A-level results day means elation for thousands of students who secured the grades they needed to get a place at university and commiseration for those who didn’t. It also means long hours and some slick, integrated teamwork for the HE marketing community. We were up at the crack of dawn on the day, following the stories of students and universities across the UK (we did have a kip somewhere in the middle). We have rounded up some of the best clearing activity that stood out for us, from colleagues across the industry.

Nailing it

We couldn’t help but shed a little tear (and later on let out a whoop of joy) as we watched Liam Scroggie open his A-level results letter live on Good Morning Britain. Sadly, he didn’t get the grades he needed to study politics at Queen’s University with best pal Joe Sylvester, and mentioned that he’d have to explore his second option of Hull. As luck would have it, someone from the University of Hull spotted Liam’s plight and launched a quick-thinking Twitter campaign to #FindLiam. Within a few hours of appearing on prime time TV he’d accepted a place at Hull. What a great tale. Hats off to the social team at the University of Hull – and best of luck to Liam.

Evidence-based support

The team at Loughborough University have a good pedigree when it comes to higher education and we loved the piece of research that was commissioned about clearing. Their academics looked into the pros and cons of calling on results day and produced a very helpful, evidenced-based video to guide applicants through the clearing call processes – practical do’s and don’ts to ensure students gave themselves the best chance of securing a place.

Authentic Voices IRL

It’s not new to see ad copy featuring real students but we noted a definite upturn this year in HEPs utilising their existing students to host Q&As and live chats. We liked the sound of the lovely Lloyd who was hooked in by the University of Bradford in their #askastudent campaign element. Authentic, believable content.

Out on the Road

The University of Hertfordshire build on their heritage of live clearing action and took over a corner of Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford. They created a mini beach with branded deck chairs, beach balls and ice creams. Plus, they introduced Crumble – the cutest dog of the day.

A Cracking Influencer Move

What a terrific move by Birmingham City University to get their Chancellor – Lenny Henry –  on the phone banks (and all over the BBC) early on Thursday morning. He gave an impassioned speech about education, the city and the University. Lenny, we love you.

All in all, it’s been a great year for content, particularly in the social sphere. From a business perspective, some of the higher education institutions have really upped their game and risen to the challenge of engaging potential students in the sometimes tricky clearing process. But let’s not forget what it’s really all about – changing futures and fostering the next generation of learners.