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Skillset Diploma in Creative & Media
explaining a new initiative
“The initial print run for the big picture was 4500 copies, but within 2 weeks they requested a reprint as so many people wanted them!”
The Creative and Media Diploma is one of the Diplomas being offered in 2008. There is concern that student uptake will be low as there is little awareness amongst teachers, parents and learners about the Diploma and what it offers. Negative publicity, complexity and misconceptions surrounding this new qualification have resulted in resistance from parents and students.
The Diploma is a flexible qualification for 14-19yr olds designed in partnership with universities and employers. The proposition of the Diploma in Creative and Media needs to effectively explain what it is so that:
- Parents and learners understand and the ’right’ people sign up
- Employers understand the Diploma and are motivated to get involved
Cognac Solution:
The interview process uncovered the resistance and concerns around the Diploma which could then be addressed in the big picture. Misconceptions of inflexibility, lack of choice, invalidity to Higher Education and a perceived vocational focus, were confusing students and parents.
The big picture needed to reflect the Creative & Media industry and capture the imagination of the relevant 14-19yr olds whilst dispelling the misconceptions and clearly
explaining the real educational benefits and choices to parents and employers. It needed to be a resource for schools to use with parents and learners and attractive to
employers in the industry.
It was important that the big picture addressed the concerns early on. The first section of the big picture clearly explains that Diplomas were developed in response to a need expressed by Higher Education and employers. The big picture identifies the Diploma as robust, work related and flexible. It shows the choices available within the Diploma and how it interlinks with current standards. The misconception of the Diploma being a vocational qualification is addressed head on in the section ‘Who should NOT do this Diploma?’
An eye-catching central 3D box visually explains the various Diploma components. High energy colours, fonts, text and structure are used to describe who the Diplomas are for with simple diagrams helping to give a clear picture. The use of colours and lines divide up the picture enabling the reader to quickly identify their area of interest with a flow of arrows and waves to guide the reader across the page.
Results:
The overall picture effectively deals with the resistance and concerns and contains all the required information. The big picture was delivered as an A5 folded print piece as well as an interactive Flash presentation that was then integrated into the Skillset website.
“The initial print run for the big picture was 4500 copies, but within 2 weeks they requested a reprint as so many people wanted them!”
