Bond University highlights student-centricity in latest campaign via VMLY&R and Wavemaker
Bond University has launched a new campaign “We Exist For You”, via VMLY&R and Wavemaker. The campaign connects all the ways Bond is ‘for’ students through a fantastical world of inspiration, success and opportunity.
As Australia’s first private not-for-profit University, Bond’s educational model is deliberately different. At Bond, students can graduate faster and benefit from smaller class sizes with the lowest student-to-teacher ratio in the country. Plus, all of the University’s tuition fees are reinvested back into the student experience.
Says Rachel Hannah, associate director of brand marketing, Bond University: “With high touch, personalised learning, Bond University nurtures students like no other, so no one slips through the cracks and every graduate excels.
“We need prospective students to understand why our unique model will benefit them and help them be the best version of themselves for future success.”
Following extensive research and a new brand strategy, VMLY&R created the “We Exist For You” campaign to highlight the intentionally different university experience students benefit from at Bond and how it unlocks their full potential.
Directed by Toby Morris and produced by 3P, the campaign features Bond’s picturesque Gold Coast campus, showing the journey of a student as she flies through different “worlds”, each a visual metaphor for how Bond supports its students in reality.
VMLY&R executive creative director Benjamin Davis said the campaign not only highlights Bond as being deliberately different, but also stands out as different in market: “We brought the Bond difference to life visually by creating something a bit different for the category.
“From shots of the stunning Bond campus to elaborate VFX, the resulting film’s energy is relentless. We even played with a bit of messed up Mozart to boot.
“The goal was to stay true to Bond’s “Stand Out” brand platform, with a piece of work that does just that.”
The 30” and 45” hero films will be supported by an innovative integrated marketing strategy via Wavemaker, which will launch across cinema, connected television, online, out-of-home advertising and social media – including WeAre8 (a first for Australian Universities).
Says Lily Nielsen, client and performance partner at Wavemaker: “We used the latest innovation in media planning and buying technology – AI-powered purchase journey planning, attention metrics, and attribution modelling – to identify the channel mix that would help drive awareness and consideration for Bond. The result is a campaign that reaches prospective students throughout their purchase journey, ensuring we have the right blend of high- attention and high-engagement channels.
“We’re also proud to be the first university partner in Australia to activate with WeAre8 – a social media platform that aligns with the campaign’s values of inspiring and empowering people to do good in the world.”
Bond University
Cheryl Joliffe, Vice President, Future Students
Shannon Tricklebank, Director, Brand and Marketing
Rachel Hannah, Associate Director, Brand and Marketing
Carly Stevens, Marketing & Campaign Specialist
Fereti Masoe, Manager, Brand and Creative
Creative Agency: VMLY&R
Benjamin Davis, Executive Creative Director
Cameron McDonald, Senior Art Director
Shaun McMahon, Senior Copywriter
Andrew Kolb, Head of Strategy
Ingrid Postle, Senior Account Director
Natasha Kent, Senior Account Manager
Katie-May Hollett, Producer
Mignon van Weeren, Head of Production
Michelle Short, Head of Workflow
Santi Drane, Head of Studio / 3D Illustrator
John Shard, Studio Operator & Retoucher
Production: SPRY Films
Toby Morris, Director
Miller Best, DOP
Carol Gesser, Producer
Mark Thomas, Head of Production
Post-Production: 3P Studio
Haley McDonald, Managing Director
Cornelius Ionescu, General Manger
Gwyn Dixon, Animation Creative Lead
Cameron Hock, Editor
Heath Plumb, Senior Sound Designer
Composer: Ack Kinmonth
Media: Wavemaker
Jane Sullivan, Managing Director
Lily Nielsen, Client and Performance Partner
Carragh Simpson, Client and Performance Manager
Kate Piercy, Client and Performance Manager
Alexandra Smith, Client Executive
13 Comments
Out University
Very different approach Bond seems to be taking in their marketing. Hopefully it sticks.
Nice to see Alumni though.
I’m sure there is compelling research that backs up this campaign. However, it’s a very sad reflection of our society. Students should turn up at university to learn, to be challenged, to think. University is not about them! It’s actually about demonstrating to students how little they actually know and how hard they will need to work to even begin any sort of meaningful academic journey. This notion of customer centricity in a university context is very damaging, indeed.
Hmm… I guess that’s the standard trope for University though isn’t it? I’d suggest school leavers don’t need reminding they’re starting out at the bottom again or how hard they need to work, they know.
I’ll disagree and suggest University IS all about the individual – their aspirations, their choices.
As someone who went to this university, I understand and agree with the proof points – the execution is extreme but resonates with me.
It might feel a bit a gross or cliche if you’ve studies at a large University, but at Bond the class sizes are tiny, you know the faculty well, and there’s lots of flexibility. It does feel like the University will flex to your needs and interests.
Isn’t Bond the only Uni in Australia that is private (i.e. you pay to get in)….
I like the poster, it reminds me of this…
https://kbimages1-a.akamaihd.net/2eb5febf-6e6d-498c-b27d-ad9db4d5d0d2/1200/1200/False/the-solution-animorphs-22.jpg
How long do you reckon she was standing out there in front of the uni, tripping balls?
Are drugs.
Love this Loved Bond too
What do kids like these days?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKWQ2Pce74k
but aren’t VMLY&R pitching for QUT?
Yes they were. Bad form by VMLY&R and QUT. Integrity is obviously not part of their vocab.
Could it have been better if the scenarios within the world-hopping were more relevant to tertiary education? Ie… Bond University doesn’t teach car racing, for instance, but that is a major scene within the ad with a huge expense behind it. Don’t get me wrong, yeah it looks great, the execution is slick, the music is energetic, and on TV it will have cut-through. But for the cost of attending uni, and the gravity of the decision of which uni to attend, this feels like Bond doesn’t take itself seriously enough… like its a bit of a game. Which it isn’t. That aside, it’ll be interesting to see how it goes in the market when competing for student intake.