1) Background:
First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) is a unique national post-secondary institution that offers a culturally supportive and Indigenous-focused education to students. Established in 1976, FNUniv has campuses in Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, provides programming nation-wide, and is committed to promoting Indigenous knowledge, languages, and cultures through academic excellence. To ensure continued long-term awareness, growth, and support from funders and donors, FNUniv is seeking proposals from experienced and creative marketing agencies to develop a comprehensive brand platform for FNUniv, and develop a multi-channel awareness campaign built from the platform.
Objective:
The primary objectives include:
- Attracting prospective students (primarily Indigenous students) to enroll in the diverse academic programs offered at FNUniv.
- Elevating awareness of FNUniv’s mission, programs, and campus culture.
- Attracting an increasing number of corporate and institutional partners and funders.
The platform and campaign should highlight FNUniv’s unique position in Canadian post- secondary education as a national Indigenous institution, its dedication to Indigenous education, its inclusive environment, and the exceptional learning opportunities it offers.
2) Scope of Work/Deliverables:
The selected agency will be responsible for the following:
a) Market Research & Target Audience Analysis: Conducting in-depth analysis of target demographics, psychographics, and behaviors of the audience that the advertising efforts aim to reach as well as market trends, historical data, and competitor activities to inform strategy.
b) Brand Platform and Strategy Development:
- Create a compelling brand platform that highlights FNUniv’s values, strengths, and academic offerings, and positions FNUniv as Canada’s national Indigenous university, supported by a comprehensive brand guide that ensures a consistent visual identity and voice for all future creative and communications, including the FNUniv website.
- Develop a comprehensive brand strategy tailored to different target demographics, including Indigenous students, Indigenous communities, and supportive institutions and corporations.
- Develop a visual identity strategy and map to align all FNUniv programs and units within the current FNUniv brand and logo (sub-branding)
c) Creative Assets:
- Develop creative assets for advertising materials.
- Design and produce visually appealing and engaging promotional materials/content (e.g., brochures, posters, digital ads).
- Develop content templates that effectively communicates FNUniv’s mission, academic programs, campus life, and student success stories.
d) Brand Awareness Campaign:
- Propose a brand awareness campaign built from the brand platform and strategy, identifying the most suitable mix of media channels, ranging from television, radio, print, digital, outdoor, to social media.
- Ensure optimization of the campaign to achieve maximum reach, engagement, and conversion, employing suitable analytics tools.
- Develop a comprehensive one-year social media Content Plan and Calendar.
e) Website Development
- Develop a strategy and action plan to revise the www.fnuniv.ca to align to the brand platform, optimizing format and navigation for an improved user experience for key target audiences.
- Build out the website revisions as per the strategy and action plan.
f) Evaluation and Reporting:
- Continuously monitoring and evaluating the performance of advertising placements to optimize campaign effectiveness. Adjustments may be made based on real-time data and insights to improve reach, engagement, and conversion rates.
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of the campaign.
- Provide regular reports on campaign progress, engagement metrics, and outcomes.
3) Proposal Submission:
Interested agencies are requested to submit a detailed proposal that includes the following:
- Company profile and relevant experience.
- Approach to developing the FNUniv brand, including strategy, creative concepts, and execution plan.
- Samples of previous work related to educational institutions or Indigenous-focused initiatives
- Provide a comprehensive quote that includes the scope of work and deliverables as outlined in section 2 above. Note: Media costs are excluded from the pricing information.
- Timeline for the scope of work and deliverables (must be twelve months or less).
- Contact information for references.
4) Selection Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated understanding of, and experience working with, Indigenous peoples and Indigenous organizations.
- Experience and expertise in student recruitment and educational marketing.
- Alignment with FNUniv’s values and goals.
- Effectiveness of the proposed strategy in reaching target demographics.
- Budget feasibility and cost-effectiveness.
- Proposed timeline and project management approach.
5) Submission Deadline:
FNUniv reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to negotiate terms with the selected agency. The chosen agency will be expected to enter into a formal agreement outlining the terms, deliverables, and compensation.
For inquiries or additional information, please contact Kristin Francis, Director of Communications at kfrancis@firstnationsuniversity.ca.
(the good path through life)