A buddy of mine e-mailed Drake about this campaign, and here was the response he got
Thank you so much for your continued interest in Drake. Your concerns are shared by others in the community and we are taking the feedback seriously. However, we undertook this campaign with care and with full thought into the minds of our target audience....15, 16 and 17 year old students. They receive so much college material, we were interested in a campaign which would help Drake cut through all the clutter of this material. Before any materials were printed, we completed extensive research with our target audience and our image actually made the students more interested in opening up our viewbook. For us, that's half the battle. In addition, once they open the piece, they can read very powerful words and language supporting all the advantages a Drake education provides.
As we have begun traveling with these pieces, we have continued to receive positive feedback from both students and college counselors. None of these individuals see the D+ as a correlation to the type of student Drake is seeking to attract or to the type of university we are. They see it for its intended purpose...to highlight Drake's advantages.
As the concept was being developed, the logic behind the idea was discussed. I've included a few of the phrases we discussed. "The Drake Advantage speaks to independent-minded students, applauding them for choosing to think for themselves. It encourages prospective students to look deeper at their own expectations of college. It invites them to inquire deeper into the benefits Drake offers (by visiting campus in person) instead of relying on second-hand opinions or perceptions. It challenges them to verify other (competing) claims of a well-rounded, well-balanced education by examining them at greater depth and in more detail. And finally, it clarifies the essential character of the Drake community upfront, thus empowering prospective students to make a better decision about whether this is the right choice for them."
I hope this e-mail begins to share some of our thinking in introducing this campaign. If you have other questions, I would welcome them.
Posted: August 31st, 2010, 7:11 pm
