Invite Knowledge In

Connections Academy is a tuition-free online educator that tapped VSA Partners to elevate their brand out of the sea of sameness that typifies the marketing in the online education industry–in so many words, “kids in front of screens.” The goal was straightforward: Increase brand awareness, recall, and favorability. Connections Academy’s approach to online learning brings an inspiring curriculum directly into the homes of their students and their families. Taught by educators trained specifically in online learning, they really do “bring the lessons to life.” So for our creative approach, that’s exactly what we did. In a series of films, we broke the misconception of online learning by encouraging viewers to “invite knowledge in” and showing historical figures (symbolizing Connections Academy’s range of academic subjects) brought to life and dropped directly into the worlds of our students. From Cleopatra and Newton on a school bus, to a centaur in the hallway, to a medieval knight removing his shoes before heading inside, we created a visual landscape that drove home our clients’ point of difference, and stepped completely outside the creative conventions of the industry. The finished work was unlike anything else in the category, and the clients were thrilled with the elevated and highly differentiated new look this work gave to the brand.