Newsletter #32: Facebook knocking at the door of the Clubhouse; the National Clearing Survey is here; seasons are your new positioning strategy

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📺 What’s on UniTube

Aston University’s Josh Crawley returns with some of the latest university videos. Today on UniTube: Kingston flaunts its big space; Bucks New Uni’s edgy portfolios; Kansas placements make students happy. Look

📰 HE news

Manchester University Students’ Union is pushing for a vote of no confidence in its University’s Vice-Chancellor. Brave. Apparently, it’s been 200 years since such a motion was last triggered - to put that in context, John Keats was still knocking about and the upper classes were raving about rail travel. The referendum is next month. Read

Essay mills (sites that write academic essays for a cost) are stepping into the learning and student support void caused by the pandemic. 932 mills are now in operation, up from 881 in October. Read

💻 Digital marketing news

Has anyone else tried Clubhouse yet? Refreshing, isn’t it? Oh… Here comes Facebook to build its own data-hungry, creepy version. Read

This year, Budweiser redirected all of its Superbowl ad dollars into promoting awareness of the Covid-19 vaccine. Set aside for a moment that some need a lager to convince them to take a life-saving vaccine and you’ll see a clever blend of cause marketing and foresight. Superbowl views were down 15% this year. Read

While I’m on the Superbowl… what was Jeep thinking? 1) It used a convicted drunk driver (Bruce Springsteen) to front its ad about… driving. 2) It used its spot to talk about “being in the middle”, “coming together” and in the process saying absolutely nothing and appealing to no one. Take a stand! It’s the red and blue GAP hoodie all over again. Read

🏫 What unis are doing

For the run-up to REF, LSE has done a great job pulling together its research stories. Research content is usually a nightmare to categorise but there is a good blend here between “front window” and curated themes. One to take inspiration from. Read

“You know what defines life at Wisconson-Madison?”
“Middle of the road tuition costs?”
“Seasons…”
“Seasons?”
“Spring. Summer. Autumn. Winter… We have them all.”
“I’ll build a website.” Look

Kansas State University’s “Don’t make the world wait” has all the hallmarks of the Generic Corporate Brand Video. Running in a field? Check. Sunshine in the palm of a hand? Check. Someone reveling in the sounds of a silenced pandemic? Erm… Check? Look

🧑‍🎓 What students are saying

At the risk of triggering some of you… The National Clearing Survey is now available for download. In the “most important factors when choosing a place to study” it’s good to see the new entry of “online learning provision” just below entry requirements and other more familiars like subject and location. Read

👾 Culture shock

Police in Beverly Hills are playing music on their phones to avoid being live-streamed. Read

The Gorilla Glue Challenge sort of has an “ice bucket” feel to it (remember 2014?) only this time, we’re 7 more years deep in internet and people are spraying their hair with super glue to become famous. Look