WCU likes to challenge norms. With their technologically advanced Simulation Centers, advanced medical training designed for hands-on, practical education in simulated and real-world experiences, WCU graduates students ready to take on the real-world challenges and rewards of a career in healthcare from the start. They needed a way to set their passions and differences apart from the crowded field of healthcare program ads staring back at us with feigned-smile stock photo nurses.
West Coast University —
YOU VS A MILLION REASONS WHY NOT YOU
There are people out there who are rich in character, compassion, and determination. Natural nurses. For these people, there are obstacles, misleading information, long waiting lists. There are responsibilities, day jobs, insecurities, and financial stresses. There are a million reasons why they can’t follow their passions…but at West Coast University, there is one reason they can…
Client
West Coast University
Project
Integrated Campaign
Deliverables
Strategy, Media, Broadcast, Web Design/Development, Video Content, Social Content, Digital
STANDING OUT
IN A CROWDED
FIELD
As uniquely compassionate and caring as they are…striving nursing students live the same relative lives as most their age: full of passion, energy, and potential. Why not flip the tried and tried methods of “heart-string pulling” healthcare advertising on their side and share our message the same way they live: with our own passion, energy, and potential?
NURSES ARE
PEOPLE TOO
A POWERFUL
AND PASSIONATE
CAREER AWAITS
While most healthcare education advertising tends to hit an emotionally sensitive nerve to grab potential students attention, we opted to tap into an adrenaline nerve. We dialed up the intensity and inspiration to succeed by using real WCU graduates, a powerful and intense hip-hop track, bold graphics and energetic editing. We put nurses of the front line of care, of saving lives, and comforting loved ones. We turned a nursing into something more heart strong than heartfelt, and inspired potential students to believe in themselves and to take on the challenge.
The energetic spots and videos are only part of a larger holistic omni-channel approach designed to inspire and lead students along the entire customer journey, an effort that included emails, social media, and display ads. Each leading to landing pages with more detail and links that helped guide students through to the right path in following their passions.
CLOSING
THE LOOP
A SCHOOL
APART
In order to understand how we fared in our mission to break from the herd, we dove into an online quantitative study comparing our campaign against 4 other competitors. We heard verbatims like, “You are one person who can make such a difference, and along with others, West Coast will support your journey to making your career.” And, “Going to WCU is embarking on a family journey. You are a part of something greater.” Along with a number of other great responses.
In ad rankings among prospective students, the “You vs. a Million” spot outperformed all other ads, ranking first among most respondents in improving school perception, increasing interest, and communicating the main message. It also resonated strongly with current and past WCU students, with fully half of respondents ranking it #1 across the entire list of aspects. Meaning, not only are we standing out from the crowd – but we’re hitting a message that the current students feel is authentic, and something they can take pride in.
