Media without the Mainstream

OMD UK

Higher education is the strongest indicator of future economic mobility and The Open University was founded to democratize education for all. But a stark disparity persisted between the percentage of the population identifying as Black and Asian and their representation within the OU student body.

We created a campaign fuelled by genuine representation and spearheaded by diverse voices from within five target communities to address this gap. In collaboration with OMG Unite, we engaged community-owned media partners, developing a tailored approach with over 40 creative variations in six languages across a variety of channels, to showcase real student stories. The campaign grew registrations from Black and Asian communities, moving us closer to achieving the OU's mission of democratizing education.