The Challenge
Edinburgh Innovations (EI) is the commercialisation arm of the University of Edinburgh and Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) is an initiative aimed at helping organisations do data right for the benefit of citizens. Together, they are delivering a series of programmes to support and drive innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Edinburgh – called Data-Driven Entrepreneurship (DDE).
DDI, EI and Rationale have been working together to drive communications and marketing to attract engagement with the DDE programme’s diverse audiences – students, staff and industry – with a focus on the positive social and economic impact of innovation.
The Solution
In our work with DDI and EI, Rationale has leveraged their creative and strategic expertise to attract applicants to the DDE programme, by developing and delivering a campaign of communications and content which bring the personal, societal and economic benefits of the programme to life and compel a range of people to engage.
To achieve this, we:
- Reviewed existing materials and insights to confirm priorities
- Came up with compelling campaign ideas, creative and messaging including a proposition that surfaced DDE’s impact – ‘Connecting ideas to the world’
- Ideated two visual identities – one overarching hero identity featuring a double-exposure image, the other to support and differentiate each of the initiatives
- Devised a complex, multi-channel communications plan and social media strategy – including paid and organic media, email and newsletter
- Established an ongoing roll-out plan, incorporating targeted messaging, assets and channels for an external industry audience – such as a campaign-specific website destination to host all programme information and content, an infographic and dynamic motion graphic that make sense of the complexity and impact of the programme, and a series of video interviews with the DDE team
- Delivered a collection of case studies to amplify the success stories and impact already coming out of the programme with supporting photography and social assets.
DDE Microsite ‘Edinburgh Connecting Ideas’
DDE Motion Graphic
DDE Social Posts (LinkedIn examples)
The Result
Through our strategy we delivered and activated a series of campaign toolkits across a mix of channels, including social media, newsletters, events and email and continually optimised our approaches based on engagement. The branded entrepreneurship web presence housing our creative, content and resources to date has achieved over 19K views, and since our collaboration with DDE began 114 SME companies have been founded.
19,000+
Website views
114
SMEs founded
“Rationale have been truly instrumental in creating and delivering our marketing strategy for the DDE programme in a very tight time-scale. They also ideated and designed marketing collateral for each of the 12 opportunities in the DDE programme aimed at a variety of University and external audiences. Across the board, Rationale offers the highest level of service.”
“The DDE programme has massive potential to create impact - for the students who it supports, for society as we benefit from the innovation it fosters and for the economy as new businesses are created. Our partnership with DDE has allowed us to tell this story to all stakeholders.”