(Chicago — 19 April 2018) DePaul University announces a new brand awareness campaign with the message “Here, We Do.” Breaking April 23 and running initially for 12 weeks, the campaign is the university’s first comprehensive brand advertising since 2011.
David Kalsbeek, SVP of Enrollment and Marketing, explains that Here, We Do. differentiates DePaul from other institutions in an increasingly competitive environment.
“The content is more provocative than traditional higher education messaging while being authentic to the DePaul experience,” he says.
Kalsbeek continued, “DePaul students are urban educated and world-ready. Here, We Do. brings this to life. ‘Here’ evokes DePaul’s connection to Chicago and the critical role this world-class city plays in the student experience. ‘We’ affirms that we are an inclusive community supporting students in pursuit of their dreams while collectively serving the greater good. ‘Do’ is all about the hands-on, experiential education our students and alumni value.”
“HERE, WE DO” DEPAUL UNIVERSITY BRAND AWARENESS
This campaign has been in planning and development since October 2017. Here, We Do. was developed by DePaul’s marketing team in collaboration with Chicago-based advertising agency Two by Four, which also created the university’s athletics campaign last fall.
The integrated campaign features 15- and 30-second spots running on major local TV networks and streaming services, online radio spots, a multi-faceted digital and social campaign, high impact outdoor advertising including CTA stations and vehicles, and prominent billboards and wallscapes throughout Chicago.
Adam Von Ohlen, executive creative director at Two by Four, said, “DePaul has a distinctive place among Chicago’s iconic institutions. Our goal was to tell that story with bold messaging and visuals and grab your attention. The campaign is smart, impactful and authentically Chicago — just like DePaul.”
The Chicago office of MARC USA, the university’s long-time media agency, created the omnichannel engagement strategy and managed all media.
The campaign’s target audiences include local community and business leaders, prospective undergraduate and graduate students, and DePaul’s faculty, staff, students and alumni.
MARC USA media director Nikki Hill explained that “the media strategy is built on our understanding of our targets’ journey when it comes to valuing and choosing a higher education institution. We’re reaching our key audiences in the times and places they’re most receptive with messages where they live, work, commute, and play.”
Kalsbeek further noted, “At DePaul, we know what sets us apart — a purposeful education, in a bold environment, supported by a caring ethos. In this campaign, we are proud to showcase our great university and we want the community to understand the value of a DePaul education and seek out our students and alumni when hiring. At the same time, we want to attract and retain top students and faculty. We’re very proud of all DePaul brings to Chicagoland, and our new campaign celebrates that.”
About DePaul University
DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the United States and the largest private, nonprofit university in the Midwest, with nearly 23,000 students and a wide range of academic and professional programs. It is nationally recognized for incorporating service learning throughout its curriculum and preparing its graduates for a global economy.
DePaul was founded in Chicago in 1898 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), a Roman Catholic religious community dedicated to following the ideals of St. Vincent de Paul, the 17th century priest for whom the university is named. DePaul’s tradition of providing a quality education to students from a broad range of backgrounds, with particular attention to first-generation students, has resulted in one of the nation’s most diverse student bodies.
About Two by Four
Two by Four is a creative, award-winning, fully integrated advertising and design agency — but what ad agency doesn’t say they are all that? So, what you really need to know is what sets us apart. We’ve survived in the Chicago ad market for 20 years, working for great brands like Wrangler, Bridgestone Firestone, Coke, Hyatt and literally hundreds of other brands big and small. We are well known for our tenacity, creativity, nimbleness, relationships, and our ability to get the most out of the tightest of both budgets and timelines. We lead with strategy and creative then amplify messages with digital, production, media planning & buying, analytics and public relations. We live in a two-story, magnificently opulent, renovated 1920’s grand dance hall — truly one of the best ad agency spaces in Chicago.
About MARC USA
MARC USA is a national full-service integrated marketing communications firm known for its expertise in applying Decision Science to identify the drivers behind consumer choice and create strong emotional connections that move people to act. With offices in Boston, Chicago, Miami and Pittsburgh, it is one of the largest privately-owned agencies in the country. Services include advertising, strategic planning, research/analytics, public relations, digital marketing, media planning and buying, social marketing, direct and customer relationship marketing and business innovation consulting.
CREDITS
Creative — DePaul marketing, Two by Four
Production — Quriosity Productions
Director: Christopher Tovo
Send your press releases to Editor Dan Patton at dan@reelchicago.com.
