Learn how we helped an independent Seattle day school create a buzz with an outdoor-inspired recruitment campaign.

Learn how we helped an independent Seattle day school create a buzz with an outdoor-inspired recruitment campaign.

THE CLIENT

Meet The Meridian School, an independent K-5 school in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood that serves a diverse community of 200 students. Located in the historic Good Shepherd Center, Meridian embraces a flexible and responsive approach to learning, tailoring the curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of each child. The campus is adjacent to the 6.5 acre Meridian Park, which allows the school to take advantage of the great outdoors for learning and play. With a strong sense of community, the school fosters connections with families, senior citizens, professional artists and environmental educators who share their beautiful historic building.

THE CHALLENGE

The Meridian School approached us with a challenge: to develop a campaign platform that would attract a diverse range of prospective students to their website, and to their school. 

Our goal was to create a digital recruitment campaign that would grow their applicant pool, primarily focusing on top-of-funnel prospects. With the education industry becoming increasingly competitive, it was important to differentiate them from other schools in the area and attract the right students. We knew we would need to be innovative and strategic in our approach.

By developing a tailored digital recruitment campaign, we wanted to help Meridian stand out from its competitors and attract the right students. Our focus was on creating a campaign that resonated with prospective students and their families and emphasized Meridian's inclusive approach, unique outdoor learning methods, and strong sense of community.

THE STRATEGY

Picture this: a young boy sits on a log, intently watching a group of ants march in a line. As he observes them, his teacher kneels beside him, asking him questions and encouraging him to think about the ants' behavior. This is just one example of the type of outdoor learning that takes place at The Meridian School - and it's this kind of hands-on education that sets them apart. 

Through their unique indoor/outdoor learning methods, students are encouraged to immerse themselves in the environment of the subject matter, allowing them to truly grasp the concepts being taught.

With the pandemic accelerating the shift to alternative ways of learning, The Meridian School offers a refreshing and effective way for students to engage with the environment and the subject matter. Our team recognized the importance of highlighting this innovative approach, while also staying true to The Meridian School's values and unique identity. By showcasing The Meridian School's hands-on learning methods and use of natural surroundings, we aimed to position the school as a leader in inclusive and forward-thinking education.

Our solution would use striking imagery and storytelling to help parents envision their child's education in an outdoor environment - and position The Meridian School as an inclusive and forward-thinking educational community. 

THE EXECUTION

When it came time to bring our digital recruitment campaign to life, our team knew we had to create something that would truly stand out. Making use of the school’s existing photography - and featuring students engaged in moments of outdoor learning - would help prospective families envision their child's education at The Meridian School. 

We knew that we wanted to create a sense of connection between the students and nature, so we used natural elements like butterflies and hanging vines in our photos. These images helped cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity. 

To ensure brand recognition and create a lasting impression on our audience, we chose a butterfly flying through the frame as our key image - inspired by the butterfly in The Meridian School's logo. This butterfly represents the freedom to learn in a way that is right for YOU, and we felt it perfectly encapsulated The Meridian School's approach to education. The butterfly animation was also used on the website, so using it in our campaign allowed us to create consistency across all touchpoints. 

In addition to the imagery, we also carefully considered our font and color choices. We used the headline font that already existed within Meridian's brand, creating a look that matched the rest of their marketing assets. The frame's color changed across ad sets - from awareness to remarketing - and was chosen from the brand's current color palette. 

By utilizing these existing elements and creating a cohesive look and feel, we were able to create a campaign that truly represented The Meridian School's unique approach to education.

THE RESULTS

We're excited to share that the campaign launched just last month! It's still early days, but we're keeping a close eye on how it's performing and will be sure to update you with any new insights as they become available. Stay tuned!

"There are marketing agencies, and then there are true partners. Metric Marketing has been an invaluable partner for the Meridian School, and it is clear the team has extensive experience and can guide organizations at multiple levels, both strategically or tactically. We've been fortunate to work with them for projects spanning from digital ads to visual identity, and from website to even more in the future. With Wesley and the whole team, we have always felt supported and know we are coming to the table with someone invested in our success."

– Lauren Collette, Director of Development at The Meridian School

Curious about our work with other schools? Check out our related case studies here or get in touch with us today!