Does this campaign work? Elizabeth City State University launches a multi-faceted advertising campaign targeting new market areas.

When Elizabeth City State University was targeted by North Carolina to grow its enrollment, the school needed to gain the attention of prospective students in surrounding areas with healthy population growth, as well as within Elizabeth City. Students in such towns as Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro would have to be convinced to pursue their degrees in Elizabeth City, via billboards, newspaper and television ads, and the school's Web video.

"Several people from the new markets commented on the fact that we obviously were making a change in our marketing strategy, because they had never seen our information in those areas," says Marsha Mclean, ECSU's director of University Relations and Marketing. Are the new advertisements effective? Our panelists weigh in on the print and television effort.

BEST FEATURES

* The one print ad that came closest to hitting its mark was the "Come and Discover Your Place to Succeed" entry, with its notations of "great value, small class sizes, safe campus, unique academic programs." Now here's some differentiating information prospective applicants could really use in making their determinations to consider or visit schools and campuses. I only wish the information about genuinely "hot" academic programs was a little easier to see; it's a strong selling point.

* The "Spring Open House" ad [not pictured] was attention grabbing with its realistic photographs and a pleasing background. It invitingly highlighted the events at the open house, plus what a student could expect from attending ECSU.

* The "College Checklist" ad [not pictured], contained good information about the application process and admission requirements, and might be effective posted in high school guidance offices, public libraries, and other places high school students frequent.

* The three 30-second television spots are most noteworthy for their ability to focus well on concerns of potential applicants, and their ability to get their messages across clearly and succinctly.

* ECSU is wise to add the powerful medium of television to its outreach media mix. The commercials are very upbeat, and the use of the contemporary logo is wise; the underlying message is one of quality and focus on academic performance.

* Although all three TV spots promote "success," and two also stress that at ECSU there is "a place for you," each one targets separate concern as well. The "Success" spot addresses focusing on a career, "Discover" emphasizes the school's ability to help students realize their individual talents and interests, and "Your Kids" is aimed at tuition-conscious parents seeking quality education for their children. This ad in particular hit the mark by delivering a specific message, rather than looking like most generic university promotional spots.

NEEDS WORK

* Looking at the print portion of the campaign, I'd say 90 percent of the effort needs work--mostly because it looks rather high-schoolish. There is no consistency in graphic identity, and there is an absence of focus and polish.

* The lack of layout skills is evident in the print ads: balance, design, use of visuals, font choices, etc. are pretty much without rhyme or reason. There was no design cohesiveness from ad to ad throughout the campaign.

* Lacking focus and prioritization in the print ad campaign's message, readers are left to wonder "What is the outstanding differentiator for ECSU?" and "What sets it apart from its peer schools?" The "prepare for success" theme might, in fact, be a good one if more ad copy were available to explain it better, and if that theme were not buried in many of the ads.

* Running a "college checklist" along with "minimum requirements for undergraduates" is a waste of an entire print ad. It does nothing to tell a prospective applicant how ECSU sets itself apart from other schools, or why he/she should attend.

* The "Proudly Salutes Mother's Everywhere" print ads are confusing. Did they run on Mother's Day? Are they promoting childcare for mothers attending the college? Is there some other marketing attribute to justify the ad's existence?

* In the "Let ECSU help you discover your success!" ad, the strongest points--the bullets about offerings and aid, etc.--were reduced to inscrutable type, and an impressive U.S. News & World Report ranking was relegated to a tiny afterthought box. All this, while the ECSU "wave" logo took up one-quarter of the available ad space.

* Evidently, all areas of the institution do not agree on the same logo: a traditional university seal competes with a more contemporary "wave" logo, and a Viking symbol is also often used. Self-imposed fragmentation results from this conflict of identities.

* Phone numbers were inconsistent in the print ads. Some were a local number, others a toll-free number; some were displayed in digits, others with digits and letters. Some ads also included the Web site URL; others did not. The lack of consistency suggests confusion within the university, which can damage image overall.

* The 30-second TV ads looked like every other commercial for colleges and universities I have seen. What's more, the narrator did not capture my interest.

SUGGESTIONS

* Focus, focus, focus! Hold committee meetings of students, faculty, and administrators before designing the ad campaign, to determine a) premier focus, b) which prospective applicant points of pain to address, c) priority of messages, and d) their order in a consecutive-ad campaign. Don't do that thinking during layout or production!

* Hire professionals. While using your students to design a major ad campaign is a nice idea (and it looks like that's what happened here), you can't usually give your students a cool design opportunity and at the same time grab a once-a-year shot to attract every possible new student. If the goal of the advertising investment is to strengthen the school's enrollment, spend the money to hire the best ad pros possible--you'll get the money back many times over.

* If you've come up with a solid marketing angle such as the ability of your school to connect graduates with solid employment opportunities, make sure that is completely understood in the advertising. "Your Place for Success" is a start, but it doesn't say it all; your ad copy needs to do that.

* Choose the best single slogan possible--"Your place for success," "Let ECSU help you discover your success!" or "Come and discover your place to succeed"--then stick with it.

* Exploit the power of visuals. Instead of featuring smiling-faced students over and over again, use your visuals to convey a concept or feeling and show precisely what you are selling. For instance: one-on-one attention (a student working with an instructor), hot new programs (a student in the school's recording studio), or a student walking across the clean, well-designed grounds (campus safety).

EVALUATION PANEL:

Bob Topor ([e-mail]) is founder of Topor Consulting Group International, assisting institutions of higher education with market research and communications strategy.

Peter Hidasi is a guidance counselor at John L. Miller-Great Neck North Senior High School (NY).

Gillian Hanson is a student at Wesleyan University (CT).

Kathy Grayson is the parent of a college student.