2024 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Imagine a small private school known as being only for the rich and elite, tied to the Catholic church and the baggage that goes with it, with no public awareness of your unique approach to education. Add in rising tuition in a sputtering economy, and perhaps it’s no surprise that St. Bonaventure’s College (St. Bon’s), an independent K-12 school in St John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador (NL), was facing a crisis. Enrollment had declined 27% since 2019, putting the school’s very existence in jeopardy.

The challenge? To differentiate the school from its longstanding, traditional image and convince parents that St. Bon’s is worth the substantial investment over public school.

The reality: St. Bon’s imminent crisis could only be solved with enrollment revenue. And so, their objective was to increase enrollment 12% by September 2023. This meant dispelling stereotypes and getting into the consideration set. And ultimately, make the cash register ring. Academics are secondary.

Most education campaigns serve up the same generic platitudes. But St. Bon’s is different. Teaching in the Jesuit tradition, the curriculum is based on compassion, curiosity, and critical thinking. They’ve found that by focusing on these values, academic success will follow. And no other school in NL has helped 28 students become Rhodes Scholars. No other school has 100% university acceptance.

“What did you learn today?” It’s an age-old question asked by parents every day. And while usually answered with a shrug, St. Bon’s promises parents a better answer. Students are taught social justice and leadership alongside science and math. They practice gratitude and respect the same way they practice their times tables. They’ve learned that when you encourage critical thinking, compassion, and curiosity, academic excellence is inevitable.

Mark Twain once said, “Don’t let school get in the way of a good education.” We couldn’t agree more.

With St. Bon’s world-renowned music program, it was only natural to make music the school’s
storytelling device.

An original arrangement of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy drove the campaign video, Ode to Joy of Learning, which showed parents what it looks like when students are engaged and inspired, from beekeeping and environmentalism to volunteering and compassion. And billboards in the city centre spoke to the
school’s values.

Parents also needed proof. They followed up with :15 videos that spoke to academic outcomes (28 Rhodes Scholars, 100% university acceptance rate, etc.). On socials, introduced student and staff profiles, and digital display drove to a revitalized website that carried forth the campaign messaging.

In less than three months, St. Bon’s had over 485,000 unique video views, over 19,000 unique visitors to the website (a 55% YOY increase), and over 4,300 visits to the new “Apply Now” page (a 1,208% increase).

The campaign also generated over 4,100,000 impressions and Canada-wide media coverage.

Most importantly, in just three months, St. Bon’s achieved the impossible: enrollment increased by 20%.

Not only had they reversed the decline, they filled 53 empty seats with new students. The revenue from 53 new students equalled a Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) of 315% – and that’s just year 1.

Over the course of their education, those 53 students will generate close to $7 million in revenue, bringing the lifetime ROAS to a staggering 4,095%.

Since the campaign’s launch, there’s been a new sense of pride and hope felt not only at the school but also among parents, alumni, and the community. “As a parent of a former St. Bon’s student, this really captures the essence of the school and what makes it such a special learning experience. Bravo!”

Credits

Creative Director: TJ Arch
Associate Creative Director: Jennifer Szilagyi
Copywriters: TJ Arch, Joel Felker, Melissa Bassett
Art Director: Jennifer Szilagyi, Joshua Lang
Digital Art Director: Amanda Blackwood
Agency Producer: Matt Tucker
Director of Creative Production: Vivian Tulk
Strategic Planners: Noel O’Dea, Jef Combdon
Director of Communications & Media Planning: Jef Combdon
President: Catherine Kelly
Account Director: Jane Hall
Senior Developer: Tim Carew
Digital Production Artist: Sarah Stone
Digital Image Photoshop Artist: Dejan Vucicevic
Director: Christian Sparkes
DOP / Editor: Cecil Johnson
Production Design / Sound Design / Sound Mix: Matt Thomson
Photographer: Chris Crockwell