The Objective
For many Chinese families, choosing a university abroad is one of the most important decisions of their lives. With over a century of academic excellence and a reputation for innovation, the University of Birmingham wanted to ensure that when students and parents in China weighed their options, they had direct access to the right information and people who could shape their decisions.
The university aimed to build deeper connections with prospective students by hosting a series of open day events in China. These events gave families the opportunity to meet professors, ask questions, and ease their uncertainties about studying overseas.
However, with a short campaign window and a crowded digital landscape, the university needed a strategy to rapidly expand awareness, convert interest into registrations, and convert digital engagement into physical attendance.
The Solution
To achieve its objectives, the university turned to targeted video advertising on Douyin via the Ocean Engine platform, enabling it to connect directly with prospective students in China.
The campaign was anchored by two powerful themes: the celebration of the university’s 125th anniversary and the rare opportunity for face-to-face interactions with more than 30 professors and senior scholars. The campaign messaging also emphasized the value of attending in person, offering families direct access to academic leaders and personalized consultation.
To sharpen audience reach, the university leveraged Ocean Engine’s advanced targeting capabilities to engage Douyin users interested in studying abroad, UK education, and the University of Birmingham specifically. This approach expanded the campaign’s influence while ensuring relevance to high-intent audiences.
To maximize conversions, the campaign drove traffic to in-app landing pages rather than external sites. These pages clearly showcased the benefits of attending, outlined event details, and streamlined the online registration process. By reducing friction at every step, the university made it easy for students to move from initial interest to confirmed attendance.
Ad Products
The Results
The campaign delivered a strong performance across the advertising funnel. Ads generated 534,778 impressions and 3,644 clicks, achieving a click-through rate of 0.68%. More importantly, 153 form submissions were recorded, translating into a healthy 4.2% conversion rate from click to registration.
In total, nearly 700 students and parents attended the three open day events. This high level of offline participation underscored the campaign’s effectiveness in turning digital visibility into real-world participation, while strengthening the University of Birmingham’s brand presence in China.
Beyond immediate results, the campaign also set a blueprint for future education marketing campaigns aimed at connecting overseas institutions with Chinese students.
Customer Testimony
“Ocean Engine was the cornerstone of our strategy in China. By combining precise targeting with creative optimization and smart segmentation across key cities and audiences, we were able to amplify campaign impact—driving a high volume of quality leads while building deeper engagement with prospective students.”
International Admissions Officer, University of Birmingham
