The Opportunity

In 2016, Lehigh University’s College of Business and Economics announced the launch of its new one-year MBA (the 1-MBA Program) with the inaugural class slated to begin in January 2017. The 1-MBA is an attractive option for prospective students seeking a full-time MBA from a highly ranked university. Unlike other one-year MBAs, which compress the traditional first year of classes into a summer session without an internship, the new Lehigh program offers a “real” MBA experience with regularly paced coursework and a summer internship.

The 1-MBA Program, which runs on a January – December schedule, requires students to attend classes on campus, full-time. Tuition costs offer a significant advantage over traditional two-year programs. Target markets for students, who are typically between the ages of 25 and 35, include major cities on the east coast and in the mid-Atlantic region.

The Strategy

Belfort Group (BG) was engaged to launch the 1-MBA Program and secure students for the inaugural January 2017 cohort. To secure students, BG had to generate awareness of the new 1-MBA Program, drive applications in 2016 for the 2017 inaugural class while also generating leads for subsequent years of the program, strengthen the university’s brand with an integrated media mix, and enhance thought leadership of the University’s dean and professors through media relations.

BG executed an eleven-month marketing and media campaign to achieve these objectives. BG’s creative team designed visually compelling banner ads, Spotify and Pandora ads, social media content schedules, and engaging program and interview videos. BG crafted blog posts and a dedicated landing page to nurture prospective student leads, keeping them engaged and informed. This comprehensive creative strategy played a central role in BG’s integrated enrollment marketing plan, surrounding target audiences with impactful messaging at the lowest cost per acquisition. Additionally, BG developed a robust traditional media plan, including a press release pitched to local, regional, and national outlets, and facilitated an informational interview with Dean Georgette Phillips featured in the Wall Street Journal.

The Results

BG’s strategic and creative efforts yielded impressive results. The campaign led to over 32,000 visits to the landing page, demonstrating a robust online presence and engagement. The campaign generated 750 leads, demonstrating substantial interest in the program. The conversion of this interest was noteworthy, resulting in 57 applicants for the inaugural class starting in January 2017. Additionally, the impact extended beyond the immediate cohort. The campaign generated 179 leads that carried over into the 2018-2019 school year, showcasing its sustainability and longevity.