academyEX lifts engagement across all marketing channels with brand new campaign

academyEX does learning differently to other postgraduate institutions; it wanted its branding to reflect this. Its new explainer video ‘Find your EXfactor’ has lifted engagement by an incredible 76% across all channels (and left a trail of giant confetti all over the Newmarket office floor). Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the campaign…

Digging into the concept

A few weeks ago, academyEX (AEX) collaborated with creative agency ODV to create an explainer video supported by three brand videos. In a post about the project, ODV’s co-founder Jacob Dawson, said: “Education ads leave a lot to be desired… Typically, they feature a young student talking to the camera about how studying at [blank] university really changed their lives, followed by a tagline like ‘unlock your potential’. The main problem – they don’t make you feel anything…”

“Yet education is one of the most life-changing experiences out there!” comments Simona Turin, CEO of academyEX. She adds: “At academyEX we do education differently – with innovative learning programmes centered on collaboration, critical thinking, managing change and solving real-world challenges. These transformative courses are designed to help learners thrive, connect deeply with each other, to lead in a fast-changing world. Our approach is bold and we needed to show that in our communication.”

‘Find your EXfactor’ is about celebrating the joy of learning. Says Turin: “It’s about belonging to an incredible community who are upskilling, pivoting or returning to studying – people just like you. We’re a place where you learn from (and alongside) the best of the best: leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. All of this adds up to the EX factor – an experience like no other that’s designed to help you find your EXtraordinary.”

A hero’s journey

The video (above) follows Kate’s journey to finding her EX-factor but unlike other versions of the same narrative, Kate’s journey to success is anything but predictable. She goes from a ho-hum, disengaging job where she’s considering resigning– to landing her dream interview. Along the way, she discovers just how flexible aEX’s courses can be as she’s taken on a colourful, revealing tour of the academyEX campus complete with moments of terror (‘what if my co-workers find out I want to leave?’) to hilarity (a room of genX students eager to snap her pic) and ending with relief (she finally lands ‘that’ interview).

A trifecta of tactics

Achieving an incredible 76% uplift across all brand channels since launch, ODV believes that what’s really helped the narrative hit home is its relatability, sheer vibrance (a literal assault of colour and confetti); and side-splitting humour.

> We can all relate: “Kate’s reservations would resonate with many… she’s too ‘old’; she has a ‘job’ and ‘kids’ and she certainly doesn’t want to ‘go back to uni’ with people half her age. Yet new skills and ways of thinking aren’t only the remit of those who have just left school. They should be for everyone – including those like Kate,” explains Turin.

> Counting the cost of dull: Serious adverts are often met with fatigue and cynicism – so much so that marketing effectiveness expert Peter Field calls out the cost of not pushing the envelope in a recent podcast about ‘the cost of dull’ which claims that adverts that aren’t engaging, emotive or shareable will get 6-7 times less return in terms of results for every dollar in ad spend. The EXfactor concept is colourful, bold and cheeky – all of the things educational adverts usually aren’t – which has helped it stand out in a hugely crowded space.

> Being funny makes you money: Says Dawson: “When you lead with humour, there is an instant and relatable point of connection which encourages openness to a message. We like to inject it into our videos wherever we can, and the academyEX videos reflect this principle in the best way possible. Using humour, the video takes a relatively mundane concept (Kate needs a new job) and makes it into something engaging (she’s gone and done it; cue the confetti gun!).”

Since launching the new brand platform,  academyEX has shared the video across its social channels, website,  and sponsored advertising, achieving 76% increase in engagement. 71% of viewers are watching the entire explainer video and alumni and students have proactively reached out and confirmed “Yes, that’s what it is like to be part of the world of academyEX!”

Skin in the game

While Kate is played by actress Natasha Daniel, all the other actors were either members of the academyEX team or actual students – and the video was filmed on-site.

Says Perrin Rowland, chief experience officer: “This was incredibly important because we wanted the video to reflect the ‘heart’ of the experience and the learning support we provide – this is what makes up our brand – so there’s no one better to do this than the people who work and study here themselves.”

Perrin adds that it’s been incredible to watch how effective the videos have been at turning employees into the institute’s greatest brand ambassadors: “Watching the videos has been a ‘lightbulb’ moment for our people. They have always understood our ‘why’ – but seeing it so powerfully portrayed in narrative format has helped re-cement that purpose for many.”

An eye on longevity – what’s next for Kate?

The EXfactor concept is all of the things educational adverts usually aren’t; but for this reason it’s achieved everything educational adverts usually don’t – including emotional resonance.

Says Turin: “It’s connected on a deep level with our students – many of whom have commented that they see themselves in Kate.”

“With AI and other technologies advancing at lightning speed, we must relearn how to continuously connect with new knowledge. We deliberately chose a storyline with legs into the future for this reason. Kate’s initial purpose was to inspire viewers to ask ‘Could I do that too?’; ‘Could I also find my ExFactor?’ and she’s done that. In time, her journey will evolve – just like theirs,” concludes Perrin.

Agency | ODV
Directors | Matt Dawson & Jacob Dawson
Scriptwriters | Jacob Dawson & Adrian Hooke
DOP | Isaac Newcombe
Producer | Lucas Purser
Gaffer | Kyle van Tonder
Lighting assist | Krishna Mistry
Soundie | Sofiane Tib
H&MU | Rebekah Banks
Art Director | Leah Mizrahi
Art assist | McKay Carroll
Wardrobe | Esther Dawson
Editor | Heidi Watson
Colourist | Taylor Mansfield
Motion Design | Matt Wilson
Lead talent | Natasha Daniel
VO artist | Iana
On-set photographer | Mike Hishon