The Lincoln Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) has recognized Firespring for our excellent work in marketing in the Lincoln area. At the 2021 AMA Prism ceremony, Firespring was awarded a Prism for a consumer marketing campaign created for Southeast Community College (SCC).

This campaign was designed to embody the essence of its diverse student body and academic programs by breaking through the stigma of the limitations of a community college. A common stereotype among community colleges is that they don’t provide the best path to a successful future. This belief causes recruitment issues for SCC, which also faces the perception that its three campuses are outdated in terms of facilities, programs and opportunities. To make matters worse, COVID-19 created an even steeper, uphill battle.

To combat these challenges, Firespring produced an integrated campaign with two goals in mind. One being an increase in student applications from what SCC had received one year prior, while also educating the target audience about the ways SCC is a competitor with larger schools. We were pleased with the results of the campaign, as application numbers jumped from 4,528 to 4,712, with 365 campaign leads submitting applications and 40 students who enrolled in at least one course for the 2020 Spring semester.

When our marketing community recognizes the work we do, we’re so grateful. Our work with Southeast Community College helping students discover their path to possible is what really fills our bucket. Thanks to AMA Lincoln for the Prism Award for Best Consumer Marketing Campaign, and thank you SCC for letting us create with you.