Office of InnovationStatewide Campaign to Boost College Enrollment
In partnership with the New Jersey State Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) and New Jersey State Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), the C+E Lab is working to increase college enrollment in New Jersey – particularly among low-income students and other aid-eligible adults – by launching a targeted statewide digital marketing campaign.
Challenge
To build a skilled workforce to power growth and create opportunities for all New Jerseyans amid a rapidly changing economy, the State has set a goal of 65% of working-age adults attaining a postsecondary degree or credential by 2025. Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, more financial aid is available than ever before to attend colleges and universities in New Jersey – including for adults considering a postsecondary education for the first time as well as those returning to complete a degree they previously started. However, many residents are unaware of these programs and resources available to them.
Innovation In Action
Rather than relying on instincts or assumptions, the C+E Lab used a data-driven approach and marketing industry best practices to design, implement, and manage an end-to-end marketing campaign to drive enrollments of aid-eligible residents in 2 and 4 year NJ colleges and universities. The C+E Lab began by conducting research and interviewing residents to uncover the target audience’s motivations, aspirations, and what was holding them back from making progress. After testing multiple creative options to find the most effective one, these learnings informed a video-first strategy designed to move residents to act.
Impact + Metrics
- The campaign’s video ad has been viewed more than 7.5 million times since it launched in August 2024.
- The campaign has also helped drive more than 560,000 visits to CollegeForYou.NJ.gov, a newly created resource for the campaign.
Status
- The campaign went live in August 2024 and will run through September 2025.
- The C+E Lab is currently managing the campaign and optimizing it based on data to maximize performance.
Partners
- New Jersey State Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
- New Jersey State Higher Education Student Assistance Authority
Last updated on 3/3/25
