Hi Ieuan,
There’s something genuinely exciting happening at Bedford Greenacre. A new, purpose-built school. An ethos built around inclusivity and ambition. A fresh visual identity. This is a school rewriting its story—and for the right family, that should be magnetic.
But here’s the test…
Imagine a parent scrolling at speed — phone in one hand, school tabs open in the other, head full of deadlines, diaries, and dinner plans. This is an ad that parents like — but will they remember it tomorrow? Would they get a sense of what only you offer? Or would it blur into the same reassuring-but-generic noise we’ve seen from dozens of schools? Because when messaging blends into universally positive language, it becomes emotionally agreeable… but not commercially distinctive.
That’s not a dig, it’s a pattern. We’ve analysed over 100 school ads running right now in the UK, and most sound eerily similar. Same phrases. Same format. Same promises.
So we built a simple test, just a mirror. A moment of reflection. If you passed your ad in the wild, would you know it was St John’s? Would a parent?
Bedford Greenacre in the Wild
These are your current Meta ads. Let’s look at them through a parent’s eyes.
What’s Working
✅Newness is a strong differentiator: “State-of-the-art” gets parents’ attention—especially when they’re comparing ageing local options.
✅Visuals showcase the building well: Crisp, high-resolution shots of the new facilities convey modernity, space and investment—great credibility signals.
✅Summer tours and clear CTAs: Timely call-to-actions keep the campaign functional and focused on conversion.
What’s Getting Lost:
❌Generic copy tone: Phrases like “unlock your child’s potential” and “award-worthy education” are overused sector-wide. They don't tell your story. They could describe any school.
🗣️No human element: There’s no mention of your staff, students, or unique culture. Who thrives here? What’s the atmosphere like? The message feels all building, no people.
Without being too cringy - this causes something called paradox of choice. When every option looks the same, people don’t feel empowered. They feel overwhelmed. So they scroll past, not because they didn’t like what they saw, but because nothing stood out. If you're not subverting the pattern, you’re at risk of getting skipped over.