Nottingham Trent University
High calibre academic research recruitment campaign
Strategic Challenge: Attracting the best
Despite NTU winning top spot as ‘University of the Year’ and ‘Modern University of the Year', it was still not recognised as a destination for leading academics. Not only did we want to attract the best academics, we wanted to convey an institute of academic excellence, collaboration, passion and opportunity.
Creative Challenge: Repositioning the University through individual and collective storytelling
Not only did we have to bring to life each individual academic's story in a powerful and engaging way, we had to tell it in the context of a bigger story - why choose NTU?
What emotions and personality did we want to convey?
This academic recruitment campaign was all about passion and possibilities, showing that NTU had the resources and desire to realise people's individual potential.
To do that we wanted to create a specific emotion - a feeling that people's ideas could be realised - brought out of the dark. To share each academics passion, each personality, each individual story while telling a common story across three schools - Business, Environmental & Technology.
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been university of the year three times and is one of the fastest growing new universities. However, it still didn't have the reputation of some of its piers.
This campaign was designed to get other academics to rethink NTU and recognise this was a place of possibilities. A place where people's ideas could be realised.
NTU wanted to reach out to people who have big ideas and world-changing visions, but need support and funding to help make them happen.
The personality we wanted to create was an interesting combination of the 'Judge', 'Detective' and 'Lover' archetypes. The 'Judge' provided a feeling of deep understanding, the 'Detective' a sense of something new, and the 'Lover' provided the passion.
The deliverables included microsites, videos, storytelling, and interviews.
Captivating cinematography
We created a film "I See Possibilities" to focus on the stories and achievements of each academic, whilst also telling the bigger story. By keeping the cinematography clean and simple with a black and white finish, the subjects are the sole focus.
Each subject has an individual case study video explaining their research and how the support from NTU has helped them to realise their ambitions.
Creating a modern microsite that showcased Academics, Schools and the University.
Results
In nine weeks, the campaign attracted over 80 applications for the four advertised positions. For three positions, NTU was able to shortlist four applicants, with two applicants shortlisted for the remaining position.
