University of Manitoba has launched a national campaign that speaks to the country’s future trailblazers and conquerors.
The print campaign from Winnipeg-based agency McKim Cringan George (MCG) highlights strides the university is making in fields such as climate change and medical research.
The black-and-white ads show young children with copy written as a first person narrative. For instance, the copy in the “I am a conqueror” execution says: “I see a hill, and I climb it. I play a game until I master it. And when I see illness, I want to heal it… These scientists are like me. They are bound together by will and compassion, and their battle is fought on every shore,” it reads.
Peter George, CEO of MCG, said using young kids in the campaign was a good entry point, and one that isn’t often used by other universities.
“It’s a bit surprising and we think it’s going to engage people with the message,” he said. “We looked at what most other Canadian universities are doing and there are good things out there, but we thought there was room for this kind of a campaign.”
Consumer research found most Canadians think of the University of Manitoba as being in a cold, distant location, said George.
“The great thing about that kind of environment is it creates people that are driven and take advantage of opportunity, so we used what people know as a platform to spin our image in ways we that we think are positive,” he said.
In a release, Lori Yarchuk, marketing manager at the university, said the province’s prairie landscape challenges students, faculty and researchers to thrive.
“Because of where we are, we have unique opportunities to explore, to create, to innovate – all traits that are highly prized in the academic world,” she said.
The campaign will run in The Globe and Mail March 25 and 31.
