Adut, a former child soldier and refugee turned human rights lawyer, and used it as a torchbearer to shine a light on the unlimited potential of Western Sydney and the University that sits in the heart of it. Our 360 campaign to rebrand the University needed to both change how people thought of the University but also had to do a job for Western Sydney, an area with a significant image problem. By embracing the cultural diversity of Western Sydney, we built pride and got people to change their

The Strategy

The solution was to rebrand, to move away from any negative connotations associated with Western Sydney of yesteryear and show that the community comes first because of its strength in diversity. We used alumni stories that would build pride and provoke conversation of how there is a difference between the 'West we think we know' and the 'West that is'. In August 2015 UWS became Western Sydney University. Though the change was subtle, it was bold, accompanied by a new visual identity, alongside a refreshed brand attitude and voice more relevant to the incoming wave of students, locally and internationally. The strategy: 1. Seeded rationale for change via earned media that enhanced connectedness with the University through a range of channels, including social. 2. Drove interest in the University's Open Day to unveil the rebrand. 3. Heroed alumni stories embodying diversity and the new brand via content and earned media.

Links

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