Short answer
When designing promotional content for educational institutions, focus on balancing aspirational messaging with authentic representation, acknowledging the dual role of universities as centers of learning and contributors to society.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy (2023)
- Method
- Content analysis of promotional videos
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Promotional videos from Scandinavian higher education institutions often portray universities as vibrant arenas for personal growth and societal contribution, aligning with a 'Promotional University 2.0' model. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy. Using Content analysis of promotional videos, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing promotional content for educational institutions, focus on balancing aspirational messaging with authentic representation, acknowledging the dual role of universities as centers of learning and contributors to society.
Promotional Videos Shape University Aspirations and Perceptions
Promotional videos from Scandinavian higher education institutions often portray universities as vibrant arenas for personal growth and societal contribution, aligning with a 'Promotional University 2.0' model.
Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Videos align with the 'Promotional University 2.0' concept, emphasizing aspiration and societal impact.
- 02Universities are depicted as spaces for 'play and joy'.
- 03Three main video categories emerged: student-centred, market-centred, and organization-centred.
- 04Representations reflect a tension between traditional and commercialized views of higher education.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing promotional content for educational institutions, focus on balancing aspirational messaging with authentic representation, acknowledging the dual role of universities as centers of learning and contributors to society.
How to apply
When developing promotional campaigns for educational institutions, analyze existing successful campaigns to identify common themes and visual styles that resonate with target audiences, while ensuring the messaging aligns with the institution's core values and mission.
Project actions
- 01When analyzing promotional materials, consider who the intended audience is and what message is being conveyed.
- 02Think about the visual language and narrative structure used in videos and how they contribute to the overall message.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Addresses a gap in research regarding promotional video content in higher education.
- +Provides a categorization framework for analyzing such videos.
Limitations
The sample size of institutions studied might be small, and the analysis is subjective to the interpretation of the researchers.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the categorization of videos could be improved through inter-rater reliability testing. Validity is supported by the alignment of findings with existing theoretical concepts like 'Promotional University 2.0'.
Think critically
To what extent does the 'Promotional University 2.0' model, as depicted in these videos, genuinely reflect the student experience, or does it primarily serve institutional marketing objectives?
Design Principles
"Authenticity in aspirational communication."
Understanding how universities present themselves through promotional media is crucial for designers and marketers in the education sector. These videos influence prospective students' expectations and shape the institution's brand identity in a competitive landscape.
What This Means for Your Design
University promotional videos often try to make universities look exciting and important, showing them as places for fun and making a difference in the world.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the selection of promotional materials for analysis in your design project, explaining how they reflect broader trends in educational marketing.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This study by Sataøen, Lövgren, and Neby (2023) highlights how promotional videos from Scandinavian higher education institutions adopt a 'Promotional University 2.0' approach, framing universities as dynamic environments for personal growth and societal impact. The research categorizes these videos into student-centred, market-centred, and organization-centred types, revealing a tension between traditional academic ideals and commercialized marketing strategies. This provides valuable insight into how educational institutions construct their public image and influence stakeholder expectations.
Source
Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy
Creating the “University experience”: promotional and multimodal video productions in Scandinavian higher education
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about promotional videos shape university aspirations and perceptions?
- When designing promotional content for educational institutions, focus on balancing aspirational messaging with authentic representation, acknowledging the dual role of universities as centers of learning and contributors to society. Evidence: Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy (2023).
- Why does "Promotional Videos Shape University Aspirations and Perceptions" matter for design?
- Understanding how universities present themselves through promotional media is crucial for designers and marketers in the education sector. These videos influence prospective students' expectations and shape the institution's brand identity in a competitive landscape.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing promotional content for educational institutions, focus on balancing aspirational messaging with authentic representation, acknowledging the dual role of universities as centers of learning and contributors to society.
- What were the main findings?
- Videos align with the 'Promotional University 2.0' concept, emphasizing aspiration and societal impact.. Universities are depicted as spaces for 'play and joy'.. Three main video categories emerged: student-centred, market-centred, and organization-centred.. Representations reflect a tension between traditional and commercialized views of higher education.
- What research method was used?
- Content analysis of promotional videos.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing promotional campaigns for educational institutions, analyze existing successful campaigns to identify common themes and visual styles that resonate with target audiences, while ensuring the messaging aligns with the institution's core values and mission.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused solely on Scandinavian institutions, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings to other cultural or educational contexts. The analysis was based on the content of the videos themselves, without direct feedback from the target audience.