The client
Yorkshire Universities is a regional partnership representing eleven universities and one specialist higher education institution who strive to champion Yorkshire.
Highlighting the trailblazing work of Yorkshire Universities
Client: Yorkshire Universities (YU)
Sectors: Education,
Services: PR & Communications, Strategy,
The challenge
Comprising a powerhouse of 12 academically flourishing and esteemed higher education institutions, Yorkshire Universities champions the power and potential of Yorkshire as a place where graduates, communities and businesses thrive and enhances the region’s global connections and aspirations by encouraging stronger partnerships between academia and key policymakers.
However, YU identified the need to build on existing in-house work and social media foundations to have clear messaging and news content to elevate YU’s profile, voice and visibility in the media and among stakeholders so that the partnership, and its 12 member institutions, can have an even greater positive impact on the region and students and graduates of the region.
The solution
Drawing on expertise across our business we conducted a strategy sprint exercise, a structured workshop using methodology developed in Silicon Valley, to understand the client’s strategic priorities. These included providing an even stronger collective voice for YU’s member institutions on key issues relevant to the region and students/ graduates; influencing policy and practice and communicating the positive impact that YU’s member institutions are having on the region, students, graduates and the wider world.
Social then undertook a root and branch review and analysis of YU’s current communications, tone of voice and key messaging across all its channels including social media, website content and its press release archive.
Alongside social media analytics, our team used its journalism and digital expertise to provide clear editorial feedback.
This included highlighting best practice and the simple steps YU could take to have clearer and more impactful messaging on its platforms – and jargon-free press releases more likely to get the desired cut-through among regional, business and sector media.
The impact
YU were so impressed with our initial work that we have since been appointed as its official PR and communications partner.
In the space of a few months, we have worked with the YU team to secure a host of coverage on its trailblazing work in targeted regional and sector press – ranging from news stories to powerful thought leadership pieces. We also continue to assist YU with its ongoing internal work to enhance its website and key messaging.