Is Brand Activation Higher Ed’s missed opportunity? – with Brian MacDonald
Synopsis
When it comes to brand building, universities have traditionally leaned on the same set of tools: prospectuses, websites, open days, social content, maybe the odd campaign. But in a world where leading brands use immersive experiences to show what they stand for, higher education is largely missing in action.
I sat down with vastly experienced Canadian creative Brian MacDonald to unpack why brand activation remains so underused in the sector.
What followed was a rich, example-filled conversation that pointed to a clear gap between the opportunity and the current reality.
What is Brand Activation?
Brand activations aren’t just fun stunts. Done well, they create experiences that bring a brand’s values to life in a memorable, sharable way. They aren’t about explaining the whole brand – they offer a meaningful moment that sparks curiosity and emotion. Something that makes people want to find out more.
Brian described them as “a hook … not the full story, but a way to spark interest and draw people in”, which is a great way to think about it.
In consumer sectors, it’s a well-established discipline.
Think Carlsberg’s Probably the best poster in the world. Designed to re-launch the brand's iconic slogan, it achieved 60m in reach.
Dove’s Singing in the Rain choreography experience.
Or Evian’s pedal-powered Live Reveal.
These activations work because they:
Invite participation
Offer a spectacle worth watching
Are easily shared, talked about and remembered
Yet in higher ed, this thinking hasn’t taken root, despite being perfectly suited to universities who want to differentiate themselves, reach new audiences, and show what makes their experience unique.
What problem could brand activation solve for universities?
Brian identified three core challenges that brand activation can directly address:
Reach: The ability to break through sameness in a highly competitive sector.
Experience: Giving prospective students and parents a genuine sense of what life at your institution feels like.
Amplification: Using participants and their social circles to spread your story further and faster than traditional channels allow.
It helps answer the question every prospective student is asking:
What’s it actually like to go there?
You can try to explain that in a viewbook or website. Or, you can let people see it, feel it and share it.
“Brand activation offers a kind of shortcut to authenticity. And done well, it generates both emotional connection and digital visibility.”
Why hasn't Higher Ed embraced it (yet)?
There are understandable barriers. Brand activations are newer, even in commercial sectors. They require cross-functional teams, budget, and a tolerance for ambiguity. They carry risk.
As Brian put it:
"If you do a viewbook, maybe nobody reads it – but at least you have a thing. If you do an activation and it flops, it's gone."
Many universities funnel the majority of their brand energy into admissions messaging. But brand activation isn’t about conversion. It’s about curiosity. It’s the start of the story, not the end.
And it doesn’t have to be expensive.
“In fact, many of the most successful activations feel less polished, more real. They leverage owned media (like sports teams, campus spaces or student clubs) and unfold in ways that are emotionally compelling, not just informational.”
Still, for institutions already stretched, spending time and money on something new, without guaranteed ROI, can feel like a risk too far.
So what makes a great activation?
Brian shared three essential ingredients:
Participation: It has to be worth joining in. Whether it’s taking a half-court shot or joining a food truck queue, the audience should want to get involved.
Spectacle: It has to be engaging to watch. Even if you're not involved, you should want to stop and look.
Sharability: It must live beyond the moment. Participants become broadcasters. Their followers become your next audience.
Wait for it … what you tell people is almost irrelevant.
What they say about you, and to each other is what really matters.
Who's it for?
The biggest opportunity lies with prospective students. They're actively seeking signals about what a university experience feels like. And brand activations give parents a powerful window into that environment, too.
But remember: the true power is in amplification. Social media turns a single experience into a shared moment that travels far and fast.
As Brian put it: "It's not about the crowd watching the event. It's about the thousands who see it on TikTok the next day."
And when that activation links to thoughtful data capture and follow-up? That's when it becomes more than a moment, it becomes a lead – quite possibly one would have never reached through traditional methods.
Two concepts that could work tomorrow
Brian shared two cool activation ideas that could easily be adapted by the right institution:
He called one The Half-Court Shot.
“A university with a strong basketball programme invites prospective students for a campus visit that includes attending a live game. At halftime, one prospective student takes a mid-court shot – if they score, they get a full scholarship. It’s live, high-stakes, emotionally charged, and very shareable.”
Executed well you could the power of such an idea, particularly with an institution that already has a TV deal or big sports following.
The Food Truck Tour is another idea he shared.
“Maybe your university known for its top-rated campus food, so it sends a food truck to high schools. Students post about it to get the truck to come to their school. The truck brings great food – and admissions staff. It’s fun, desirable, and creates a direct touchpoint with new audiences.”
What’s interesting about this is how unexpected it is, not only creating cut-through but a whole reframing of university experience. If they care that much about the food the Courses (no pun intended) must be great!
Neither of these is about everything the university stands for. They're a taste (pun intended). And that’s what makes them work.
Insights and emotion make it stick
Some of the most powerful brand activations aren’t just fun; they’re rooted in human truths. Once this this is lined to your brand magic can happen.
Brian referenced a flour brand he worked on that invited families to share their baking memories through recipes, while I shared the story of an infant nutrition brand that built a community around the science of child development.
An admittedly big production number that’s stuck in my mind for years is TNT - Push to Add Drama. This extraordinary piece from Belgium garnered 21 million views in five days and worldwide attention.
More recently, Cannes Grand Prix winner Caption With Intention, (by FCB Chicago for The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Chicago Hearing Society) revolutionised accessibility in film through creative captioning. It also won an Award of Merit (Oscar® statuette).
Gold winner Lessons Of Shame for World Vision by Havas Costa Rica took on the establishment pitting students without classrooms against politicians without commitment. An activation in word and deed!
And the shocking simplicity of Time To Live for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation will live with you for a very long time.
These ideas work because they tap into emotion.
They create meaning.
And they invite people to join in.
Final thought
Higher education has everything it needs to succeed in this space: stories, spaces, passion, people, and purpose. What it lacks, often, is the willingness to break from the norm. Brand activation isn’t the answer to every marketing challenge. But for universities that want to stand out and be remembered, it’s a powerful tool hiding in plain sight.
So maybe it’s time to stop telling students what we’re like.
And start showing them.
THREE TAKE-OUTS
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In a crowded, lookalike sector, brand activations help universities stand out by showing what student life feels like – not just describing it. They're a powerful way to grab attention, create emotional connection, and leave a memorable impression.
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The most effective brand activations aren’t just events, they’re experiences that people want to join, watch, and share. Whether it’s a scholarship-winning basketball shot or a campus food truck tour, the formula is simple: make it engaging, watchable, and socially amplifiable.
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Universities often focus brand spend on conversion. But activation is about curiosity, not closing. It’s the hook – a human, emotional moment that sparks interest and invites people into a longer-term relationship with your institution.
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*Brian is a creative director, art director, and designer whose left-brain-right-brain balance deftly connects smart business and communication strategies to breakthrough creative ideas. Before focusing on higher education, he worked with global and boutique advertising agencies like Ogilvy & Mather, Leo Burnett, Deutsch, Inc., and John St.
Trained in both mathematics and art, Brian sees the relationship between brand objectives and business results, between marketing plans and financial plans. He delivers smart, unexpected creative solutions that drive results. Brian is a graduate of The University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts College of Art.