College hopes match ad scores with students

It may have been the end of the road for Trap but University College Cork hopes Tuesday’s soccer clash in Vienna might spark the beginning of some students’ ambitions to study there.

In an unusual advertising strategy, the college took out prominent slots on the pitchside electronic advertising boards during Austria’s game against the Republic of Ireland.

On the same day, it dropped out of the top 200 in a top global ranking system, the slogan declared: “UCC Ireland’s Winning University”.

It popped up at regular intervals during coverage of Tuesday’s game, sandwiched by promotions of other Irish household names like Today FM, Tesco Mobile, 123.ie insurance and Aer Lingus.

A spokesperson said the occasion represented unparalleled access to its target demographic to consider choosing UCC and Cork.

The college did not answer questions about the cost of the advertising or any planned future moves, but said it remains fully mindful and sympathetic towards the financial strain third-level students are experiencing.

“At a time when the national expectation is that Irish universities, in a highly constrained fiscal environment, are being requested to increase their international student numbers, selection of a small number of high-profile advertising opportunities is a necessary reality,” the spokesperson said.

During the match which Ireland lost 1-0, UCC staff and graduates were among those offering their views on Twitter.

“UCC being advertised in Vienna. Thought they had no money. Sort of galling for students paying high fees and having grants cut,” wrote Conor Culkin.

Aodh Quinlivan, lecturer in UCC’s department of government, tweeted that it was good to see the prominent advertising.

Law lecturer Declan Walsh said it was a shameful move, coming alongside student support cuts. “We [UCC] had an ad in All Ire programme on Sun .... and also advertise at Cork City but both [are] obvious target markets.”