When it came to Monash University’s 2018 brand campaign, we were tired of trying to “out sell” the other universities clamouring for the attention and commitment of recently graduated high school students. So how would we get graduating high school students to consider Monash when they were being bombarded by messages from other universities?

Thankfully, our client are a little different than the rest. While other universities chase quotas of enrolments, Monash University wanted to recruit young people who shared Monash’s philosophy of making positive change.

As much as KPIs were important to them, Monash University wanted a campaign that would draw a line in the sand between them and the rest of the universities. Choosing Monash meant something, and they wanted to make that clear.

This campaign was designed to wake people up from their apathy. Climate change, war, disease, famine, inequality… we’ll complain about it online, but what are we really doing to make positive change? Monash University needed to slap people into action and remind them why universities exist: to make change for the better.

We brought this to life through the following avenues:

– TV and Cinema: Featuring confronting footage of the key problems that Monash was fighting to change – with a soundtrack by hip hop duo A.B Original, who wrote their track ‘Blaccout’ specifically for the campaign, inspired by Monash’s unflinching message.

– Print and Digital: Supporting this launch was a full wrap of one of Australia’s flagship newspapers, which connected the day’s headlines with Monash’s efforts; and key out-of-home and digital placements reinforcing Monash as a partner for those who want to change