It is one of the major challenges for the University of Twente in the coming years: increasing brand awareness. Only one in two students in the Netherlands knows the University of Twente, despite the fact that the UT scores extremely well in terms of student satisfaction in the National Student Survey and the Keuzegids. To introduce more Dutch prospective students to perhaps the best-kept secret in the Netherlands, UT is therefore launching its new 'Create your own story' campaign this week.
In the new campaign, we follow Anne, Merte and Akintunde, three UT students, in all facets of their student life: studying, sports, student teams, going out, and having fun. After all, studying is about so much more than getting a degree. At the University of Twente, they are given every opportunity to create their own story and achieve more than a degree - an important UT core value that students themselves say they recognise.
Established with UT students
The 2021 National Study Choice Survey (NSKO) shows that for students, a good atmosphere and having a place where you feel comfortable is the most important choice factor when choosing a university. The new campaign perfectly matches this need, focusing on friendships, teamwork and personal stories. A nice detail: only real UT students play a role in this campaign.
In the commercial, which was created in collaboration with content studio New Imaging and creative agency MORE, students step into various portals that lead them across campus (and beyond), from the operating theatre in the TechMed Centre to the hockey pitch, and from the student teams' Future Factory to a picnic at the student houses. In print campaign communications, these same elements are represented in a mosaic. In this way, the diversity of student life at UT and the extensive opportunities and facilities on campus are illustrated.
Continuous visibility
With the new campaign, the University of Twente will remain continuously visible for the next three years, both online and offline (think social media ads, Spotify, YouTube, roadside stands, advertisements in newspapers, et cetera). Primarily, the campaign targets study seekers, but gradually, it will also be used to reach deans or parents, who play an important role in the search.
By increasing its brand awareness, the UT hopes to attract more potential students and, ultimately, study seekers to technical studies. After all, the number of students choosing a technical profile - and thus a technical study - has been declining for years, even though there is a huge need for technical talent in the Dutch labour market.
