Media-savvy colleges and universities are moving past their traditional communications teams to tap into the hot market of influencer campaigns that resonate with Gens Z and Alpha. Instead of recruiting A-list celebrities or internet personality moguls to champion their campuses, however, institutions have found a more effective (and cheaper) spokesperson.

“Current students and alumni are our biggest advocates,” says Chandra Carson, executive director of content marketing at the University of New Hampshire. “They already love the university, and so they’re able to share their stories and experiences with prospective students.”

Higher education spent over $200 million on advertising via mobile web video in 2024, the highest among all media, according to a recent report from Education Dynamics, an enrollment management service. It found that the trend is primarily driven by short-form video content, often called “reels,” which is ubiquitous with the new social media titan TikTok. One source claims TikTok is more popular than Google’s search engine among Gen Z.

Institutions must appeal to advertising to Gen Z in new ways. These young, media-savvy consumers, well-versed in the trappings of corporate content, desire authentic expression, says Alyssa Stevens, Public Relations and Social Media Director at advertising agency Connelly Partners.

“That content is best created by either creators or real people, a.k.a influencers, and in this case, students and alumni of the organization, so they have an authentic connection to the organization that we’re promoting.”

Influencer content created by the University of New Hampshire in collaboration with Connelly Partners has a 22% higher engagement rate than brand content created internally, she says. Its latest campaign reached over 90% of its target audience.

Some of the most popular types of influencer videos show students roaming around campus and pointing out different amenities offered by the institution. This format could captivate prospective first-generation students who may have no other resource to help them visualize the college atmosphere, Carson says.

“These point-of-view videos give them a behind-the-scenes, almost voyeuristic, look at what it’s like to be a student,” Stevens says. “You familiarize them with the environment to ease them into taking action.”

How to Build an Influencer Campaign

Colleges and universities are spending various amounts on influencer campaigns. Institutions can build an effective grassroots movement by pushing marketing materials seeded from students’ social media feeds and boosting their posts to capture a broader audience.

Another way is by recruiting students or alumni with a strong following to serve in a more robust influencer campaign strategy, in which the institution feeds its newfound spokesperson with key messaging points.

However, a savvy social media user may still smell an advertisement from an influencer if a university’s marketing team isn’t careful, Carson notes. “You have to find who is speaking positively about the university, who’s authentically already saying these things. What you don’t want is to utilize somebody who has never spoken about the university and suddenly they’re a talking head and it doesn’t make any sense.”

Article and images from University Business.

Lily Ward, Brand Manager

Work, Wander, Repeat: My Time at CP Dublin

After years of imagining what living abroad might feel like, I finally got my chance thanks to Connelly Partners’ Abroad program. Like many others, my college study abroad plans were cancelled due to Covid, so this felt like a second chance to experience living abroad. And Dublin didn’t disappoint! From the moment I arrived, I was struck by the charm of the city and the warmth of the people. I stayed near St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and my daily commute to the office quickly became a favorite ritual, hopping on the double-decker bus and enjoying the view of the city.

Working out of the CP Dublin office was the highlight of my experience. The Dublin team was very welcoming, it was so fun getting to know how they work, and just generally soaking up a new agency vibe in a different time zone. It reminded me of the universal language we all speak at CP, even with a few more Irish accents (my absolute favorite part, if I’m being honest).

Spending a full month in Dublin gave me a chance to really settle into the city. I loved finding the best coffee, trying new restaurants, and enjoying how walkable Dublin really is. I was also lucky with the weather, a fact the locals reminded me of daily, which made outdoor patios and after-work strolls even more enjoyable. And yes, the pubs. I can’t talk about Dublin without mentioning the cozy, character-filled pubs on every block. 

On weekends, I traded city views for cliff walks and rolling green hills. The Irish countryside is ridiculous in the best way; lush, cinematic, and filled with more baby lambs than I could emotionally handle. My friends and family came to visit, which gave me the chance to play tour guide while seeing more of the country myself.

I am so grateful for this experience. It was an amazing opportunity to connect, work, explore, and experience a new culture in an immersive way. I came home with a full camera roll, a deeper appreciation for Irish slang, and a dangerously high standard for what qualifies as a proper cozy pub.

The photography-led campaign offers an intimate glimpse into the world of air travel.

Who: Flair Airlines for strategy and creative; Connelly Partners for creative and execution; Wildfire for event production and logistics; Fladgate Brand Management for print production and installation; National Geographic explorer, and photographer, Mackenzie Calle for photography.

What: “FlairFWD,” a two-week photography exhibit that intimately showcases the behind-the-scenes choreography of aviation. The intention is to renew and remind consumers of Flair’s mission to provide affordable air travel that connects Canadians to the people and experiences they love.

When & Where: The exhibit ran April 12–13 for the public in a vacant Gastown space in Vancouver, following a private event for stakeholders and staff. FlairFWD is set to travel to other Canadian cities where the airline has major hubs.

Why: The activation is intended to demonstrate a shift towards a more emotional way of connecting the airline with potential passengers. 

“FlairFWD was designed to signal a new era for Flair—one defined by confidence, clarity, and momentum,” said Patrick Smith, creative director at Flair Airlines. “Using award-winning photographer Mackenzie Calle’s distinct and beautiful imagery, we captured the essence of a brand on the rise. This was a Flair-led creative vision, brought to life with the support of Connelly Partners and Wildfire Events, who helped execute and implement the initiative with precision and energy.”

How: The campaign was anchored by the work of National Geographic explorer and photographer Mackenzie Calle, whose exhibit aims to highlight the dual beauty and complexity of air travel, from sweeping aerial vistas to candid moments behind the scenes. 

The photos feature a mix of layered textures, lighting, large-scale prints, and experimental print techniques, to facilitate a multi-sensory experience for viewers. They will also be used across all of Flair’s paid and owned channels.

The public opening subsequently turned the exhibit into an interactive brand story, offering consumers an intimate glimpse at Flair’s evolution and the people who contribute to its success. 

And we quote: “The most fulfilling work happens when clients are clear on their mission and brave enough to break the mold. That’s what we’ve found with Flair. We believe in what they’re building, and we’re proud to travel alongside them as partners on what we know is an important journey.”–Nadine Cole, co-managing director, Connelly Partners West.

Read article on Campaign Canada.

This fall, Connelly Partners (CP) launched Connelly Partners Health (CP Health), a new dedicated health practice as part of the agency’s integrated offering that takes a unique human approach to healthcare marketing. Building off the agency’s Defiantly Human strategic approach to uncover human truths and shared values between brands and customers, CP Health taps this capability and applies it in working with life sciences, medtech, and healthcare organizations. CP Health works with clients through a process, leveraging anthropology, data, and technology to uncover what audiences want and guide brand strategy, creative, and integrated execution.

Read more here.

Additional coverage:
PM360: The 2021 Innovators

Connelly Partners (CP) announced today that it is launching Connelly Partners Health (CP Health), a new dedicated health practice as part of the agency’s integrated offering. Building off of the agency’s work in healthcare over the past two decades, CP Health will specialize in working with LifeScience, MedTech and Healthcare organizations. By tapping into CP’s Defiantly Human philosophy and mission to defend the role of emotion and the human right brain, CP Health will partner with clients to define strategy and campaigns that reflect the shared values between patients/healthcare providers and brands. CP Health will work with clients through a process that leverages anthropology, data, and technology to uncover what audiences want and guide brand strategy, creative and integrated execution.

Read more here.

Additional coverage:
AdAge: Connelly Partners’ New Health Practice
Adweek: Revolving Door Roundup: Connelly Partners Health
Boston Globe: Connelly Partners Making A Healthy Bet
MediaPost: Connelly Partners Launches Health Practice
PharmaLive: Connelly Partners Launches Connelly Partners Health