HOW WE HELPED AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL LEVEL-UP THEIR MARKETING

Located in Okotoks, Alberta, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS) is an independent school that focuses on excellence in scholarship, leadership and character. With a 220-acre natural campus and state-of-the-art facilities, STS develops confident, well-rounded K to 12 students that embrace challenges with curiosity and intent.

THE CHALLENGE

Following a successful campaign run that yielded positive results for Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, it was time to take the next step in evolving their recruitment messaging. We recognized the greatest opportunity lay not in reinventing STS’s campaign platform, but in bringing its strengths to the fore.  Our goal was to highlight the school’s primary differentiators—outdoor education, hands-on approach and strong tech focus—within the existing campaign framework. Our solution also needed to allow flexibility for grade-specific messaging, depending on the school’s admissions needs.

THE STRATEGY

We leveraged the strengths of the existing “SAY YES TO STS”  campaign, keeping messaging consistent while incorporating a new visual focus. This campaign would capture the STS experience through students’ perspectives, encapsulating their passion and showing the difference a hands-on, tech-focused approach makes for them. The result is a bold campaign that invites students to discover talents, nurture strengths and forge opportunities through new experiences and a sense of belonging.

We broke it down into five different categories:

SAY YES TO BELONGING

SAY YES TO THE FUTURE

SAY YES TO DISCOVER

SAY YES TO NEW ADVENTURES

SAY YES TO POSSIBILITY

THE EXECUTION 

Using the data gleaned from past STS campaigns, we developed a campaign workflow—a roadmap of the journey families take in deciding which school is right for their child. By identifying the information sought and digital channels used at each point, we were able to craft visuals and messaging that connect with consumers every step of the way. 

A photoshoot on STS grounds let us capture real students in their unique, authentic environment. This also gave us the imagery we needed to showcase multiple grade levels for STS’s ongoing and emerging enrollment goals.

The campaign was developed to drive qualified leads to learn more about STS, attend an open house or coffee session, sign-up for the enrollment newsletter, and inquire about enrollment through phone calls, emails and contact forms.

THE RESULTS 

This recruitment campaign for STS continues to provide a strong ROI for their marketing and admissions teams. Here are a few data highlights from our most recent admissions cycle (comparing 2023 to 2022):

• 27% increase in OPEN HOUSE SIGN-UPS
• 24% increase in the INQUIRY POOL
• 22% increase in NEW VISITORS to the website

The campaign has been optimized for another admissions season and we're looking forward to continued success with the team at STS.