Heritage meets opportunity
The program had a powerful story to tell. This wasn’t just any new MBA: it carried the full weight of NYU Stern’s New York pedigree. But it also wasn’t simply a carbon copy dropped into a different location.
Our strategy balanced these two truths: yes, this is the world-renowned Stern MBA you’ve heard of. And yes, it’s been thoughtfully adapted for the dynamic business environment of the UAE, designed specifically for ambitious young leaders and thinkers in the region.
That unique positioning became the foundation for everything we created.
Making noise in a new market
The biggest challenge? Nobody knew this existed yet. We had to generate awareness fast whilst simultaneously filling that crucial first class.
We developed creative that communicated the big differentiators clearly: US-calibre education, Stern’s reputation, and the UAE context. Then deployed it everywhere the audience would be. Programmatic and targeted ads ran across LinkedIn and social media. High-profile outdoor placements went up across the country.
The content strategy focused on engagement and education. We needed to bring interested candidates along the journey, explaining the admissions process and giving them a real sense of what the learning experience would actually be like.
Bringing it to life on film
We filmed a series of interviews in both Abu Dhabi and New York. Initially these featured faculty talking about the curriculum and their teaching approach. Once that first class started, we brought students into the mix to share their experience firsthand.
These weren’t lengthy promotional videos. We kept them short and focused, each one communicating a single key differentiator. They worked across multiple channels: on the website, in organic social content, and as ads.
We also created a distinctive suite of collateral to support lead generation and guide prospective students through the admissions process, maintaining a consistent visual language throughout.
The result: a successful launch that filled the first class and established Stern at NYUAD as the premium option for business education in the region.
Optimising the funnel
As leads came in, we continuously refined our approach based on what was working. Performance was tracked across channels, with creative refined based on geo-engagement data. We also developed targeted nurture content for candidates at different stages, from initial awareness through to application submission, ensuring each touchpoint moved them closer to application.
