‘Theatre domination’ ad campaign underscores
York’s innovative approach to recruitment
TORONTO, April 14, 2005 -- York University is aiming for rave reviews from prospective students with its new ‘theatre domination’ ad campaign, premiering in Famous Players and Cineplex cinemas across the GTA on Friday, April 15. 
The university is launching the first ever fully-integrated university branding campaign in Canada to target young moviegoers directly in theatres, during the crucial applications period.
“York is redefining the way that students select and identify with a university,” said Richard Fisher, York’s chief communications officer. “The medium is a large part of the message: it shows we’re creative, open-minded and in step with the real world.”
To view ads, see links at bottom of page
The campaign, which showcases York as the interdisciplinary university, will play at 33 theatres across the GTA, on a total of 365 screens, during the months of April and May. Moviegoers will see a 30-second York U ad on-screen before each film, in the section previously reserved for movie trivia.
Five Famous Players theatres – The Paramount, Colussus, Empress Walk, Yorkdale and Richmond Hill – will be dominated by York U branding over a period of five weeks, with in-lobby banners, backlit posters, and ‘floor cling’ ads, extolling the university’s interdisciplinary approach and encouraging prospective students to redefine themselves by choosing York U. A full-page ad will run in Famous Players’ magazine, Famous.
The in-theatre ads, created by Toronto’s doug agency, will build on the success of last year’s ‘subway domination’ campaign, designed to raise awareness of the university’s unique academic offerings and of the need for an extension of the Spadina subway to the Keele campus. For one month, the TTC’s St. George Station was entirely devoted to York’s reputational messaging, backed by newspaper ads.
“We’re really trying to reach out to prospective students by integrating ourselves and our brand into their world,” Fisher said. “Nearly three quarters of all 18-24 year olds in the GTA will go out to the movies at least once during the course of this campaign.”
Doug Robinson, principal of the doug agency said, "The great thing about the campaign is that it gets right to the heart of the academic product, then takes that message to the audience in a truly creative way."
The in-theatre ad campaign is part of York’s innovative approach to recruitment, focused on welcoming and integrating future students into the York community. For the third consecutive year York University had an increase in the number of secondary school applicants for September who designated York as their first choice. Most significantly, York’s increase in share of first choice applicants was twice that of the market -- increasing 5.2 per cent versus a 2.5 per cent increase for other Ontario universities.
Innovative recruitment vehicles include home visits to star applicants, and a special March Break gala for future students. Of the 6,000 prospective students in attendance at this year’s gala, 70 per cent of respondents said they were likely to choose York based on this event. The university’s innovative E-Party allows more than 15,000 applicants to tour the school and e-chat. York is also the first university to recruit online via the ABEL (Advanced Bandwidth Enhanced Learning) program, which allows for interactive outreach sessions to schools in York Region and Northern Ontario. York also recruits internationally, in 22 countries and eight U.S. states.
“These innovative efforts are paying off as more students give ‘two thumbs up’ to York U,” said Robert Tiffin, Acting Vice-President Students. “For the upcoming 2005 / 06 academic year, the current trend in admission acceptances is tracking higher than last year for our top prospective students.”
York U’s cinema domination campaign will be augmented by colour banner ads in the Globe and Mail and full-page ads in Maclean’s, as well as in TTC buses, streetcars and subway cars.
Click links below to view ad campaign:
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 180,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 21 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges.
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For further information, please contact:
Nancy J. White, Director of Media Relations, York University, 416-736-5603/ media@yorku.ca
