Portfolio of Relevant Work
Molloy University
Hope Credit Union - Austin Williams
overview
To guide its transformation to Molloy University — and make this designation as important to prospective students as it was to the former Molloy College — they turned to Austin Williams, their agency of record for more than 17 years.
Once again, we delivered — this time with a multidimensional, visually exciting campaign that helped Molloy stand out from the sea of newly named universities.
Combining our creative expertise with strategic excellence, AW’s media buy and placement, digital marketing, content development, and graphic design prowess helped drive in the largest freshman class in the school’s history.
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN
Media buy and placement
With the “new U” campaign, the agency-designed icon for the new Molloy University is transformed into a branded homonym — representing both the University and the individual — to make the campaign ownable without overshadowing Molloy’s student focus.
Vibrant, hip visuals with diverse student archetypes and career-focused symbols position the University as relevant, inclusive, and just as forward-thinking as the media buy and placement AW developed for the campaign.
Media strategy
Supporting Molloy’s newly minted university status, our strategy employed a highly influential media campaign to drive mass awareness while maximizing qualified student lead volume.
AW elevated Molloy University’s new brand message by deploying strategically placed video units in the market across a range of platforms, with an emphasis on paid social. The result? We were able to generate buzz for Molloy’s brand and brought them into the very communities their prospective students are living in online.
Still, like any higher education media plan worth its salt, conversion-driving tactics like paid search remained at the forefront, commanding nearly half the buy and empowering Molloy to meet its recruitment goals with every student group.
Target audience
The primary target audiences included three core student groups: aspiring undergraduates, potential transfer students, and post-graduates drawn to Molloy’s diverse academic offerings.
Media channels & flighting
Media channel allocation
PAID SOCIAL, SEARCH, & DISPLAY
Digital marketing
AW’s digital marketing strategy focused on program-specific messaging, appealing to our targets’ interests, and inviting them to discover the best in U – literally and figuratively.
PERSONALIZED LANDING PAGES
Content development
AW’s content strategists, SEO specialists, and UX experts worked hand-in-hand to create a targeted content development strategy to enhance Molloy’s online presence and elevate the performance of our digital marketing efforts.
These UX-optimized, conversion-focused landing pages create highly personalized online experiences that effectively engage, educate, and convert prospective students into qualified leads.
Top-Performing Graduate Pages
- MBA: 9.44% Conversion Rate (CVR)
- Criminal Justice: 12.71% CVR
Top-Performing Undergraduate Pages
- Nursing Program: 6.63% CVR
- Allied Health Sciences Program: 6.02% CVR
Despite the variations, it’s noteworthy to mention that CVRs for both segments exceed the industry average benchmark of 4.5% — underscoring the efficacy of our tailored approach to content development.
Graphic design
To help Molloy University stand out from the pack, AW’s graphic designers and art directors created the launch “welcome” message. These pieces served as powerful personal affirmations for existing students and extended an engaging invitation to prospective ones.
Outcomes
24.7%
increase in open house RSVPs year-over-year
#1
Molloy’s largest incoming class ever
41%
conversions attributed to paid social and paid search campaigns
See all the campaign's assets
