UNE has produced an honest advertisement, presenting education as a buttress against hard times. It is in the form of life-advice from a new mother to her baby, advice to see the little girl through a world where the “same and familiar’ is not certain, recessions are real and the ability to adapt is essential.  It is a grimly realistic pitch to a core UNE market – prospective mature age women students who hope education can insulate their families against hard times but who are nervous of the unknown.  As such it sells to the same market as the new USQ “Katie, you’ve got this,” campaign (CMM November 17), which has people who love a woman contemplating mature age study telling her she can do it as she takes on challenges through her life.

Same market, similar brands – it will be interesting to see what performs, grim determination in the face of a frightening world, or sunny optimism.