City, University of London
Undergraduate Prospectus 2021/22
Making a difference
The City, University of London undergraduate prospectus needed to change. It had to work much harder to reach its Gen Z audience who have grown up in a tough world and whose values have developed accordingly.
Born after 1995, Z is the most marketed-to generation of all time. Well-informed but understandably anxious, they are skeptical about the promises made in traditional undergraduate communications. From our research, we knew that the usual approach, which positions students as consumers and targets them with statistics and league table rankings, would only take City so far. They also needed to demonstrate what they stand for and how they are helping to change the world – answering questions that HE institutions might traditionally expect from prospective postgrads.
Embracing the challenge head-on, we began with a workshop designed to identify a number of global and local themes that were both true to City’s values and would resonate with a socially-aware audience. We also used this session with City’s marketing team to gather evidence of the university’s world-changing impact. We developed these findings into overarching themes, such as sustainability and diversity, and then weaved them through a series of bold spreads to open the 2021/22 prospectus. We also rewrote the introductory pages, highlighting the themes underpinning every aspect of City’s undergraduate offer.
The result is a prospectus that reflects City, University of London’s vision as a forward-thinking institution, with a global reach and a commitment to empowering its undergraduate students to make a difference.