“Come as you are” is the current slogan of the marketing campaign. Dennis Gladner works in the marketing department at the University of Bremen. His focus is on student marketing, and he is actively involved in developing the campaign. He explains to us, in a transparent and open manner, the background behind the well-known campaign slogan, the images, and the colorful stair steps that most of us have probably noticed.
From Concept to Execution: Dennis Gladner Offers Insights into the Campaign’s Development
It all began with a structured creative method for generating ideas: brainstorming. The University of Bremen’s marketing team—specifically Friederike Moschner, Dennis Gladner, and Tina Bahlert—collaborated with an external agency. Together, they gathered initial ideas for the campaign development process. This was followed by a market research phase, during which students from a graduating high school class were surveyed. The focus was on questions regarding the university’s significance and the effectiveness of advertising in various areas of life. Following the market research, workshops were held with the Rector’s Office and the Central Student Advisory Service. The question arose as to how our university distinguishes itself from other universities. The results of the workshops were then summarized. In particular, the emphasis on the individual and the flat hierarchy at the University of Bremen were highlighted. During the workshops, participants were convinced by the campaign’s focus. There were few specific guidelines for developing the campaign; the only essential requirement was a focus on the target audience. Following this approach, specific slogans were ultimately developed. One of them was: “Come as you are.”
How should the campaign be understood?
It’s all about empowerment. Dennis Gladner explains what the campaign aims to convey: “You may not realize it yet, but look: you can study here, too. Obstacles can be overcome!” And also: “You are welcome here just as you are—as an individual, with your interests, strengths, and weaknesses.” Most visitors have likely already noticed the stickers on the stairs in the glass hall at the University of Bremen. This initiative was launched by Friederike Moschner, who specializes in corporate design. The stairs are intended to highlight the marketing campaign’s slogan and add a splash of color to the campus.
What is the goal of the campaign, and how will it be achieved?
The goal is to attract more applicants. The campaign is aimed, among others, at those who may not have realized that pursuing a degree is an option for them, or who haven’t yet had the courage to actually enroll. This goal will be achieved through storytelling and eye-catching campaign visuals. In marketing, the AIDA model and a clearly structured marketing funnel play an important role because they highlight the different stages of interaction with the target audience. The AIDA model stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. It thus describes the various stages of the marketing process—or, more specifically, the process by which prospective students decide on a course of study. Dennis Gladner’s team is primarily responsible for so-called top-of-funnel activities. These are communication initiatives, which are primarily intended to attract attention: Prospective students should first become aware that the University of Bremen exists and what opportunities it offers. For example, short video clips on social media are designed to capture the target audience’s attention. Looking ahead, the marketing department will also focus more on the next stages of the model—namely, interest and desire—primarily through storytelling: In interviews with the people featured in the campaign, their personal educational journeys and decisions about their studies are highlighted. These stories show how prospective students eventually become actual students. Gladner considers this deeper narrative layer of the campaign to be particularly important. It is only through a told story that a sense of connection is formed. And it is precisely this connection with people and the university that plays a central role in choosing where to study.
What makes Bremen different? Our university’s unique selling point
The Unique Selling Point refers to the distinctive feature that should be highlighted in promotional campaigns. Dennis Gladner highlights the unique characteristics of the University of Bremen: it is a vibrant university with a high degree of student involvement, flat organizational structures, an approachable atmosphere, and a diverse and engaged student body. But does the campaign cover everything? A campaign always emphasizes some aspects more than others. Dennis Gladner notes, for example, that the University of Bremen’s excellent research is not as prominently featured. Gladner emphasizes that a campaign cannot always appeal to everyone at the same time. The campaign always focuses on the topic that is currently most relevant to the target audience. Market research conducted during the campaign development phase is intended to ensure that the target audience feels engaged.
Can a campaign represent twelve different departments, each with its own distinct departmental culture? Mr. Gladner explains the concept of the “umbrella brand slogan.” The departments are part of the university and, ideally, should be united under a single umbrella brand slogan for the university. According to Gladner, the goal is not to represent every department individually, but rather to create a campaign for the university as a whole.
The campaign photos: How were the images created?
Dennis Gladner explains that three of the people pictured were actually photographed, while the other six images were generated using artificial intelligence. The reason for this is the difficulty in finding volunteers for the photos. The campaign visuals were already updated last summer. This year’s campaign will feature the faces of the campus along with their stories. Dennis Gladner reports that volunteers have already come forward from departments 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, and 12. He also notes that he welcomes anyone interested and encourages them to contact him. Photos will be taken, an interview will be conducted, and a video will be recorded. The interview is intended to give the participants the opportunity to share their personal stories. Featuring real students is expected to enhance the campaign’s authenticity and facilitate storytelling.
What does the future hold for the campaign?
In addition to the new faces featured in the photos, further developments are planned. In the future, the campaign could feature not only students but also faculty and staff at the University of Bremen, as they all actively contribute to the university. Dennis Gladner emphasizes the importance of actively measuring interest in the campaign in the future and using that data to identify further courses of action.
The campaign will be evaluated in September. If the evaluation is positive, the campaign will continue for up to two years and will be continuously reviewed and optimized.
Alena Klages is a bachelor’s student in the teacher education program at the University of Bremen. She is studying German and geography with the goal of working as a teacher at a high school or secondary school. This article was written as part of a seminar on “Text Types and Formats in Online Journalism.”
