Purdue
How Purdue drove $4M in tuition revenue with video-powered personalization
Purdue University turned personalized video into a powerful enrollment tool. Using Spokenote, they connected with admitted students in a way that felt personal, memorable, and actionable, resulting in over $4 million in tuition revenue tied directly to a single campaign. Ready to see these kinds of results for your higher education institution?
Turning admitted students into enrolled students.
For universities, getting a student to say “yes” to admission is only half the battle – the real challenge is turning admitted students into enrolled students. Purdue University faced this challenge head-on. They needed a personal, scalable way to engage with admitted students and turn them into enrolled students – something that made each student feel seen, valued, and excited about Purdue.
Rather than relying on generic messaging, Purdue used personalized video outreach to create meaningful connections with students. Their approach combined video + direct mail, ensuring messages weren’t just seen – they were remembered.
Purdue’s campaign featured video-enabled direct mail, shipped to prospective students
Direct mail campaigns:
Each mail piece included a unique Spokenote QR code, and a simple scan unlocked a video message from Purdue.
Personalized targeted video:
No one-size-fits-all content here. Videos were personalized based on each student’s background, interests, and intended major.
The Spokenote solution:
Print marketing + personalized video messaging + data analytics
Here’s how Purdue connected with prospective students:
- 11 Purdue schools participated, reaching students based on their major and background
- Personalized video outreach helped connect with first-generation, Spanish-speaking, and underrepresented students
- Video + direct mail worked together to cut through the noise, standing out from traditional recruitment emails
Measuring the impact
Spokenote’s tracking and analytics helped Purdue’s leadership measure engagement and impact – proving that authentic, personalized video isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a powerful driver of engagement and action.
The results:
A game-changer for enrollment
- 22 new enrollments were tied directly to the Spokenote-powered direct mail campaign
- That’s $4M+ in future tuition revenue from a single initiative!
“Spokenote is changing the game for us in terms of prospective student outreach, particularly via direct mail programs… I’m thrilled we have it in our marketing mix.”
R. Ethan Braden, EVMP & CMO Purdue University
What’s next for Purdue & Spokenote
After the success of the campaign, Purdue continues to expand their use of Spokenote across the student journey, including alumni outreach using video to reconnect with graduates in a more personal, scalable way.
The takeaway? Personalized video isn’t just a one-time play. It’s a long-term strategy. Purdue is leading the way in higher ed with smart, story-driven touchpoints that keep students and alumni engaged long after decision day.
Spokenote delivers stellar marketing solutions for higher education
Ready to create real engagement that drives enrollments?
Purdue used Spokenote to cut through the noise and connect with students in a way that’s personal, measurable, and actionable. The result? $4M+ in tuition revenue from one campaign.
If you’re ready to level up your enrollment strategy with something that’s simple, scalable, and proven to work, we’re here to help.