CPUT ‘Champions of Engineering’

In South Africa, Technical Universities are seen as inferior to their traditional University Counterparts. We wanted to challenge this perception and re-open the debate.

Idea:

A digital campaign was centred on a participatory installation aimed at driving PR. The campaign comprised two phases, each focused on a distinct target audience:

• Phase 1 targeted the existing student body and aimed to drive awareness and support for the Cape Speed team.
• Phase 2 targeted potential students and primarily drove awareness of the CPUT offerings through participation. A platform strategy for the campaign identified five key platforms (YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr and iPad) where we could leverage an already active and engaged audience. 

Result:

With an overall investment of just R600 000, we achieved over R5 million in earned media at a return on investment of R8 to every R1 spent. We were featured in major local and national newspapers, on television news programmes, radio shows and across dozens of related blogs and websites with an overall estimated viewership of 16 million. In a 36-hour period at the mall, a lap was run every 30 seconds. We even received a phone call of commendation and an offer of assistance from the makers of Scalextric! First year intake was up 22% year on year and the Engineering Department intake went up 40%. Our 1:32 (155 mm long) scale car travelled an equivalent of nearly 29 laps of the actual Silverstone track. This campaign recently won a Bookmark in 2013 in the Digital Activation and Installation category.