Curriculum Reform Branding Project

The University of Aberdeen is one of Scotland’s 4 ancient universities. As well as boasting 4 Nobel Prize winners, an envious track record for research and a history spanning half a millennium.

In July this year, we were appointed to University of Aberdeen’s branding roster for four years. The University is undertaking an extensive Curriculum Reform project (CREF) – the first if its kind in the UK. This will see the introduction of new courses and enhanced study options to enable its students to exceed standard undergraduate qualifications. Our brief was to create a distinct brand for CREF, raise awareness and increase applications in the long-term. We created a through-the-line campaign aimed at prospective students and their influencers. This was rolled out across press and animated online ads, HTML newsletters, campus banners and posters, 3D postcards and glasses, an online splash page, radio ads, outdoor advertising, a Curriculum Reform brochure and a forthcoming viral campaign.

With an umbrella theme ‘the difference’ we aimed to set the University of Aberdeen apart from its Scottish competitors. The campaign is brought to life by inspirational headlines including ‘Come here, Go anywhere’ and the ‘World awaits your graduation’; which are underpinned with the strap lines – ‘Make a difference’, ‘You’re the difference’, ‘See the difference’ and ‘That’s the difference’.

To date, the University has experienced a 33% increase in applications for entry in 2010.