EDUCATION

From the boardroom to the classroom – we provide strategic communications, marketing and brand.

Image: Salisbury student photoshoot at the local Special Olympics.

Helping education shape a stronger future through marketing and communications support.

A robust education sector is fundamental to the future of any country. It equips young people with knowledge, confidence and opportunity, while helping communities thrive and ensuring a workforce that can meet tomorrow’s challenges. It is also a very important export sector, with international students providing financial and cultural benefits for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Bringing our education governance and implementation experience to the table, Publik works alongside education providers to build trust, strengthen reputations and communicate clearly with the people who matter most: potential and current students, whānau, teachers, support staff, communities, decision-makers and funders.

We support education clients through rebrands, marketing and enrolment campaigns and issues management – often mentoring and guiding behind the scenes. Whatever the challenge, Publik helps education leaders achieve the best possible outcomes for their learners and their school or institution.

Our experience spans primary, secondary, specialist schools and tertiary education. We understand that education organisations operate in complex environments, where major decisions can affect your people.

Publik’s education sector work combines strategic thinking with practical communications, marketing, media relations and government engagement, and places learners at the heart of everything we do.

How can we help you? Ask today.

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Image: Nelson Girls College photoshoot.

Internal insight. Strategic external perspective.

The Publik team has a strong working knowledge of the education sector, with experience serving in a Tertiary Education Minister’s office, in-house in tertiary institutions and on school and polytechnic boards. Spending time in operational roles created a passion for the sector, naturally leading members of the team into governance roles.

In Anna Bill’s three years as the marketing coordinator for Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) she created and managed global and national student recruitment campaigns, bringing international and domestic students to study in Nelson. She was elected to the board of Saint Paul’s School in 2025 and has previously served as a trustee on the board of Campus Corner Learning Centre.

Stephanie Gray started her communications career at Massey University, first as news editor of the university’s student association and then as its communications advisor. A tenure at Victoria University of Wellington communications followed. She was elected as Deputy Presiding Member of Nelson Intermediate School in 2025.

Emma Thompson worked as a press secretary for a Minister of Tertiary Education and, after providing strategic advice to Salisbury School during its threatened closure, she served six years on the school board, two years as Presiding Member. She also served for one year on the NMIT Council.

Across the Publik team, we deliver campaigns that advocate for you and inspire hearts, minds and positive change. We have devised and supported the implementation of successful campaigns for primary, secondary and specialist schools, and tertiary education.

Campaigns have related to school closures, rebuilds, campus moves, retaining critical transport options, enrolment drives, crisis and brand management, and changing school classifications. We were proud to support Salisbury School every step of the way in its win in the High Court, seeing the school remain open and subsequently rebuilt.

With decades of experience across the education sector and a full-service team across public relations, communications, marketing, digital and design, we can help you leverage the opportunities and challenges ahead.

See below for some examples of how we can help, or jump straight down to (some of our) client work.

STRATEGIC PLANNING
Communications and marketing strategies for you to lead or Publik to implement:
- Developing annual communications and marketing strategies for schools and educational institutions.
- Developing PR and communications plans for new or changing provisions or facilities.
- Supporting board and school communications for major announcements and developments.
- Providing internal communications support for organisational development and change.
- Guiding schools on government and ministry relations.
- Preparing for crisis and issues, and being your team when an issue hits.
Pictured: Ko Taku Reo school campus location update for the school community.
YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINT
New website builds, refreshes and management:
- Building new websites and refreshing existing sites for improved user experiences.
- Ongoing site management and optimisation – content, technical maintenance and conversion improvements – to keep your site working hard for you.
- Providing SEO and AEO strategies to ensure you're found by traditional search and AI-driven search alike.
- Tracking analytics and conversions, so you always know what's actually working.
- Creating social marketing that demonstrates school life.
- Monitoring Meta accounts and assisting with timely responses to comments.
- Developing and rolling out online campaigns to support enrolments.
Pictured: Salisbury School website.
MEDIA RELATIONS AND TRAINING
Achieving positive and balanced media coverage:
- Building relationships with reporters and writers, to inform them and facilitate stories.
- Providing media relations support to project leads.
- Providing reactive responses to media on issues as they arise, in a fast-turnaround media environment.
- Providing one-off and regular media training for organisation or project spokespeople, to ensure they are ready to answer both the obvious and the tricky questions.
- Hosting media at school events, ensuring they get what they need.
Pictured: Michael Holland interviewing a Salisbury School student for Seven Sharp.
NEWSLETTERS AND PRINT
Writing and producing print and digital products:
- Drafting and producing annual reports and strategic plans.
- Designing and producing school prospectuses, including managing photoshoots and designing graphics.
- Producing magazines.
- Drafting and designing email newsletters.
Pictured: The Salisbury School strategy-on a-page.
VIDEOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Creating student and school stories:
- Turning prospectus selling points into meaningful videos.
- Celebrating student successes.
- Managing virtual tours to showcase facilities.
- Managing campaign videos to raise awareness and for fundraising.
Pictured: Videoing for Salisbury School awareness campaign.
BRAND AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Articulating purpose and credibility:
- Undertaking brand development research including focus groups, school stakeholder engagement and brand awareness surveys.
- Developing brand story and messaging that defines, refines or refreshes the brand in line with school community expectations.
- Implementing and managing brand strategies grounded in expertise and delivered in partnership with educators.
Pictured: Guidelines for Nelson College for Girls’ updated logo.

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

Much of our support of the education sector is behind the scenes, but as you will see below, when we can we love seeing learners shine in the heart of storytelling.