Problem
As part of IFSA rebranding, we conducted extensive market research, including psychographic research with the B2B audience. We identified an opportunity to capitalize on one the emotional drivers articulated in this research which indicated that study abroad advisors value hearing an expression of thanks from students they have helped on their study abroad journey.
At the same time, independent research suggested that expressing gratitude helps in stressful situations — not unlike the stress that many students experience as they are acclimating to a new culture early in their study abroad semester.
Solution
We devised a traditional, personalized, direct mail campaign which capitalized on the expression of gratitude throughout the study abroad experience, culminating in a hand-written note from the student to a faculty member or study abroad advisor.
Engaging Stakeholders and Gaining Buy-in
We presented the research to the 20 resident directors responsible for administering study abroad programs around the world in order to gain their support and participation. To execute the campaign, the marketing team helped the resident directors introduce gratitude into their program orientation modules. Together, we brainstormed the various opportunities the resident staff have to help students think positively, identifying moments of gratitude throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, we encouraged the resident directors to incorporate a letter-writing component into their concluding events as a final marker of their experience.
We suggested that the resident director ask each student to think about who helped them most in getting to their study abroad experience. Who encouraged them? Who helped them identify the right program and get all the paperwork in order? It might be a faculty member, a study abroad advisor, or a parent. If the student took the time to write a thank you card, we offered to post and mail it.
The resident directors were prepared with four different card designs and envelopes. The original concept called for postcards (a cute connection to a traditional travel component), but we felt students deserved privacy and additional space for their sentimental messages.
Students loved it, and not a single student questioned the "old school" nature of writing and mailing a thank you card. Some things are not meant to be digital, and this was one.
B2B Thank You Messaging
We incorporated messaging with the study abroad advisor audience which echoed the "thank you" messaging with taglines like "They'll Thank You Later." This subtle nod to the literal thank you cards also tied to the student message ("Your Future Self Thanks You").
Results
Participation, and therefore, the results, varied around the world. Since the campaign relied heavily on the participation of the resident directors, some engaged more than others, and this naturally impacted student engagement. Locations with smaller student cohorts participated in greater percentages, with some students sending multiple cards. Locations where English is not the primary language participated in greater percentages (note: there is a correlation between small cohorts and non-English locations), and we suspect that students studying in a non-English speaking location had more contact and more of a connection with their campus advisor or faculty member.
The intent had always been to blanket the B2B audience with enough cards to generate positive brand equity, but the pandemic interrupted the good work of the campaign. With new post-pandemic priorities, this campaign may have fulfilled its mission for now.
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