Open Uni kicks off DM agency hunt

The Open University – the butt of jokes about dodgy jumpers and straggly beards – is on the hunt for a direct and digital agency to handle its overseas marketing, as part of plans to boost income from international students.
The organisation, which is funded by the Government, has sent out a request for information (RFI) to agencies regarding its global DM business, covering paid search, social network advertising, email marketing, SEO and lead generation, among other areas.
Agencies have until the end of October to respond. A number of shops handle OU activity in the UK, including TMW, MRM Meteorite, and Jaywing, as well as Rapp, which also runs some international campaigns.
Established in 1969, the vast majority of the OU’s 25,000 students are based in the UK, although it does have 50,000 from overseas. It has seen a surge in students since university fees were increased to up £7,000 annually last year. About a quarter of those enrolling in the past year were under 25 – the highest proportion the institution has ever taken on.
The OU is the largest academic institution in the UK – and one of the largest in Europe – by student number, and qualifies as one of the world’s largest universities. Since it was founded, more than 1.5 million students have studied its courses.
The first OU broadcast went out in black and white at 11am on 3 January 1971 on BBC2, at the time Clive Dunn was at No 1 with “Grandad”, while Radio Times cost a shilling.