In universities across America, enrollment is down. Tuition is up. Public trust is crumbling, and questions about the value of a four-year degree are everywhere. Higher education is facing some headwinds, however, as an institution that has broken enrollment records for five consecutive years and historically offset financial costs for 85% of its students, the U is on the rise. Against a backdrop of uncertainty, the U recently launched a national campaign called “the Mountains We Climb” to share its story—and so far, the response is shattering industry averages.

As a five-year member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an elite group of the most outstanding academic institutions in the nation, the U is recognized as one of America’s leading research universities. It is known for a campus that is flanked by the stunning Wasatch mountains in the east, and the glittering Great Salt Lake in the not-too-distant west, but that is just the beginning of what sets the U apart. It is also home to the only academic medical center in the Mountain West, and a leader in innovation. This year, as the U joined the Big 12 Conference, University Marketing & Communications leaned into the opportunity to introduce the U to the rest of the country while drawing upon the imagery of its magnificent surroundings.

“At the U, we see ourselves as changemakers and leaders, preparing our students to have successful lives and contributing to the solutions that will solve some of life’s grand challenges,” said Chief Experience Officer Andrea Thomas, who oversees the U’s print, video and digital marketing teams. “Our task is to build on what people know about us and help them see the rest of who we really are. The best way to do that is through consistency in our storytelling and speaking with one voice as we share the great news of what is happening on our campus.”

Early this summer, in partnership with U of U Health, Thomas commissioned an AAU study of how the U is perceived outside of Utah. Both in and out of the state, survey responses showed that integrated messaging that includes U of U Health and the academic institution of the U is the most powerful approach to effectively communicate about the U’s credibility. Some 80% of respondents who were already aware of the U said it has a “good” or “excellent” reputation. Others said the first thing to come to mind when thinking about the University of Utah is “snowy mountains, great landscape, skiing” and other topographical benefits for hikers. The survey also showed there is room to build awareness of the U in other parts of the country.

“We have a great opportunity to share the amazing things happening at the U with the entire country,” said President Taylor Randall. “We have an incredible health care system and robust learning and research opportunities for students that prepare them to pursue their dreams and be successful. The U is a special place and we want to share it with everyone.”

The Mountains We Climb campaign builds upon Utah’s strengths as a research university and academic medical center and spreads the word about opportunities at the U to new audiences. Some visitors who come to Utah this winter may learn about the U through a mural they walk under after they arrive at the Salt Lake City airport and head to the passenger pickup curb. Others may learn about the U when they search for keywords and receive a digital ad that points them to the new website. So far, the national campaign has been successful, generating interest that floors industry trends.

In October, the U launched a digital campaign in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Ohio, Kansas, West Virginia, Colorado and Iowa—states with Big 12 schools the U has not previously targeted. The campaign included video pre-roll—ads that run before YouTube videos—social media, paid social advertising and keyword searches. In four months, the campaign received more than 10 million new impressions, which means an entirely new audience was exposed to the U more than 10 million times in four months. Click-through rates on the ads were also positive. Where industry standards consider a 1% click-through rate to be exceptional, the Mountains We Climb ads received a 3% click-through rate. The video ad alone received 4 million views.

In addition to the digital ads, videos and posters, the marketing team also created a toolkit for the campaign that can be customized and applied to the specific needs of departments and colleges on campus. More iterations of the campaign targeting graduate students and other new markets are also in the works.

“We let data drive our decisions,” said Scott Troxel, director of digital strategy. “I consider a brand campaign more about capturing mind share—we want people to think of us when otherwise they may not have, and the numbers show us that is happening.”