Times Higher Education Awards success for Abertay marketing campaign

Campaign reflecting Abertay values picks up national recognition

A comprehensive brand awareness campaign to promote Abertay's core values, sense of local pride and social mission has been recognised at the Times Higher Education Awards (THE) 2024.

The Abertay A to B campaign focused on key goals from the Strategic Plan 2020-25, including offering transformational opportunities, inspiring students and graduates to achieve their full potential and preparing students for work. 

Created on a limited budget and using real students, the campaign reflected Abertay’s student demographic, which includes around 50% of students coming from the local area, many joining from college and a high proportion of mature students.

Addressing perceptions that university is ‘not for the likes of me’, the campaign had a strong focus on encouraging students from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education.

A true to life, refreshing and unpretentious theme showing Abertay as an an honest, work-focused, friendly University was established, drawing on feedback from staff, students and alumni.

Bold typography and colours showcasing words beginning with A and B were used to highlight the breadth of our degree programmes, using phrase juxtaposition as an impact device coupled with images, video and a vibrant colour scheme.

At the THE Awards ceremony in Birmingham, the campaign received highly commended recognition in the Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team of the Year category.

 "At Abertay we have a core focus on providing transformational opportunities for all, preparing our students to enter the world of work and on delivering on the needs of our local community here in Dundee as well as across the UK and overseas. This campaign really captured our open, friendly and welcoming culture and also the tangible pride that our students, staff and alumni have in being associated with the University" - Head of Marketing Paul Watson

The accolade follows recent rankings and awards success that has seen Abertay named Scotland's top modern university for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2024, ranked in the Times Higher Education's UK top 10 for student 'overall positivity' rating and ranked in the Times and Sunday Times UK top 10 for student experience.