Problem:
Although Catholic Education is a long established brand, with more than 6,000 staff and 46,000 students in 103 Catholic schools across the state and almost 1 in 5 students are educated in a Catholic school (2018), reputation was declining and so were enrolments. Research undertaken in 2016 showed the three words most strongly aligned with Catholic schools was “religious”, “expensive” and “strict”. Since the research was undertaken, “brand Catholic” sustained further damage with the findings of the Royal Commission. The need to tell a counter narrative was never more important.
Insight:
The difference between a Catholic education and an education in a public schools is that a Catholic school cares about the person a child becomes at the end of their education. It was also important to realise the connection between families, the church and the school had changed. Previously, the church connected families to the school but it was now the school that connected families to the church.
Idea:
The launch of a new brand with the tagline ‘Raising hearts and minds’. The tagline was launched internally with a video of an old collegian singing ‘you raise me up’. The external launch of the tagline was illustrated in a series of images showing a student and a mentor. The campaign, which coincided with Catholic Schools Open Week was seen across outdoor, digital and radio.
Campaign:
2020, Nation then Catholic Education South Australia
Results:
The campaign and tagline went through an extensive consultation process and was well received by internal stakeholders including the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools. This was the first campaign to involve all schools working together and the amount of schools involved exceeded all expectations.
Role:
Strategist, Account Director then Client lead.
Courtney Garfoot 