Japan’s low birthrate has left Japanese universities scrambling for students. That Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympics attracted students mainly to universities strong in sports. Asia University, a non-sport university wanted to grab this golden chance by noticing an overlooked opportunity. Every university spotlights star athletes. But no one was paying any attention to those who support them.
Asia University created “Behind every great athlete”, Japan’s first recruiting video targeting high-school sports managers. The film shows them being as strong, bold, and dedicated, as the athletes they manage. After this video went viral, Asia University announced the formation of a new department to professionally train a new generation of sports managers, and the news got huge attention.
The film was shown throughout Japan and reached not only potential targets but also their parents and teachers, with around 1 million views. Professional athletes provided positive feedback on SNS, and TV coverage increased penetration. With these publicities, applications for the new department reached 7.4 times greater than expected.