Detailed Case Study:

Industry: Education

Reimagining IBM's AI and Machine Learning Course Enrollment Strategy

Detailed Case Study:

Industry: Education

Reimagining IBM's AI and Machine Learning Course Enrollment Strategy

10x

increase in results

6 weeks

total time to results

10x

increase in results

6 weeks

total time to results

Introduction

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) – a renowned multinational technology corporation specializing in software, hardware, and offering cutting-edge technological educational courses.

Introduction

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) – a renowned multinational technology corporation specializing in software, hardware, and offering cutting-edge technological educational courses.

Context & Challenge

Timeframe & Setting

The backdrop of 2020’s global lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Core Issue

A drastic plunge in enrollments for IBM's AI and Machine Learning courses.

Target Group

Young professionals, primarily engineers aged 25-35, seeking to upskill in emerging technologies for enhanced career prospects.

Context & Challenge

Timeframe & Setting

The backdrop of 2020’s global lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Core Issue

A drastic plunge in enrollments for IBM's AI and Machine Learning courses.

Target Group

Young professionals, primarily engineers aged 25-35, seeking to upskill in emerging technologies for enhanced career prospects.

Insight & Strategy

01. Data-Driven Analysis

Employing a meticulous approach, we delved into IBM’s existing student data, unearthing valuable insights about the target demographic’s changing preferences and needs during the pandemic.

02. Qualitative Research through User Interviews

Key Findings

Revealed an underlying desire for engaging, fun, and culturally rich experiences. These young engineers, feeling the brunt of isolation, yearned for more than just educational content; they sought human connection and cultural enrichment.

Cultural Context

Coinciding with global movements like Black Lives Matter, there was a notable surge in the desire for cross-cultural understanding and awareness.

03. Innovative Event Strategy

Celebrity Integration

Orchestrated an avant-garde online event, headlined by Terrence Lewis, a Bollywood sensation and an inspirational figure with over 100 million followers. His artistic prowess, blended with his tech curiosity, served as a perfect amalgamation for the event’s theme.

Creative Fusion

The event was a symphony of art and technology. It featured an eclectic mix of artists – painters, poets, musicians – alongside IBM’s AI experts. The highlight was an extraordinary experiment where these artists, including Terrence Lewis, interacted with AI technologies to co-create unique art forms – an AI-assisted dance sequence, algorithm-generated poetry, and music compositions.

Execution

Timeline

The turnaround time for this innovative pivot was six weeks – from conception, through meticulous planning, to execution.

Engagement Strategy

The event was not just a display of technology and art but an interactive saga, capturing the audience's imagination, making them visualize the potential of AI and machine learning in everyday creativity.

Outcome & Impact

Quantitative Success

The campaign resulted in a staggering 10-fold increase in course enrollments shortly after the event.

Budget Allocation

With a strategic investment of around $250,000, the ROI was phenomenal in terms of enrollment numbers and brand visibility.

Qualitative Triumph

The event received widespread acclaim, not only from IBM executives for its innovative approach and execution but also from the participating celebrities who were thrilled to be part of this unique blend of technology and art.

Outcome & Impact

Quantitative Success

The campaign resulted in a staggering 10-fold increase in course enrollments shortly after the event.

Budget Allocation

With a strategic investment of around $250,000, the ROI was phenomenal in terms of enrollment numbers and brand visibility.

Qualitative Triumph

The event received widespread acclaim, not only from IBM executives for its innovative approach and execution but also from the participating celebrities who were thrilled to be part of this unique blend of technology and art.

Conclusion & Reflection

This case study exemplifies how an unconventional approach, blending the realms of technology, art, and popular culture, can revitalize interest and participation in educational programs.

It stands as a testament to our ability to think outside the box and harness the power of diverse elements to achieve extraordinary results.