For a school that pushes girls to find their voices, the students themselves are the loudest spokespersons.
You can pile on the adjectives to describe an Ellis student — brilliant, nonconformist, well-spoken and driven for starters — yet still not have a clear picture. But when you hear from the girls directly, you’ll understand how they’re changemakers.
The Ellis School’s new admissions-centric campaign with Zehno puts these confident, articulate students front and center. Through video profiles, a microsite explaining the school’s “changemaker” curriculum, and other tools, Ellis is cementing its status as Pittsburgh’s #1 school for girls.
Challenges
- Hear from students themselves — as proof of how this school teaches them to step up and use their voices.
- Bring attention-getting stories and style into a new campaign that amplifies the existing brand.
- Use video to show — in her own voice — how each girl pursues her passions at Ellis.
- Present Ellis’ signature academic experience not as a senior capstone, but a constant build-up from the earliest grades.
- Reshape the prospect email flow so that the school’s differentiators are apparent from the start.
Results
EnROllMENT JuMP
New digital campaign increased enrollment 25% in first admissions cycle.
More social engagement
Social content drove up traffic to the website and created more lead conversions, including a 238% increase in social media clicks and 133% increase in website sessions.
Curriculum clarity
Academic strengths across all grades are tied together into a comprehensive curriculum that is memorable, meaningful and brand-focused.
What Zehno did
- Audit and strategic recommendations for campaign.
- Curriculum messaging.
- Mood boards.
- Online visit consulting
- Flagship content including profiles and photo/video shoot strategy.
- Admissions campaign: curriculum landing page, videos, email and digital ads.
Tips for your team
- Give students the spotlight. Have them tell your school’s story in their own words. Content packages for Ellis’ 30+ students bring personal experiences to life through storytelling, photography and video.
- Mix up the visuals. Add illustration to show ideas and concepts that photography struggles to show.
- Think like a parent. Show how the curricular approach stretches across the academy, but always equip parents to zoom in on grade-specific info focused on their child.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Zehno can help you move the needle. Read more about our branding services.