Mellors Reay ready to put the OU on TV after four-year gap

The Open University has appointed Mellors Reay & Partners to handle

its first television advertising campaign since 1994.

The campaign will be spearheaded by TV, but could also include some

print advertising. The commercials will be tested in certain areas early

next year before being rolled out nationally. The budget for the

campaign has not yet been confirmed but is expected to be a six-figure

sum.

The new ads will focus on raising the profile of the Open University

brand rather than recruiting students for specific courses. The move

comes in the wake of increased competition to attract students.

Most of the university’s advertising in recent years has been

below-the-line work from the direct marketing specialists, Primary

Contact and AMS Advertising.

The Open University held a four-way pitch earlier this year but did not

appoint any of the agencies that presented. Mellors Reay then approached

the organisation.

This article was first published on Campaign