Campaign Highlights Traditional Higher Education Gaps in Serving Today’s Students
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Kaplan University launched the “Talent Campaign,” a new ad campaign designed to drive awareness that many of today’s college students, especially adult learners, are not well served by traditional classrooms. A leader in higher education, Kaplan University is devoted to helping students unlock their talent by providing a practical, student-centered education that prepares them for careers in some of the fastest-growing industries. The campaign vividly communicates new approaches to education that leverage technology and offer students flexibility in order to make higher education accessible and relevant to a broader group.
“The new campaign makes a statement that the U.S. traditional higher education system doesn’t always meet the needs of today’s adult learners, mainly working adults struggling to balance jobs, families and education,” said Andrew S. Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Kaplan, Inc. “At Kaplan University, we are rewriting the rules of higher education by offering students the opportunity to customize their education to meet their needs, and by providing resources and support to help them succeed.”
This campaign comes on the heels of an August 2008 National Center for Higher Education Management Systems study that found that the U.S. will need to produce 63.1 million degrees to match leading nations in the percentage of adults with college degrees by 2025. At the current pace, the U.S. will fall short of that threshold by 16 million degrees.
Kaplan University’s Talent Campaign debuted today, January 6, and features national broadcast, print and Internet ads. Produced in high-definition, the national television campaign airs tonight on CBS Television during the 8:00 p.m. Eastern time slot and will roll out over the next month on other broadcast and cable networks. The campaign will hit newsstands with full-page spreads appearing in USA Today, The New York Times and The Washington Post, which will invite students, educators, administrators and anyone interested in higher education to join an online conversation about this issue.
Kaplan University’s debut ad is a 60-second commercial depicting a professor standing before a lecture hall of students. In the spot, the professor apologizes to his class, acknowledging that the higher education experience does not have to be limited to classrooms. He points out that it can be delivered in alternative ways to serve students unable to access traditional colleges and universities. Many of today’s college students need coursework and related university services tailored to their needs as employees or parents. The ad also includes Kaplan University’s new tagline – A Different School of Thought™ – and describes how the University is redefining higher education.
A second commercial features hundreds of iconic school desks in unexpected locations, providing a visual metaphor for the evolution now taking place in education that no longer requires students to sit in a physical classroom, but allows them to learn virtually anywhere at any time.
The Kaplan University print and online ads feature a variety of individuals, including stay-at-home moms, professionals and lifelong learners, presenting a more inclusive portrait of today’s college student. The ads illustrate the ever-growing necessity for more flexible, student-centered learning environments.
Kaplan University retained Ogilvy & Mather, a multidisciplinary agency, to develop this break-through campaign.
About Kaplan University
Kaplan University offers a different school of thought for higher education. It strives to help adult students unlock their untapped talent by providing a practical student-centered education that prepares them for careers in some of the fastest-growing industries. Based in Davenport, Iowa, the University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). Kaplan University offers more than 100 academic programs and currently serves more than 48,000 online students. It also serves thousands of on-ground students through eight campuses in Iowa and Nebraska. To learn more about the Talent Campaign and Kaplan University, visit www.Kaplan.edu/talent.
About Kaplan Higher Education
Kaplan University is part of Kaplan Higher Education, which serves more than 100,000 students through 70 campus-based schools across the United States and abroad. It also has online programs through Kaplan Virtual Education and Concord Law School of Kaplan University. Kaplan Higher Education schools offer a spectrum of academic opportunities, from high school diplomas to graduate and professional degrees, including a Juris Doctor degree. Kaplan Higher Education is part of Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). For more information, visit www.kaplan.com.
