Nottingham Trent University

We were invited by the NTU Employability team to plan, create and deliver a campaign designed to support students with the transition from student life to the workplace. The concept aimed to take the students on a learning journey – overcoming hurdles and equipping them with the tools and confidence they need to successfully launch their careers.

It’s normal for students to feel a sense of anxiety and apprehension before and after graduation. The route to a rewarding career can be littered with lots of ‘scary’ things. We explored these themes by creating a series of playful illustrated monsters. Combining creative storytelling with a clever play on words, the concept arms the protagonist with the tools and ‘weapons’ needed to defeat these scary monsters and aid them on their quest for career success.

Once the creative approach was finalised, we established a list of deliverables for the upcoming student careers fair which included lifesized cut-out monsters, social artwork, brochures, flyers, pull-up banners and other printed collateral – making for a truly monstrous campaign. The end result? A 300% increase in student engagement and the Gold Award for Best Internal Communications Campaign at the prestigious annual Heist Awards, which recognises excellence and innovation in the education sector.