Victoria PR Cock Up #2

Fresh on the heels of the Salient fiasco, VUW has once again buggered things up PR-wise. This time, the fault is (admittedly) not entirely theirs.

Yesterday, Michelle Quirke from the Dominion Post called me regarding a press release Victoria University had supposedly put out. I hadn't see it (VUW media releases are posted here, and normally sent to me), it was posted here on Scoop, but has now been removed. Luckily, I saved a copy - it is at the end of this post.

Only two days after raising university fees, they put out a media release talking about their latest advertising campaign. Now, Public Relations 101, people - after talking about how hard up the university is, how government funding isn't cutting it, how student fees have to go up in order to maintain a quality institution, you don't go bragging about your latest purchase, do you?

My press release is here and Michelle's article is here, and was on page 9 of the DominionPost today.

I was in the Hunter Building this morning for a disciplinary hearing, and ran into the University PR (or, as they put it, "Reputation Management") manager, Jude Urlich. I get along quite well with Jude (her putting the credit card on the bar at the BackBencher at the VC's Christmas party for me and a few Salient staffers was an ideal icebreaker, I guess...), but she was fuming this morning - and, for once, not at me (although it was my press release which brought it to her attention).

It turns out that the press release wasn't actually theirs, although Scoop (and basically everybody else, including Michelle Quirke) read it as theirs. It was put out by Robbins Brandt Richter Wellington, the advertising company which is contracted to handle the VUW advertising campaign. Examples of their work can be seen in the Listener. It features MAD magazine fold-in style ads, in Victoria's "Makes You Think" style ads.

I don't know weather these advertisements were lowering Victoria University's intellectual standards, or raising Alfred E. Newmans.

However, the big question has to be: How long until someone's head rolls...?

Uni Advertising Campaign Goes To Extra Lengths
Tuesday, 1 November 2005, 5:52 pm
Press Release: Victoria University of Wellington
1 November 2005

Victoria University Press Release

Robbins Brandt Richter Wellington creates new levels of involvement in its advertising campaign for Victoria University.

The Wellington Office of integrated advertising,direct marketing and relationship management firm Robbins Brandt Richter has just launched a major new advertising campaign for client Victoria University.

The campaign continues the theme ‘It makes you think’– and focuses on complex issues such as cultural copyright, environment, dietary ethics amedical progressess - linking each to the specific course areas offered by the University.

While the campaign has been highly successful ovthe previousous 3 years via its use of TV, cineand busbus-back media, this year sees a major innovatiin thethe use of print media. Each magazine advertisement contains a hidden message…a message that is revealed only when the advertisement page is folded together. The method of folding the page has been appropriated from MAD magazine and is used to demonstrate the promise that Victoria University “makes you think”. It does this in a highly involving and entertaining manner that requires direct interaction with the ad by its audience.

The series of four full page magazines ads are running nationally supported with four new 15 sec TVC and cinema commercials. “This campaign has been punching significantly above its media weight and has been out performing higher spending competitors. The magazine component adds a whole new level of memorability and talkablity to the overall campaign and wilto keep tokeep the campaign fresh and evolving”, saysparsonn Parkyn, RBR Group Account Director respfor VictoriaVictoria University’s business.

Robbins Brandt Richter is an integrated advertising, direct marketing and relationship management firm whose goal is to provide clients with highly creative, innovative and seamlessly integrated marketing based solutions that drive tangible and mebusiness resultsssresults.

ENDS