Our research informed the development of Bucks' new prospectus, which was subsequently shortlisted for a HEIST award.
Background
Buckinghamshire New University (Bucks) is a public institution of higher education in England.
This research was originally conducted by YouthSight, now part of Savanta.
The Challenge
The paper prospectus is one of the biggest marketing investments that universities can make, and with the continued marketisation of this sector, getting it right is more important than ever.
Bucks wanted to better understand the role of the prospectus in applicants’ decision-making and find ways to update and improve the prospectus to maximise its impact.
Our approach
We ran two face-to-face focus groups in Central London with undergraduate applicants, to hear their thoughts on Bucks’ prospectus as well as a selection of competitor prospectuses.
What did they expect from a prospectus? What made them want to pick one up and take it home? How did Bucks’ prospectus compete with others? We were able to leverage additional insight from our Marcomms Success tracker to provide robust, sector-level evidence on the prospectus compared to other information sources.
The outcome
The project gave the university tangible and actionable recommendations that were used to inform the design and messaging of the university’s 2017-18 prospectus.
The prospectus was subsequently shortlisted for a HEIST award.
This research was originally conducted by YouthSight, now part of Savanta.
It was an eye-opener for us, as a team, to watch and listen to our audience first-hand
Assistant Director of Brand and Marketing, Buckinghamshire New University