Re-engaging alumni to drive enrolments

Bialik College wanted to reconnect with its alumni, specifically parents now making decisions about their own children’s education.

The school needed a way to show how it had evolved, while reinforcing the sense of community that alumni already valued. Rather than a traditional school marketing video, the opportunity was to create something that would capture attention and feel relevant to a new generation of parents.

Independent school marketing often relies on polished but predictable formats: campus tours, testimonials, and aspirational messaging.

For Bialik, this approach risked being overlooked. The challenge was to:

• engage alumni in their 30s and 40s with young families
• stand out in a competitive education market
• balance humour and personality with clear enrolment messaging

The campaign needed to feel familiar, but also unexpected.

Portable developed a campaign-led video featuring alumnus and comedian Josh Glanc, returning to the school over 20 years after graduating.

The storytelling leaned into personality and relatability.

• Alumni-led narrative created an immediate connection with the target audience
• Light, comedic tone differentiated the video from traditional school marketing
• Structured exploration of the campus allowed new facilities, programs, and experiences to be naturally showcased

The video was produced as part of a broader campaign, with multiple edits tailored for cinema, social media, and digital channels ensuring it reached audiences across different touchpoints.

Rather than presenting the school from the outside, the story invited viewers back in.

The campaign strengthened engagement with alumni audiences by presenting Bialik as both familiar and forward-looking.

It helped:

• capture attention in a competitive market
• reconnect alumni with the school’s evolving offering
• support enrolment conversations among parents considering their options

By combining humour, storytelling, and targeted distribution, the work demonstrates how a more creative approach can shift perception and drive engagement in education marketing.