Explore and describe:

• What guides first-year male-identifying college decisions;

• What drivers are particularly salient;

• What engagement is particularly impactful;

• And benchmark key brand health metrics among Vermont parents / guardians, particularly before and after a targeted media campaign.

Crowd Proof employed a research approach starting with in-person focus groups with UVM first-year, male-identifying students from target geographic markets. We then designed and implemented a digital survey with Vermont parents / guardians of high school students, fielded both pre- and post-marketing campaign.

Key findings from this work have included confirmation of initial impressions of UVM among prospective first-year, male-identifying students, and solidification of what these students see as UVM’s unique selling proposition. Further, findings showed the nuances of cost vs value to these students. Also, Crowd Proof’s work set benchmarks for familiarity, sentiment, perceptions, and message recall among Vermont parents/guardians of high school students, to subsequently measure progress of future marketing campaigns.

Findings illuminated key audience perceptions and drivers and helped UVM accordingly adjust undergraduate admissions recruiting strategy and related marketing materials to better:

• Influence perceptions around the value UVM offers male-identifying students;

• Directly address decision factors most important to these students;

• And more strongly influence how the UVM undergraduate brand is perceived among Vermont parents / guardians of high school students.