Case study: The University of Cambridge
A trusted supplier of strategic communication services to a world-class academic institution
Sectors: Education
The client
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
The University has a different structure to most. Rather than everything being centralised there is a collegiate system, with 31 Colleges, over 150 Departments, and six Schools.
There are 20,000 students, 12,000 staff, and 125 Nobel prizes have been awarded - more than any other institution.
It plays a critically important role in the Cambridge ecosystem too, and contributes nearly £30 billion to the economy and supports more than 86000 jobs across the UK.
The services
We’re proud to have developed a trusted relationship with the University which runs to more than ten years.
Consultancy, strategy and monthly support
Training, speaking and workshops
Social media management, planning and reporting
Copywriting and content creation
Video and animation
Audits and analysis
The challenge
The unique structure of the University translates into several thousand communications channels across websites, social media, audio and video, managed by hundreds of people.
Marketing and comms teams range across all levels of seniority, from heads of communications to Fellows and undergraduate students. There is continual pressure to:
Communicate clearly to a 20k-strong student body
Maintain consistent communications across multiple threads, messages, and priorities
Attract a high volume of the brightest applicants, from diverse locations and backgrounds
Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and opportunities in digital marketing
Find the right balance so the tone of voice is inclusive and accessible, yet reflective of a leading academic institution
The results
Best practice techniques in digital content continually shared with comms teams, leading to high levels of engagement across organic social media channels
1000+ people supported through digital marketing training and workshops
Millions of people reached through targeted, paid campaigns on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, from applicants for Cambridge Trust scholarships to local residents visiting museums and the Botanic Garden
Video and animation for MBA student recruitment, to explain complex concepts and theories, and to bring campaigns to life
Valued, cross-sector expertise of a level demanded by one of world’s finest academic institutions, helping get across their messages clearly, succinctly, and to an even wider global audience.
Our work for the University of Cambridge
Colleges
Downing | Copywriting
Homerton | Mentoring for Homerton Changemakers
Sidney Sussex | Copywriting training
Trinity | Strategic support, email communications, social media strategy and training
Wolfson | SEO support
Departments and Schools
Department of Computer Science and Technology | Video
School of Humanities | Comms training and strategy
The Cavendish Laboratory, the Department of Physics | Content and copywriting
Cambridge Judge Business School | Social media updates, copywriting, training, strategy, social media audit, video
Cambridge University Library | Murder by the Book campaign across print, bus, radio and digital. Mystery of the Missing Darwin Notebooks podcast
Alumni and external communications
Alumni office | 10+ training sessions and conference talks
Office of External Affairs and Communications | 10+ training sessions in social media, email marketing, writing for web.
Cambridge Festival social media planning and management
Institutions and partner organisations
Cambridge Trust | Social media campaigns, live events, video, strategy. See the case study
University Museums Group | #ComeOnInCam campaign. Strategic campaign spanning social media, paid campaigns, video, design, animation, training. See the case study
Cambridge Enterprise | Copywriting, hosting panel at event
Bennett Institute | Video, ad campaign, copywriting
Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP) | Digital marketing strategy, copywriting
Cambridge University Press & Assessment | Destinations campaign (strategy, copywriting, video and animation), social media training, social media webinar for authors
Cambridge University Botanic Garden | Video training, website redesign strategy, copywriting
The Healthcare Improvement Institute (THIS): Podcast production
Speaking and training
We have delivered over 50 workshops and training sessions across the University comms teams and alumni groups, reaching more than 1000 people. We are also regularly called upon to share communications and marketing expertise at prestigious University of Cambridge events and conferences, including:
Initially in person, during the pandemic we took workshops online, with one webinar at the Alumni conference reaching hundreds of people across the world, from Azerbaijan to Toronto.
Speaking events include:
Alumni (CUDAR)| Numerous training and conference talks
Careers Service | Careers in marketing
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership | Panel event on communication and climate change
University Entrepreneurship Network | Social media workshop
Cambridge Enterprise | Hosting panel at Creative Cambridge
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The use of relevant examples and actionable ideas is helping us improve our content already.
Sookio’s training sessions were really well-tailored to our staff. The use of relevant examples and actionable ideas is helping us improve our content already.
Head of Digital Communications, University of Cambridge