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campusreview.com.au
Making toads go viral
Winning university campaigns
at UA’s marketing awards.
By Kate Prendergast
H
ow do you make a toad’s genome
exciting? How do you convince
researchers to increase their media
footprint? And how – the eternal question –
do you inspire people to send more dollars
your way?
These are the predicaments that the
winners of the recent sector awards for
university marketing masterfully overcame.
Held by Universities Australia, the
Marketing, Communications and
Development awards recognise the
strategy, acumen and extensive research
that goes into telling an engaging story to
a specific audience – whether it’s students,
academics, alumni or potential donors.
The University of South Australia led the
night, winning Best Marketing Campaign –
Larger Budget for its ‘Study on Demand’
student recruitment initiative.
“This straightforward campaign did
not overthink things,” said the judges.
“Eschewing any temptation for institutional
introspection, it got right to the point.”
(It truly is, Campus Review has
previously observed, very easy for
university branding to get cringingly lost
in its own reflection.)
The Best Proactive Communications
award was shared by UNSW Sydney and
6
Edith Cowan this year. UNSW was praised
for leveraging the iconic Aussie status of
the cane toad to spread a research success
story. Pre-pitching under embargo to
elevate the hype, and with an engaging
video fanned across social media featuring
the slimy menace, the story on cracking the
toad’s DNA code went gangbusters.
The judges were likewise impressed
by the “cheeky upstarts” at ECU’s crack
comms team, who set themselves the goal
to double their university publication rate
with reputable academic media outlet,
The Conversation.
“It took extensive work with researchers,
convincing them of the benefits of
publishing, running a masterclass and
awards night, coaching researchers and
building ties with TC’s editors to skill
up authors and polish their copy,” the
judges said.
“The publishing amp-up generated
significant spin-off coverage in Tier 1
national and global media – which
bolstered speaking and conference
invitations and generated new industry
collaboration leads for the researchers.”
The fundraising champions this year
were from the University of Sydney. The
judges spoke in something close to awe of
the university’s ‘Inspired’ campaign, which
raised $1 billion dollars and reached over
64,000 donors worldwide.
“A huge initiative, delivered with technical
precision, a sustained expert partnership
between university and advancement
leadership, and an ambitious vision –
was a decade in the making,” they said.
“It has changed what is possible in
university philanthropy in this country:
a game-changing campaign that has
transformed the landscape, changing
countless lives through philanthropy-
funded research and scholarship.”
For his 23 years as a marketing
ninja at UniSA, chief marketing and
communications officer Alan Brideson was
handed the Lifetime Achievement award.
“He’s a highly deserving recipient of this
prestigious honour, which is awarded to
someone who has dedicated much of
their career to senior leadership in these
fields in the university sector,” said UA chief
executive Catriona Jackson.
“UA congratulates Alan and all of this
year’s award winners. Their impressive
skill, expertise and dedication is clear from
the quality of their work. Their passion for
universities and the work they do is front
and centre in their entries.”
View the full list of winners below.
Best Marketing Campaign – Larger Budget
The University of South Australia, ‘Study
on Demand’ online student recruitment
campaign
Best Marketing Campaign – Smaller Budget
Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute,
the University of Melbourne, ‘Open Up Your
World’ Campaign: Australian Postgraduate
Research Intern Program
Best Real-Time Response Communications
Swinburne University, Media and
Communications, best real-time response
comms systems and planning 2019
Best Proactive Communications
UNSW Sydney, ‘Unlocking Cane Toad DNA’;
Edith Cowan University, The Conversation
strategy
Best fundraising campaign or initiative –
Large Team
The University of Sydney, ‘Inspired’
Best fundraising or engagement campaign –
Small Team
RMIT University, Capitol Theatre appeal
Lifetime Achievement Award 2019
Alan Brideson, chief marketing and
communications officer, the University of
South Australia ■