University brag points can all sound the same to a high school student. As university communicators we have the same delivery methods available, such as our website, mobile apps, e-mails, social networks, and print. So how do we set our institutions apart? The answer lies in how we choose to expand and present our messages. Discover how the University of Illinois produces fresh, vibrant, and memorable content for all of its marketing. See how they collect data and use it to determine where they focus their efforts and how they choose to uniquely craft their messages.

1. Doug Burgett
Creative Director, Office of Communications for Enrollment Mgmt
Stacey Kostell
Director, Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Michelle Rice
Editor, Office of Communications for Enrollment Mgmt
05.02.2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

2. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

3. The message is...
TEXT
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

4. The message is...
IMAGE
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

5. The message is...
VISUAL
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

6. The message is...
WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

7. The message is...
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

8. The message is...
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

9. The message is...
SIMPLE
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

10. The message is...
COMPLEX
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

11. The message is...
CONTEXT DEPENDENT
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

12. The message is...
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

13. The message is...
OFTEN BURIED
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

14. The message is...
THE REASON WE COMMUNICATE
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

15. belong
Illinois Admissions Theme (2005-Present)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

16. PRINT
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

17. BURIED
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

18. University Viewbook Cover
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

19. University Viewbook Cover
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

20. University Viewbook Cover
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

21. University Viewbook Cover
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

22. Illinois Viewbook Cover (2007)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

23. Illinois Viewbook Spread (2008)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

24. Illinois Viewbook Spread (2008)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

25. What’s this?
Where do I look first?
FACTUAL LAYOUT
I don’t want to read all this
The personality is over here
Illinois Viewbook Spread (2008)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

26. FACTUAL VOICE
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

27. WE ARE BROWSERS
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

28. Illinois Viewbook Spread (2010)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

29. Illinois Viewbook Spread (2010)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

30. Clear page header
Leads expand the
headers and summarize
main messages
MAGAZINE LAYOUT
Student-written articles
introduce personality
Quotes offer alternative entry
points to the content
Illinois Viewbook Spread (2010)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

31. PERSONAL CONTENT
Illinois Viewbook Spread (2010)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

32. FIRST-PERSON WRITING
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

33. PULLOUT FACTS
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

34. EXPANDED CONTENT
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

35. BROWSER FRIENDLY
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

36. Illinois Visit Mailer (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

37. Illinois Visit Mailer (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

38. What I’m
supposed to do
Where I go for
more information
SIMPLE
Where the
University of Illinois
is located
What the
University of Illinois
looks like
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

39. SUCCINCT WRITING
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

40. EMAIL
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

41. Header for
priority message
SEARCH EMAIL
Call-to-action List of profile facts
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

42. Intro with
priority message
ADMIT EMAIL
Headers for
easy scanning
Calls-to-action
Enticing image
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

43. ACCEPT EMAIL
First-person
student account
Call-to-action
Brief article previews
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

44. PRESENTATIONS
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

45. Illinois Admitted Student Presentation (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

46. STUDENT VOICE
Illinois Admitted Student Presentation (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

47. WEB
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

48. Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

49. CLEAR ORGANIZATION
STUDENT VOICE
KEY MESSAGES
Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

50. RELATED BLOG CONTENT
Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

51. BLOGGING
Candid advice from
admissions counselors
Slice-of-life experiences
from current students
Illinois Admissions Blog (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

52. CONTENT REFINEMENT
Before Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

53. CONTENT REFINEMENT
After Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

54. UTILIZING REAL ESTATE
Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

55. MOBILE
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

56. KEY MESSAGES?
Smaller screens
warrant a different layout
for more clarity
Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

57. Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

58. Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

59. Illinois Admissions Website (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

60. Illinois Admissions Visit Webpage (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

61. ADMISSION DECISION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Illinois Admissions Website Mobile Statistics for 2010
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

62. WHAT’S THIS?
How do I get to my
admissions decision?
Illinois Admissions Check Application Status Webpage (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

63. Illinois Admissions Check Application Status Webpage (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

64. SOCIAL MEDIA
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

65. Social Networks used by Illinois Admissions (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

66. EASY
Social Network Hub for Illinois Admissions (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

67. FUN
Social Network Hub for Illinois Admissions (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

68. HONEST
University of Illinois Class of 2015 Facebook Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

69. REAL
University of Illinois Class of 2015 Facebook Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

70. REALLY REAL
University of Illinois Class of 2015 Facebook Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

71. REALLY REAL
University of Illinois Class of 2015 Facebook Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

72. DUPLICATED
Illinois Admissions Twitter Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

73. ENGAGING
Illinois Admissions YouTube Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

74. ENGAGING
Illinois Admissions YouTube Page (2011)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

75. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?
Tuesday, May 15, 2012