Leveraging AIDA to Elevate Brand and Marketing

In the competitive landscape of higher education, a well-defined branding and marketing is essential for universities to stand out and attract top talent, build partnerships, and engage stakeholders. In 2019, when I took on the challenge of transforming Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) from a bottom-ranked institution into the best entrepreneurship university in Malaysia, I knew we needed a comprehensive approach.
 
As a relatively unknown university established in 2006, we found the AIDA model – Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action – to be a cornerstone of our strategy. Alongside other strategic and marketing tools, it guided our efforts to reshape UMK’s image and achieve new heights in branding and marketing. 
 
Awareness: Building a Strong Image and Identity
 
The first step in the AIDA model is creating awareness, which involves ensuring that the target audience knows about the brand. For UMK, this meant establishing a distinct identity and making sure it was recognised not just within Malaysia but also internationally. 
 
We began by conducting a thorough brand audit to understand our current position, perceptions, and areas for improvement. At that time, UMK was relatively unknown, with declining student enrolment and low graduate employability compared to other public universities. We recognised that significant action was needed.
 
To create the awareness, UMK needed a unique selling proposition (USP) that would set it apart from other universities. Our focus on entrepreneurship became that USP. By emphasising UMK as Malaysia’s premier entrepreneurship university, we positioned ourselves as a leader in this niche.
 
To spread this message, we launched a series of high-profile campaigns and events. Among the initiatives include organising Ministerial, Ambassadorial, and CEO Talk Series. We also organised collaborative programmes with industry leaders. These events were widely publicised through traditional media, social media, and direct engagement with stakeholders. The result was a significant increase in UMK’s visibility, both nationally and internationally.
 
Interest: Engaging and Informing Our Audience
 
Once we had established awareness, the next step was to generate interest. This required us to engage our audience more deeply and demonstrate the value UMK offered.
 
We achieved this by creating content that resonated with our target audience. Our marketing team developed a variety of materials, including coffee table book, brochures, videos, and online content that highlighted UMK’s unique strengths. We organised Hi-tea programmes with ambassadors and education attaché of targeted countries to introduce UMK and attract sponsored international students. UMK also appeared on the front page of OIC Today, a magazine that is distributed to all 57 OIC countries.
 
We also shared our vision and mission in the AB magazine published by ACCA to build our image among professional accountants. We shared success stories of our alumni, particularly those who had become successful entrepreneurs, to inspire prospective students and parents. 
 
To further pique interest, we improved our online presence. We revamped the UMK website to be more user-friendly and informative, ensuring that it clearly communicated our mission, vision, and achievements. We also leveraged social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook to share news, achievements, and stories that would capture the attention of prospective students, partners, and the broader public.
 
Additionally, we engaged directly with schools, industry partners, and communities through outreach programmes. These initiatives included workshops, seminars, and school visits, where we could present UMK’s offerings and achievements firsthand. By consistently delivering relevant and valuable information, we were able to maintain and increase the interest of our audience.
 
Desire: Creating a Strong Pull
 
The next phase of the AIDA model involves creating desire, turning interest into a strong preference for the brand. At UMK, this meant convincing potential students and partners that we were not just a good option but the best choice for them.
 
We achieved this by showcasing our success in nurturing student entrepreneurs. We highlighted our newly established Ignite Venture Innovation Lab, where students could turn their ideas into viable businesses. By featuring case studies of successful student startups, and our vision to drive innovation-driven entrepreneurship, we demonstrated the tangible benefits of choosing UMK.
 
Furthermore, we focused on the quality of our faculty and their commitment to innovation-driven entrepreneurship. We promoted our research centres in technology, agriculture, tropical rain forests, and rare earth and minerals as proof of our dedication to solving real-world problems. These efforts were designed to create a strong desire among students and partners to be part of UMK’s innovative environment.
 
Another critical initiative was our pursuit for international quality certifications and accreditations. By achieving ACEEU (accreditation council for entrepreneurial and engaged universities) accreditation, we underscored our commitment to excellence and global standards as an internationally recognised entrepreneurship university. This not only boosted our reputation but also made UMK more desirable to both local and international students.
 
Action: Converting Interest and Desire into Tangible Results
 
The final step in the AIDA model is driving action – encouraging the audience to take the next step, whether it’s applying for admission, collaborating with the university, or supporting our initiatives.
 
We made the application process as seamless as possible and adopted a more pro-active approach, including targeted outreach campaigns, personalised communication, and direct follow-ups with potential candidates. We also offered scholarships and financial aid packages to attract top talent, ensuring that financial constraints would not deter high-potential students from choosing UMK.
 
For industry partners, we provided clear pathways for collaboration, whether through research partnerships, joint ventures, or sponsorships. We also set up a dedicated office to handle inquiries and facilitate these collaborations, making it easy for partners to engage with UMK.
 
To ensure that all our efforts led to action, we closely monitored our progress through metrics such as application rates, enrolment numbers, partnership agreements, and media coverage. This allowed us to fine-tune our strategies and ensure that we were effectively converting interest and desire into tangible results.
 
Conclusion: AIDA as a Blueprint for Success
 
The application of the AIDA model at UMK played a crucial role in transforming our brand and marketing efforts. By systematically building awareness, generating interest, creating desire, and driving action, we significantly elevated UMK’s reputation and achieve remarkable milestones. Our overall enrolment increased by 50%, with our international students’ number increased by nearly 1,000%. UMK’s graduate employability rose from 73% to 92%, and the percentage of graduate entrepreneurs increased from 3% to 15% in less than three years. As a result, UMK has now become a preferred choice, with some programmes being oversubscribed.
 
Although I am no longer the Vice Chancellor, I firmly believe that as UMK continues to grow and evolve, the principles of AIDA will remain central to our strategy. These principles will guide us in our mission to not only maintain our position as the best entrepreneurship university in Malaysia but also to continuously innovate and set new benchmarks in higher education across Asia.