Activation
Making authenticity a record-setting advantage.
The ask.
Like many private Catholic schools in the area, enrollment at Mercy High School dropped during COVID and had yet to fully rebound. While retention had recently improved, competing Catholic schools had already established stronger footholds in key feeder schools and neighborhoods. It was time to implement a bigger, bolder strategy to:
- Drive year-round awareness and engagement among prospective students, families and donors.
- Boost attendance at fall recruitment events through stronger positioning.
The truth.
The decision-making journey for private school begins years before enrollment. We weren’t just talking to 8th graders, we needed a campaign that could resonate with girls as young as 5th grade (and their parents) to drive consideration early. In our research into the Gen Alpha mindset, we uncovered a strong desire for individuality and authenticity. We needed to show how Mercy could help these girls achieve their unique goals simply by being themselves at school.
The solution.
We created a full-funnel brand campaign inspired by the Mercy mascot: a monarch butterfly. The “Join the Monarchy” concept was an empowering call to action inviting every girl to make her own rules and reinforcing Mercy’s unique promise: you don’t need to fit in to belong.
To reach parents and students in the moments that matter most, we saturated digital and traditional media channels with high-frequency touchpoints in the lead-up to fall recruitment events. Paid social, YouTube video and precision-targeted email and display campaigns worked alongside outdoor, print and radio to ensure Mercy stayed top of mind across Omaha.
Custom campaign creative brought the message to life with real students surrounded by monarch butterfly wings to symbolize self-expression and sisterhood. We quickly organized a photoshoot with local photographer Bill Sitzmann to capture powerful images of real students across academics, athletics and the arts – reinforcing the idea that there’s no one right way to be a Mercy girl.
The impact.
The 2024 fall campaign achieved major success:
- 5.6 million total impressions
- 62% increase in website traffic
- 427% more website inquiries than 2023
- Record attendance at all fall recruitment events:
- Open House: +39%
- Girls Night In: +158%
- Shadow Days: +7%
In a competitive market with a shrinking feeder pool, “The Monarchy” gave Mercy a breakthrough moment and a winning brand platform to build on.
Outdoor, print and email.
Meta and paid social.
Reels content.
Digital and display.
