Higher education is struggling. At the same time as more and more institutions are offering graduate programs, students are beginning to question the value of these degrees altogether. Moreover, schools are indistinguishable from one another as many of them are using cliche copy, stock photography and somewhat arbitrary badges and rankings. We took this well-worn look as motivation to do something completely different. Writing smart copy and working with an incredibly talented artist, we created three illustrations that reflect 13 different programs that allow us to tell the larger story of Miami as an global financial and cultural hubwith year-round sunshine, making it an ideal place for higher education.

This strategy acknowledges that the city you attend school in can be as influential as the school itself, and shifts the focus from rankings to the holistic educational experience, ultimately making Miami Herbert Business School stand out in the immensely competitive higher education landscape.

RESULTS:
Media conversion rates nearly doubled
50% decrease in cost-per-lead dropped
90% drop in Real Estate MBA program’s cost-per-lead
41%+ surpassed all lead goals

CREDITS:
Client: University of Miami / Miami Herbert Business School
Vice Dean, Business Programs: Hari Natarajan
Exec Director, Comms and Marketing: Marlen Lebish

Agency: Cactus
Partner & CCO: Norm Shearer
Senior Creative Director: Jeff Strahl
Senior Copywriter: Dan Hawes
Senior Copywriter: Jay Roth
Junior Copywriter: Luke Strother
Senior Art Director: Sammie O’Sullivan
Junior Art Director: Raquel Roman
VP, Account Leadership: Ainslie Fortune
Senior Account Manager: Mikela Parker
VP, Comms Strat & Media: Chris Shewmake
Brand Strategy Assoc Director: Rob Troller
Media Supervisor : Tara McKinnon
Programmatic Buyer: Alejandro Lazo
Print Producer: Raven Checkush
Prod Design Manager: Stephen Hausrath
Video Content Specialist: Jackson Smith
Senior Video Designer: Ben Micek
Editor: Jeff Wilson
Senior Front End Developer: Austin Lliteras
Project Mgmt Director: Helen Rudolph-Shabinsky
Project Manager: Darby Gertsema

Illustrator: Matt Taylor