Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education
Building Global Demand for Executive Education
Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education doesn't recruit like a typical university because its candidates aren't typical students. Targeting senior leaders across government, nonprofits, and private organizations worldwide demands a strategy as sophisticated as its audience.
We developed a global segmentation approach, distilling 37+ programs down to seven core audience profiles and deploying targeted campaigns worldwide, balancing domestic enrollment with international participation. Triage campaigns provided additional support for individual programs that needed a boost, ensuring no initiative fell short of its goals.
Challenge
Drive enrollment for a specialized executive education portfolio while balancing domestic and international participation across a global audience.
Strategy
Led a brand refresh and developed a global, mobile-first digital strategy built around seven core audience profiles streamlining targeting across programs while supporting individual offerings as needed.
Decibel's approach implemented a unified strategy across both initiatives, built around four core pillars:
Refined Targeting
Focused outreach on global leaders in government, nonprofits, military, and public policy, clarifying career value messaging to emphasize the professional advancement HKS Executive Education uniquely offers.
Integrated Campaign Testing
Launched measurable digital media campaigns across programmatic, social, SEM, and video channels, with remarketing strategies designed to drive registrations and applications.
CRM & Conversion
Deployed multi-stream CRM campaigns targeting prospective applicants across the funnel, converting research inquiries into applications and program registrations.
Continuous Optimization
Applied ongoing data analysis across prospecting, CRM, and admissions efforts to consistently refine targeting, messaging, and conversion tactics, unifying strategy across all 37 Executive Education programs and positioning the PLC as an accessible, high-impact credential.
Record-breaking SEM and social media conversions
Increase in Qualified Registrants
Conversions from Paid Media
Both initiatives achieved outstanding results through these strategic campaigns:
+31%
Increase in Applications YoY
+62%
Increase in Registrations YoY
+13%
Increase in New Site Visitors
IMPACT
Through strategic branding, audience-focused messaging, and innovative digital tactics, the campaigns successfully broadened the applicant pool, enhanced global awareness, and delivered measurable results. By unifying diverse programs under the Harvard Kennedy School brand and emphasizing the career-enhancing potential of its offerings, HKS strengthened its position as a leader in global public policy education. Enrollment goals met across programs, with 50% of participants recruited internationally, maintaining global reach, efficiency, and year-over-year growth in application quality.
