Most university campaigns are interchangeable – not Swinburne Online’s “ready for more”

CMM has long-banged on about how most university marketing promotes ideals of learning, teaching and research and how great their institution is – without explaining what’s in it for students – as in specific benefits which distinguish the University of X from Y U.

But Swinburne Online (a partnership with Online Education Services) has a different campaign running on social media.

“How to launch your career when you don’t know exactly what you want to do,” is one pitch.

“Where can your admin job and skills take you,” is another.

Plus, there is, “four ways to get a promotion”

And because Swin U does not mind admitting it wants the business; “thinking that this could be your time to finally make the shift into the role and industry you really want? If you’re ready to make the change, here are some realistic ways you can make the transition smoother.”

No, it’s not designed for school leavers looking for a degree to help them change the world. But they aren’t the market that matters more than all the others anymore.

In any case a campaign for life can be done for the young. Perhaps not those looking for a degree that will make them next secretary general of the UN – but for everybody else. Australian Catholic U’s “a life less ordinary,” campaign blazed a trail. It was pitched to people who wanted to  hear about study that can improve their lives in the worlds they know and want to live in, (CMM August 12 2014.)

“This may not appeal to people with perfect entry scores and the family finances to do double doctorates at Oxford and Harvard, people brought up to think “ordinary” is a term of abuse – but they aren’t the campaign’s audience,” CMM wrote about the campaign – (that’s a translation from the original Latin – it was a while back).