Durham College (DC) is pleased to congratulate its Communications and Marketing department on winning six Education Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA), presented by the Higher Education Marketing Report, the most widely read publication for educational marketers.

Competing in the two-year institution group with a student enrolment of 7,500 to 15,000, DC won three Gold Awards, one Silver Award, one Bronze Award and one Merit Award. Winners were selected by a national panel of industry specialists who reviewed each piece to judge creativity, marketing execution, message impact, technology application and innovation content.

“With the EDMAs recognizing some of the best educational websites, digital content, electronic communications, mobile media and social media, I am so happy for Durham College and the amazing team that worked to execute these projects,” said Carol Beam, executive director, Communications and Marketing, DC. “Their creativity, dedication and genuine enthusiasm are truly evident in the quality of work they produce. Every marketing piece is created with the student experience in mind.”

Awards and categories

The Go to DC low enrolment microsite took gold in the Admission Website category. Using a cluster-focused approach, the microsite allowed visitors to explore open programs based on their interests and suited to their future career goals. All elements of the corresponding advertising campaign were directed to www.durhamcollege.ca/2014gotodc, resulting in 44,572 page views and 25,189 unique page views, helping the college achieve a 2.5-per cent increase in enrolment. DC was one of only three of Ontario’s 24 colleges to see an increase in enrolment for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Another gold came via DC’s 2013-2014 Annual Report in the Annual Report category. Designed to be user-friendly, the digital publication placed a strong emphasis on using images and infographics to communicate key information about the college, while linking to DC’s website to provide additional details. In addition, the Annual Report features stories about three DC graduates who have experienced great success since completing their studies at the college; offers an overview on research projects including funding secured; maps out where DC’s international students hail from; highlights the more than 450 academic pathways the college offers to universities in Ontario, Canada and around the world; provides links to audited financial statements; and more.

DC’s 2015-2016 College Guide also brought home gold in the Online Publications category. Combining top-line elements of the previously used DC Viewbook and Full-time Calendar, the College Guide provides prospective students with program information, application guidelines, information on pathway programs, fee information, important dates, student services and more. In particular, it is designed to direct prospective students to www.durhamcollege.ca/programs for comprehensive program information including course listings, admission requirements, career options, etc. Programs are housed by cluster, and graphics and icons are used to convey important information.

The Experience DC social media marketing campaign took silver in the Total Digital Marketing category. Running until August 2015, Experience DC is bringing the college experience to prospective and current students; parents; teachers; and the community via an amazing and unique group of students representing a wide cross-section of programs, personal interests and personalities. They are each offering a unique perspective of what a year in the life of a DC college student is really like through a custom website, personal interaction and social media including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Experience DC was also recognized for its video series which won bronze in the Digital Video category. As part of the pre-launch initiatives for Experience DC, videos introducing members of Team Experience were revealed daily at experience.durhamcollege.ca in August 2014. Each video gave viewers a sneak peek at the students involved in the campaign. Video shorts for this submission include the Experience DC trailer, as well as introductions to Rebecca, a second-year Special Events Planning student and Christian, a third-year Business Administration – Marketing student.

Finally, the Alumni digital magazine was recognized with a Merit Award in the Online Publications category. Published six times per year, the Alumni magazine is available in an interactive digital magazine format and is downloadable as a PDF. It serves to keep the college’s 67,000 alumni up to date on current college news and events, with a message from the president, a spotlight on sports, and an alumni profile celebrating the successes of DC’s many talented graduates.