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Helderberg College Open Day PR Campaign

BySerena Martin

Introduction

This academic case study outlines a comprehensive Public Relations campaign developed for Helderberg College of Higher Education’s Open Day. The project demonstrates my ability to conduct formative research, develop strategic communication objectives, plan integrated PR tactics, and design evaluation metrics aligned with organisational goals.

1. Project Context

This project was developed as part of my Corporate Communication coursework and focused on creating a full Public Relations campaign plan for Helderberg College of Higher Education’s Open Day.

The campaign aimed to support the institution’s recruitment goals by increasing awareness and attracting prospective Seventh-day Adventist and Theology students, while reinforcing the college’s values-based brand identity.

2. The Communication Problem

Helderberg College identified a shift in its student demographics, with declining enrolment in Theology programmes and an increase in non-Adventist students. Additional challenges included:

  • Limited reach among target faith-based audiences
  • Geographic distance from Cape Town’s city centre
  • Strong competition from nearby institutions offering online learning

The challenge was to strategically reposition the Open Day as a compelling recruitment and brand-building opportunity.

3. Campaign Objectives

The primary objectives of the PR campaign were to:

  • Establish long-term interest rather than one-off attendance
  • Increase enrolment of Seventh-day Adventist students by 35% in the following academic year
  • Strengthen awareness of Helderberg College’s values and academic offerings
  • Engage prospective students and parents through targeted communication

4. Research & Strategic Approach

The campaign was informed by formative research into:

  • Institutional strengths, weaknesses, and past events
  • Audience behaviour and parental influence in enrolment decisions
  • Stakeholder perceptions, including students, alumni, and faculty

A pull marketing approach was selected to attract prospective students by showcasing lived campus experiences rather than direct advertising.

5. Core Message Strategy

The campaign messaging centred on Helderberg College’s mission and values.

Key Message:
“Living a Christ-centred life by loving and being of service to others.”

Message considerations included:

  • Visual storytelling through campus imagery and past events
  • Friendly yet respectful tone
  • Faith-aligned language and register
  • Consistent institutional voice

6. Communication Tactics & Channels

An integrated, five-month communication plan was developed using both digital and traditional media.

Key Tactics Included:

  • Posters: On-campus and local school distribution
  • TikTok: Three phased videos (teaser, information, official trailer)
  • Instagram: Digital posters, reels, and hashtag strategy
  • Facebook: Parent-focused engagement and sharing
  • Website: Dedicated Open Day landing page with full event details

Each channel was scheduled strategically to build anticipation as the event approached.

7. Implementation Considerations

The implementation phase focused on:

  • Accurate timing of content releases
  • Active engagement and response management
  • Sensitivity to external events or crises
  • Coordination across platforms for message consistency

This highlighted the importance of agility and responsiveness in PR execution.

8. Evaluation & Measurement

The campaign included both qualitative and quantitative evaluation metrics.

Quantitative Measures:

  • Social media views, likes, shares, and comments
  • Website enquiries related to the Open Day
  • Reach and engagement across platforms

Qualitative Measures:

  • Tone and sentiment of audience comments
  • Nature of enquiries received
  • Overall public perception of messaging

These insights would be used to refine future Open Day campaigns.

9. Key Learning & Outcomes

This project strengthened my ability to:

  • Develop structured PR strategies from research to evaluation
  • Align organisational goals with audience-centred messaging
  • Plan integrated communication campaigns
  • Apply theoretical PR models to real institutional contexts

It reinforced the role of strategic communication in reputation management and student recruitment.

10. Skills Demonstrated

  • Public Relations planning
  • Formative and evaluative research
  • Strategic messaging
  • Campaign scheduling and coordination
  • Multi-platform communication strategy
  • Professional report writing

Conclusion

This project demonstrates my ability to plan and articulate end-to-end PR campaigns that align organisational objectives with audience engagement and measurable outcomes.

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