Work Samples Prepared for:

Situation

The University of Arizona is the state’s flagship university. As a double-designee land- and space-grant institution, an AAU member, a Carnegie R1 research powerhouse, and a designated Hispanic-serving institution, home to not one but two medical schools, the university is instrumental to the state and holds unique influence across the county and around the globe. But for all those accolades, what UArizona didn’t have was a cohesive story. Identifying and celebrating a common ethos across its vast enterprise became an essential and urgent task—prodded by a too-noisy neighbor, and prioritized so that the institution’s reputation could be cemented in advance of a major comprehensive fundraising campaign.

Solution

When 160over90 entered the picture in early 2019, we started with one big question: What’s behind the ‘A’?

We fielded a Brand Perception Study to uncover general awareness levels and the school’s perceived reputation, as well as consideration among parents and prospective students in Arizona, Texas, and California. We employed an online survey with perceptual maps to test messaging perception, max diff to identify messages with the strongest impact, as well as ad recall for UArizona creative. At the same time, in anticipation of the upcoming fundraising campaign, UArizona Alumni commissioned 160over90 to conduct a segmentation study on alumni affinity and giving. Using data from donor files and a global survey of more than 2,000 alumni, we developed a model to group Wildcat grads based on propensity to give in the future.

This research, coupled with qualitative Discovery insights, led us to this: as the state’s first university, founded in 1885, The University of Arizona has long been in the discovery business. We’re talking world discovery, from space astronomy and optical engineering, to water scarcity and climate change, to the opioid crisis and immigration. And also self-discovery.

For certain, the desert of Tucson is a wellspring of imagination. But even more than the surrounding environment, we found that innate wonder lies at the heart of each and every Wildcat. It’s wonder that drives them to do the unknown, the unimaginable, and the unprecedented. And it’s a beautiful tension between heads-up wondering and heads-down doing that ultimately makes them who they are.

To share just how “Wonder Makes Us” at Arizona, we captured the stories of three incredible individuals who emulate wonder to the core: Phil Evans, an international wheelchair basketball player and student; Marcia Rieke, Astronomy Professor and Principal Investigator for the NIRCam on NASA’s James Webb Telescope; and Sama Alshaibi, multi-media artist and Professor of Photography. These stories—sometimes standalone, sometimes interwoven as part of a larger Wonder narrative—have been mobilized in a 360-campaign including out-of-home, custom content, TV, OTV, programmatic digital, and social, and are now live in Tucson, Phoenix, and key out-of-state markets like California and Texas.

Results

In the first wave of brand work in market, Arizona has seen:

• 134 million impressions
• 0.35% CTR (2.9& above benchmark) / 68.3% VCR (7.4% above benchmark)
• 252.3K LP Sessions
• 34.3% increase in YOY Arizona.edu traffic (non landing page traffic)
• 7% increase in unaided awareness among AZ teens
• +15% increase in association with “gives students a head start in their career”
• +17% increase in association with”excellent academics”
• +19% increase in association with “diversity”
• 8% increase in likelihood for TX parents to recommend UArizona to their child
• Visitation increase in opportunity markets: TX (+17,000) and CA (+12,000)
• Record number of first-year apps for Fall 2020 ( 5.4% increase from ’19)
• Enrolled most diverse class in history (48%) in Fall 2020
• First-year, first generation grew to 30%+
• Made Top 100 National universities for the 1st time (2021 USNWR)

Situation

Everything’s bigger in Texas. And as one of the largest universities in one of the largest states in the country, Texas State University has a sizable story to tell. Situated between Austin and San Antonio in what Forbes coined “America’s next great metropolis,” Texas State maintains a rigorous teaching and research community predicated on real-world application – from photothermal cancer treatment therapies and point of care diagnostics, to best-in-class forensic anthropology programs and nationally modeled school and public safety trainings. But however well-positioned, this relatively young institution – built to do and reticent to brag – consistently found itself in the shadows of UT Austin and Texas A&M. Pressed by strategic imperatives to increase academic reputation, earn national research university recognition, and rival its competitors for top Texas student prospects, Texas State partnered with 160over90 on a coordinated research, branding, and public relations effort.

Solution

160over90 launched qualitative and quantitative market research to understand existing perceptions and brand equity, and to establish a cohesive brand platform that would accentuate academic strengths. Findings showed that, in the absence of steady academic and research messaging from the institution, audiences had come to equate Texas State with softer traits – warm and welcoming, service-oriented, community-minded. To compete with the UT Austins and A&Ms of the world, and to dial up academic and research rigor without compromising differentiation, we broached academic quality in a more personable, approachable way.

The resulting brand highlights a community of achievers at Texas State – leaders in their own right, grounded in care and service, guided by values, and gravitating toward real-world application. And given Texas State’s student body composition – reflective of both state and national demographics – the University is cast as helping to author the future of central Texas and the wider world.

To humanize that institutional narrative, 160over90 teamed up with more than 50 researchers across campus to mine for stories and elevate individual shares of voice. We conducted formal media trainings, equipping and empowering faculty experts to drive key storylines around their specific disciplines while representing Texas State’s commitment to academic excellence, community and connectedness, and tangible impact. And we led a national media relations and social media campaign, shining a spotlight on Texas State research endeavors and curricular innovations.

Results

160over90’s efforts mark the first time in Texas State history that the University’s many core stakeholders and multiple campuses (San Marcos and Round Rock) are uniting behind an overarching brand platform, vs. a tagline. With the master brand concept completed in 2019, seminal enrollment pieces began rolling out in the new brand look and feel in 2020, and the agency recently crafted a spin-off advancement brand (and digital presence) that will enter market in 2021 with the launch of a comprehensive fundraising campaign. On the awareness front, in two years’ time, the agency has garnered 100 national media placements totaling more than 6.5 billion media impressions, earning well-deserved attention for Texas State researchers from The Atlantic, NPR, Forbes, Time, USA Today, The New York Times, US News and World Report, and many more.

Situation

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School is distinctly advantaged. It traditionally sits right at or near the Top 20 rankings, but is less traditionally situated within a liberal arts institution. It’s relatively small in size, but well-resourced while residing in one of the nation’s most connected corporate markets. Still, the landscape is uber-competitive and rapidly changing. Business school models—and their marketing—have evolved more in the last decade than the 50 years prior, and coasting on prestige and programming is a thing of the past.

So in 2015, with Dean Erika James newly in place, Goizueta engaged 160over90 on a branding and marketing initiative originally intended to beat the competition and boost the MBA applicant pool, but ultimately equipped to reboot the category.

Solution

In building the brand, 160over90 honed in on the intrinsic correlation between virtuous business practice and public benefit—a commitment uniquely carried out by Goizueta Business School. The school’s namesake, Roberto Goizueta—former chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola—is one of the most respected business leaders of the 20th century, famed for creating shareholder value but also for stewarding an organization that puts people first. And Dean James—an award-winning educator and crisis management researcher—has long espoused the power of principled leadership.

With this in mind, rather than simply react to the changing needs of prospective MBA students, we helped Goizueta and Dean James proactively answer the call of industry and focus attention on business’ true purpose—to operate in service to society at large, improving quality of life for all. We crafted a values-driven Goizueta Beyond marketing campaign that hit airwaves, online, and out-of-home, inviting future students and fellow business leaders to go beyond the profits, beyond the bottom line, and beyond a transactional business education. And Dean James championed a Virtue Capitalism platform, first launched in a 2017 ‘Open Letter to Business’ and since elaborated on in a series of high-profile industry speaking engagements.

Most recently, we helped Goizueta commemorate two milestones—the school’s centennial anniversary, and the 25th anniversary of its naming in honor of Mr. Goizueta—penning 100 business principles and 100 personal stories that embody empowerment, empathy, and the continual pursuit of better in business.

Results

Our work and five-year partnership have yielded year-over-year growth in program interest, peer perception, and corporate partnerships/philanthropic support. Goizueta has seen a double-digit increase in leads across MBA programs, notably in entrepreneurship and social enterprise, as well as a marked increase in quality/fit of candidates. And an impact report delivered to the Goizueta Foundation in late 2019 resulted in the largest gift in Goizueta Business School history at $30 million.

While Dean James moved on to Wharton as of July 1, 2020, we’re confident the Goizueta brand positioning and the aptly named “Goizueta Effect” will continue well into the years ahead.

Situation

In 2013, the Florida Legislature designated the University of Florida (UF) as the state’s “preeminent institution” and tasked the university with creating a fully online bachelor’s degree program—UF Online. This new program would give students anywhere in the world the opportunity to attend UF entirely online—but with the same degree programs, professors, admissions criteria, and academic rigor of UF. Within a matter of months, the institution developed a fully-online four-year baccalaureate degree program that spanned 19 majors. UF Online removed barriers so that non-traditional and traditional students alike have the opportunity to earn a prestigious degree and become a Gator at a fraction of the cost.

Solution

In November of 2015, 160over90 began working with UF Online on the creation of a bridge marketing campaign to sustain admissions efforts with the goal of reaching 12,000 applicants by 2020. Our teams participated in a university-wide e-learning workshop to strategize and establish what the next iteration of UF Online would become. 160over90 developed a new brand and marketing plan for the organization. UF Online and 160over90 partnered to develop an omni-channel media plan and digital media strategy, as well as program- and degree-specific creative to support the institution’s marketing efforts. Our work includes print advertising, brochures, posters, a website redesign, mobile ads, social media initiatives, a series of videos, and outdoor advertising. In February of 2016, the new UF Online brand launched and successfully completed its first advertising campaign cycle, communicating the program’s comprehensive, high-quality, and affordable offerings.

Results

Since engaging with 160over90, UF Online have achieved the following results:

• 20 different communication channels delivered more than 70 million impressions regarding the Gator Good Campaign
• Over 375,000 people engaged with ads
• In 2019, UF Online climbed to #5 in Online Bachelor’s Programs, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report—a six spot increase over three years.
• UF Online experienced the largest pledge year in the school’s history
• The program saw a 4% increase in enrollment on a year over year basis
• The campaign was renewed by the State Legislature

Media Campaign

• 215 million impressions ($1.27 CPM)
• 660,000 web sessions ($2.03 cost per session)
• 35,000 leads ($40 cost per lead)
• 5,000 applicants ($250 cost per applicant)
• 3,000 admitted students ($437 cost per admitted students, $296 per in-state students, $1,643 per out-of-state student)