Today’s students have more choices than ever and universities are working harder to stand out. With shifting expectations and financial pressures, recruitment has become a tougher challenge making it essential to show that every effort delivers real impact.
Working closely with Swansea University’s recruitment team, Icon developed a campaign built on insight into what truly matters to students ie. belonging, experience and opportunity.
Education
Scope
• Campaign
• OOH
• Illustration
• Print Billingual
“I’m at the first UCAS exhibition of the cycle in Manchester. This is the first time I’ve seen the 2026 prospectus in action with an audience.
Just wanted to say that it’s incredibly user friendly - the visuals/maps are great and their placement makes it so much easier to bring the wow factors to people’s attention.
Thanks very much to everyone who worked on this - it feels like the best product we’ve ever had.”
Steve Minney
Head of Student Recruitment, Swansea University
Outstanding location, exceptional course offerings and an action packed social calendar, it's no wonder Swansea University attracts high calibre undergraduate students from across the UK and beyond.
Building a three year campaign we used an illustrative approach taking advantage of the stunning landscape of the city by the sea and embedding its students at the heart of the campaigns.
Scope
• Campaign • OOH
• Illustration • Print Billingual
Education
Our evolving illustration style played a central role, moving away from the traditional ‘end of journey’ graduation moment towards capturing the energy, connection and belonging that define the student experience from day one.
The bold visual approach, already a Swansea hallmark, continued to cut through the noise of the sector. Students and parents alike have praised the style for feeling fresh and approachable, while performance data showed it's delivering on driving awareness, engagement and student applications
The coastal setting, a cornerstone of Swansea’s identity, was woven throughout the visuals bringing a sense of openness and possibility.
The style remained recognisably Swansea, but took on new layers of warmth and inclusivity, reflecting the university’s values and ambitions.
Underpinning the creative was the strapline, ‘Feel at home from the moment you arrive..’
Our overarching strapline, ‘Where Bright Futures Begin’, was underpinned by the key themes of people, place and purpose and we used this structure to create targeted campaigns with the ability to adapt across all stages of the recruitment cycle. When many competitors were going photographic, using data driven analysis, our team went illustrative. Drawing on the natural and built environment the 3 year campaign was designed to reflect not only the current Swansea experience but welcome the 100 year centenary celebrations in 2020.
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The illustrations were able to flex across every touchpoint from large scale OOH through to social media animations and exhibition graphics.
The printed prospectus was also redesigned to be more accessible and student-centred, while digital platforms added authenticity through ambassador-led content and short videos. QR codes linked physical and digital seamlessly, creating a joined-up journey that mirrored the student path from enrolment to graduation and employment.
The result is a campaign that feels as fresh as it does familiar, balancing the boldness of Swansea’s established identity with an evolved expression of inclusivity and aspiration.
By showing what it means to belong, Swansea stands out as more than a place to study; it’s a place to thrive and a place to call home.
In it's first year the multi media clearing campaign created by Icon and delivered by The Media Angel, was shortlisted for a Drum Award. In the 2020 Heist Awards, the prospectus won Best Undergraduate Prospectus beating off competition from Loughborough University and Leeds Beckett. The campaign was also shortlisted for Best Undergraduate Marketing Campaign for the overarching recruitment campaign. Great results of a collaborative approach between Swansea University's marketing team, partners and Icon!
The campaign graphics worked across a range of exhibition collateral and featured prominently not just at student recruitment activities but also high profile university events including a panel discussion with former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. To coincide with the release of her new book, The Book of Gutsy Women she joined a high-profile panel of 'Gutsy Welsh Women' as guest of honour in front of a capacity audience at the University’s Great Hall on Bay Campus. She was joined on the panel by the Head of the University’s Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, Professor Elwen Evans QC, Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams and academic Professor Laura McAllister, who holds an honorary degree from the University. Chaired by Sky News journalist Anna Jones, the 600-strong audience heard a short address by Mrs Clinton followed by members of the panel discussing the women who influenced their own careers.
“Icon’s vision and creative flair have helped make our undergraduate campaign a huge success; we have seen significant increases in prospectus distribution, up 30% on the previous year in some areas of the U.K. and a subsequent rise in open day bookings.”
Gemma Williamson,
Head of Marketing, Digital and Creative Services,
Swansea University