Study In Saskatchewan Campaign
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Advanced Education
The Ministry of Advanced Education is responsible for developing a skilled and educated workforce that meets the needs of Saskatchewan’s labour market. The ministry works with the private sector, educational institutions and community organizations to develop, retain and attract skilled workers.
The Challenge
International students aren’t just choosing a school, they’re choosing a country, a city, a lifestyle, and a future. In a world full of popular destinations and academic programs, the Ministry’s challenge was clear: How do we get Saskatchewan in front of international students in a way that feels relevant, compelling, and realistic with a reasonable budget?
We had to help students understand what makes Saskatchewan such a great place to live while motivating them to seriously consider studying here. Saskatchewan had to stand out when compared to other provinces and countries. This project wasn’t just about promoting programs. It was about positioning Saskatchewan as a place with endless opportunities.
The Thinking
We always start with efficiency. How can we use our allotted resources most effectively? In this case, that meant working closely with the Ministry to understand the international student recruitment efforts already underway and identifying where we could add the most impact.
Through those conversations, we learned that international students were already engaging with Saskatchewan and its post-secondary institutions at student fairs, recruitment events, and trade offices around the world. That insight shaped our approach. Rather than reinventing the wheel, we focused on creating a video that could act as a powerful supporting asset, strengthening and extending the work that was already happening.
This video couldn’t feel like an ad. Students don’t want to be told what to do or where to go. They want to hear it from people who have actually lived it.
We built the story around real international students currently studying and living in Saskatchewan. We let them speak directly about their experiences and how they found community and built a life here, while highlighting the things that make Saskatchewan stand out. Affordability, smaller class sizes, supportive professors, livable cities, and the kind of lifestyle that can be hard to find elsewhere.
We included footage from institutions all throughout Saskatchewan, showcasing a wide range of campuses, programs, facilities, and student life to show the full scope of opportunities.
Through scripting, we had to consider where and how this video would be used. International recruitment happens in a lot of environments, sometimes with a captive audience, but often without. The videos would be seen by people simply walking by a booth, for example. Knowing this, we designed the video to work with or without audio, ensuring the story could still land in a busy tradeshow hall or during a formal presentation.
And because the decision to study abroad often involves parents as much as students, the tone needed to appeal to both. Exciting and aspirational, but also reassuring and grounded.
The Result
We delivered one-minute and three-minute versions of the video, including horizontal and vertical formats for maximum flexibility across platforms.
The video has become a key recruitment tool for Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions. The Ministry shared that schools across the province have expressed deep appreciation for the asset, noting that it helps them showcase what Saskatchewan offers as a place to live and study, while allowing them to focus their own efforts on promoting the strengths of their individual institutions.
The video is now being used internationally by the Ministry and Saskatchewan’s trade offices in markets around the world. It has been shown at recruitment fairs, agent training sessions, student ambassador events, and mission-related seminars, reaching audiences from China to Africa.
It is also featured online through the studyinsask.ca website and the Saskatchewan Students social channels, giving Saskatchewan a strong, consistent presence wherever prospective students are exploring their options.
What began as a single campaign video has grown into a cornerstone piece for Saskatchewan’s international education outreach, helping students around the world see this province as a place worth considering.
