It’s that time of year again! Magic is in the air as schools worldwide prepare for this holiday season. With so much to celebrate and look forward to, schools have embraced the holiday spirit, creating fun and quirky, thoughtful and heartfelt holiday content marketing videos to kick off the season.
From simple messages to longer skits, schools have outdone themselves and perfectly captured the holiday spirit. Following tradition and building on last year’s list, HEM has gathered a new list of videos that are sure to make the holidays all the more memorable.
Without further delay, here are some of this year’s most notable holiday videos!
1. Georgia Southwestern Invites its Community to Share a Holiday Message
With a simple concept and great execution, Georgia Southwestern’s video wishes its community a happy holiday season, all while introducing its diverse faculty and students. Starting with a brief message from President Neal and Kristi Weaver, the video stitches together short submissions from different departments and offices as well as student sports teams and clubs:
Inviting community members to share a short holiday greeting, with some even dressed in holiday gear, makes the video much more appealing. This way, viewers can meet new faces on campus and better connect with the school’s faculty, staff, and students while celebrating the season.
2. Embrace the Spirit of Discovery alongside Texas State University
Decorations and ornaments are a big part of what makes this season special. Texas State University builds on this by inviting student volunteers to create beautiful wreaths to decorate the college campus. These wreaths embody the message of collaboration, brought on by “the spirit of discovery and brilliant ideas” that flourishes at the university. Here’s a glimpse of this wreath-making activity set to fun holiday music:
To maximize its holiday content marketing opportunities, Texas State University has even shared behind-the-scenes footage of its holiday video. Not only does this provide the viewer with an insider perspective, but it also serves as a creative way to expand a higher education video content strategy.
3. Tune in for a Royal Holiday Treat Presented by the University of Lynchburg
Ready for a hallmark holiday rom-com? The University of Lynchburg has you covered with its creative short feature: A Dell-lightfully Royal Holiday. Presented by “Dellmark,” this video stars recent graduate Elizabeth Martin ‘21 and music and theater major, Za’Marae Morgan ’23 as Anna and Justin, respectively.
Without spoiling the details, the story involves a princess, a lacrosse player, a blizzard delaying flights, and some holiday magic—creating the ultimate feel-good holiday content marketing video of the season. Grab some popcorn—you’re in for a treat:
Interestingly, the University of Lynchburg goes on to write an article about this specific video, shedding light on the process and inspiration on its school website. Creating content that builds on previous efforts in this way can be an impactful part of your content marketing strategy.
Looking to improve your own content efforts? Reach out to our team of industry experts to set up your school with a content strategy that delivers results.
4. Sing Along with Oral Roberts University Students to These Iconic Christmas Songs
Holiday karaoke is a fun way to get people to break out of their shells and break into song, especially when holiday music is just so catchy. Oral Roberts University takes this approach to get us into the holiday spirit, showcasing its students as they sing along to some of the most iconic Christmas songs. It will make you hum, sing, and even laugh throughout.
Our highlight was getting a glimpse of the diverse student body – along with a wide range of personalities – on campus:
5. Making Dreams Come True in University of Georgia’s Alumni Holiday Content Marketing Video
The moment prospects enroll in their dream university is a special one, and the University of Georgia understands this perfectly. With magic in the air and the generous support of donors, the university can make these dreams come true. That’s the message behind their post-secondary holiday video:
Meet Hairy Dawg, the University of Georgia’s mascot, and feel inspired by the power of a UG acceptance letter, which provides students with all kinds of memorable moments. These moments represent the school’s unique selling points, making it an attractive place for prospects, all while building an emotional connection with alumni by reminding them of what being a student was like.
6. Share in the Magic of the Holidays with Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business
A holiday video can be a fun way to showcase a school’s quirky and creative side. That’s what the Iowa State University’s College of business does in its holiday content marketing video. Smile along as you watch Dean Spalding spread holiday cheer by sparking some magic in people’s wardrobes. Everyone he meets and interacts with is left with a surprise: a magic tie that captures the light-spirited and jolly holiday mood.
Here’s your chance to add some holiday magic to your day:
7. Join Mount Royal University’s President and Mascot for a Holiday-Themed Baking Miracle
Just as decorations and music are a big part of the holidays, so is baking! This year, Mount Royal University is taking a unique approach by presenting a baking show featuring its mascot, Calvin the Cougar, as well as its president and Vice-Chancellor, Tim Rahilly, Ph.D. The fun duo takes on the challenge of baking holiday-inspired cookies together. As Calvin tries baking for the first time, some shenanigans ensue, but all is saved thanks to a holiday miracle.
Watch the MRU president and mascot bond over some holiday cookies in this light-hearted baking show:
8. Get in the Festive Spirit with MSU Denver’s Stop-Motion Holiday Content Marketing Video
Unlike the other videos on this list, MSU Denver’s holiday video embraces stop-motion to capture the holiday spirit. In a simple and short video, MSU President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., delivers a brief and well-constructed message. The playful rhyming scheme playing over stop-motion footage of a brightly decorated gingerbread house makes this holiday content marketing video all the more charming.
Watch it for yourself and feel inspired to make your very own gingerbread house:
9. Celebrate a Standout Year with an Energetic Holiday Video from USF’s Muma College of Business
The end of the year is a time for reflection, and it can be a wonderful opportunity for schools to showcase their achievements. The University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business presents us with an engaging, high-energy video featuring Dean GJ de Vreede in a key role.
Uplifting music is played over different scenes, showcasing the school’s unique selling proposition and accomplishments. There are moments of humor spread about, but everything is tied together with the theme of “believing”—believing in the holiday season and the spirit of teamwork and community that makes it all happen. Here’s the video:
Our favorite parts? Watching Sport and Entertainment Management program director Michelle Harolle share department news and seeing how the faculty comes together in a sports-inspired meeting run by the dean. And, of course, the bloopers at the end.
10. Spreading the Gift of Giving in the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Holiday Video
The University of Toronto Mississauga kicks off the holiday season with a heartfelt message from its Vice-President and Principal, Alexandra Gillespie, who recounts the university’s latest accomplishments while looking toward an even brighter future. Throughout this message, the Vice-President and Principal connect with various community members and collect winter hats in a big red bag, much like Santa’s. The undercurrent themes of giving back and collaboration make this video a perfect example of holiday content marketing.
The hats gathered through faculty and student interactions are given back to the community and used to decorate the Christmas tree on campus. The mascot and volunteer students work together to bring the vision forward. Here’s a peek at the video:
11. Thanking Donors for a Memorable Year in UW Milwaukee’s Holiday Message
Education marketing can come in various forms, and the holiday season presents the perfect opportunity to dabble in creating some content. Inspired to connect with its donors and celebrate the season, the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee takes this chance to send a thoughtful message to its supporters while spreading holiday cheer.
Here, Vice-Chancellor of University Advancement Joan Nesbitt shares some of the “firsts” that she experienced in the past year in a collage that highlights the uniqueness of the UWM community:
Traveling down memory lane and sharing relevant footage and images of key moments and events can be a fun way to thank donors for their support, all while spotlighting the very community they’re lifting. Not only can this build loyalty, but it also serves to commemorate the gift of giving.
12. UNC Greensboro Brings the Year to a Close with a Thoughtful Holiday Card
The University of North Carolina Greensboro is quickly becoming a regular on our annual top holiday video roundups. This year, they have produced a thoughtful holiday card that succinctly sums up the year and wishes its community a happy holiday season and a joyous new year.
The video footage displays a reel of key moments from the past year, made more heartfelt with the message shared at the bottom. Set to uplifting music, the video showcases the wide range of experiences students have had on campus and ends the year on a bright note:
Planning to Embrace Holiday Content Marketing for Next Year?
Getting started with video content marketing can sometimes be overwhelming, but the results are well worth the effort. In fact, research shows that the use of videos in content marketing has increased to 75% from 66% in the previous year and that 78% of content marketers will invest in video next year. With so much to capitalize on and look forward to, your school could benefit from applying a video content strategy, and our team can help!
Take inspiration from the videos on this list when planning your holiday content marketing efforts for next year, or begin drafting creative content topics for blogs and social media posts to get a head start on a content-driven new year. With the help of our content marketing team, your school can develop a strategy to generate the impact you need with your prospects.
Until next time, we wish you the best this holiday season and a happy new year!