Royal Roads University’s latest advertising campaign unleashed an imaginative stunt at Pacific Centre Mall in Vancouver. A large bus-shelter-type billboard invited shoppers to connect personally with Royal Roads alumna Morgan Westcott through a LinkedIn-inspired interface. When passersby pushed the “Connect” button on the display, the photo of Ms. Westcott slid down to reveal the real Ms. Westcott in person, inviting them to ask questions about her Royal Roads experience.
The stunt underlined the campaign’s theme, “Inspiring Connections,” explains Catherine Riggins, director, branding, marketing and recruitment at the university. The campaign, developed with the Cossette agency, also invites potential students to reach out to Royal Roads alumni, by phone or email, with a series of advertisements in print and in interior and outdoor locations that feature the business cards of the alumni. The advertising copy encourages readers to contact any of the alumni one-on-one.