How can you show university life, as it really is?

  • Carl Wills
Remember that feeling? You had it all (maybe you still do), you were young and the world was full of possibilities. I’m talking about your first week at university, starting a new adventure and a whole new experience. It’s a blank canvas and you have the brush.
That’s the feeling I wanted to express when it came to Mears Group’s new venture into the student housing sector. In a world led
by short 15-20 second Snapchats of daily life the brand had to be flexible, free and reflect student life in an honest and somewhat uncompromising fashion.
Starting with the development of a positioning statement – ‘Having all the freedom of being an adult without the responsibility’, the final brand design clearly stands out from its competition. This is an honest ‘warts and all’ brand for students who understand that life is not a glossy brochure… it really is much more exciting than that.
Along with the branding, we had to get people interested in and aware of Student Life. We created a campaign based on decisions, questions and options for potential students. We basically put it in their hands. This great idea also allowed us to tackle a different challenge. Although the students decide on a property, it's usually parents that pay. This campaign also let us target parents using the same technique, but with messaging tailored to them.