<IF> CODE SCHOOL LAUNCH <THEN> HIVE HELSINKI

Title<IF> CODE SCHOOL LAUNCH <THEN> HIVE HELSINKI
BrandHIVE HELSINKI
Product/ServiceHIVE HELSINKI CODE SCHOOL
Category G02. Challenger Brand
Entrant MILTTON Helsinki, FINLAND
Idea Creation MILTTON Helsinki, FINLAND
PR MILTTON Helsinki, FINLAND
Credits
Name Company Position
Joni Räikkönen Miltton Oy Client Director
Ville Blåfield Miltton Oy Director
Mikko Hakkarainen Miltton Oy Creative Director
Elina Niemistö Miltton Oy Lead Cretive
Maria Kuorikoski Miltton Oy Lead Creative
Marina Lampinen Miltton Oy Director
Hanna Lemmetti Miltton Oy Creative Strategist
Julius Kontiola Miltton Oy Strategist
Sampo Axelsson Miltton Oy Head of Strategy
Juuli Laitinen Miltton Oy Agency Producer
Tanja Ijäs Miltton Oy Agency Producer
Inka Kosonen Miltton Oy Agency Producer Assistant
Ella Antila Miltton Oy Graphic Designer
Mikael Heikkanen Miltton Oy Graphic Designer
Sylvie Daoud Miltton Oy Communications Specialist
Anna Hiltunen Miltton Oy Communications Specialist
Reetta Wallén Miltton Oy Communications Specialist
Tommi Pasanen Miltton Oy Director, Marketing Performance
Jari Setälä Miltton Oy Marketin Performace Specialist
Markus Wikholm Miltton Oy Director, Research
Mihail Donchev Miltton Oy Social Media Specialist

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

The launch had an extremely simple and direct objective: to get people to apply to Hive Helsinki code school. The entire launch was designed to fill the applicant base with as many talented and diverse people as possible. From opinion piece (expand image and increase interest of coding) to revealing the launch (build awareness of Hive Helsinki, get people to subscribe) to starting of the application period, everything aimed towards the same call to action: apply.

Background

Finland needed more – and more diverse – coders. It just didn’t know about it. Finnish mobile gaming giant Supercell was to launch an entirely new school, to provide a solution to the increasing lack of coding talent. Our task was to raise discussion about coding and create demand for an unconventional school, that would both ease coder shortage and challenge the world’s best education system. Our objectives were clear: 1. Get 2 000 applicants to Hive Helsinki in 2019. The objective was ambitious: 40% over Finland’s most popular programming degree. 2. Make Hive Helsinki known by all of Finland. To reach the applicant target, we needed to engage beyond the tech scene. The awareness objective was 20% and reach objective 5M. 3. 25% of applicants female. Coding is a male-dominant industry (90% of coders in Finland are men) and to solve coder shortage it had to become more balanced.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

The creative concept and all creative executions focused on expanding the perception of coding: what it is and who it’s for. The idea crystallised to a Disney-ish inspiring phrase “If you can dream it, you can code it. Where many other education programmes paint the potential applicant a clear career path, we did the opposite: we showed various ways to which coding can be applied. From gaming to healthcare to logistics – more or less any industry imaginable. Because opposite to the stereotype of pure maths, coding is basically about problem solving. And as a skill that is applicable anywhere. - At an emotional level we communicated the endless opportunities of coding - Our primary rational message was “future-proof career”, since employment security is an important criterion for female applicants - As an attention-grabber we used Hive’s key differentiators that separate Hive Helsinki from any other school in Finland.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Our primary target group was young adults, 18 to 30 year-olds, in Finland. But to truly shake the industry and drive change, we had to speak to everyone. To form our key insights and strategy, we combined data and findings from École42 schools abroad, Hive Helsinki background interviews and local studies such as Youth Barometer. We identified key drivers and barriers of choosing where to study – focusing on factors that impact how women make their decision. 1. Unconventionally, we decided to build interest towards coding before awareness to Hive Helsinki. Unless Finns first understood the magnitude of coder shortage, they would not consider Hive. 2. In media strategy we chose to emphasize earned media, since in Finland educational credibility cannot be “bought”. Pre-launch, we engaged key stakeholders and opinion leaders. 3. To increase diversity in coding, our communication strategy prioritised channels and messages targeted at potential female applicants.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Phase 1 / “HIGHLIGHT NEED” / October 2018 Prior to launch, we planned and published an opinion piece in Helsingin Sanomat, where a group of top executives addressed Finland’s coder shortage. It caught everyone’s attention and rose a discussion of the problem’s urgency and possible solutions – and, importantly, called out lack of and need for diversity. Phase 2 / “OFFER SOLUTION” / December 2018 Plans for Hive Helsinki were revealed at tech event Slush, as Supercell’s response to the recent coder shortage discussion. Simultaneously, our brand film and spokespeople buzzed Hive and busted coding stereotypes. We used leading influencers to reach young women who otherwise hadn’t considered coding. Phase 3 / “CALL TO ACTION” / January 2019 The applications finally opened. We targeted tactical “apply now”, “try the test” or “applications open” messages to previously engaged audiences. In own channels we increased consideration with testimonials, FAQs and Q&A sessions.

List the results (30% of vote)

1. Over 10 000 applicants The 2019 applicant target was reached during the first two days of the application period. The applicant objective has been exceeded by over 400%. 2. 40% of target group knew Hive Hive Helsinki became #1 topic in Finland. Our efforts in earned and paid media reached Finns repeatedly – with a total reach of over 10 million (2X Finland’s population). Hive’s awareness rate among 18-30-yo Finns went from 0 to 40%. And 20% considered applying! 3. 35% of applicants are women Over a third of Hive applicants are female – multiply exceeding the industry’s gender split (under ten percent). Bonus: The attention of Hive’s launch encouraged a change in legislation. Although previously impossible, the students starting at Hive are now entitled to student grant. The journey of Hive has just begun, but we’ve already achieved quite a change in the fields of education and coding.

Please tell us about the challenger brand and how your campaign challenged / was different from your competitors

Education is a very conventional, traditional industry in Finland. Disruption has not been needed: Finland consistently scores at the top of all education rankings and is praised for the best educational system in the world. All the marketing around higher education (universities and applied sciences) is very tactical: communicating that applications are now open. With the launch of Hive Helsinki, we challenged all that. We showcased that demand for an entirely new approach to studying existed. The other industry that we challenged was coding. The industry had become male-dominant, stagnant and homogenous: everyone wanted to work in tech startups or consultancies. We reshaped the perception of coding, what you can do with it and to whom it is a good career choice.