Standing Out When Every School Looks the Same
With increasing competition from comparable schools, Kohelet Yeshiva High School needed to reassert its Modern Orthodox identity and differentiate itself before open house season. I developed a video strategy that shaped perception ahead of the event, unified messaging internally, and generated measurable buzz in the community.
Key Outcomes
3,000 views within days of release
Attendance exceeded projections (100+ attendees)
Video repurposed across email, blog, and ongoing recruitment efforts
CHALLENGE
Increasing competition among comparable schools
Open houses risk becoming information-heavy and forgettable
Families evaluating multiple schools and confused about what Kohelet stood for
How do you shape perception before families walk in the door — rather than hoping to impress them once they arrive?
PROCESS
We positioned the film as a strategic invitation — designed to shape perception before the open house rather than simply decorate it.
Messaging centered on the newly revised mission statement, highlighting what uniquely distinguished Kohelet in a competitive landscape.
The newly appointed principal’s voice anchored the narrative, personifying the school’s intellectual rigor and Modern Orthodox philosophy.
The result was a high-energy invitation that framed the event with clarity and momentum.
RESULTS
The film was distributed ahead of the open house, generating nearly 3,000 views within days and building measurable anticipation in the community.
Attendance exceeded projections, and leadership reported that the tone of the event itself shifted — families entered already primed with a clear understanding of Kohelet’s identity.
More significantly, the video reframed the school’s positioning in a competitive market. As Rabbi Gil Perl shared, a veteran nonprofit professional described it as “the best recruitment video she had ever seen.”
The film extended beyond admissions, circulating among boards and peer institutions as an example of institutional clarity done well.
High-stakes recruitment moment coming up?
Let’s shape perception before it starts.