According to Margit Täht, TalTech’s Admissions Campaign Lead, this year's campaign was unique because of its visual clarity and the extent of the collaboration. "We showed TalTech where people actually move – online, in the urban space, on construction sites, in shopping centers, cinemas, and living rooms. It was a holistic view of a university that is simultaneously youthful, scientific, and society-shaping – a university where real knowledge creates real things," Täht said.

"Our biggest challenge was maintaining the attention of potential applicants for a full half-year. We achieved this through very close and intensive cooperation between the university's marketers, faculties, and the best agencies. It is safe to say that hundreds of people contributed to the success of this wonderfully executed campaign," added Kadri Kiigema-Voorel, Head of Strategic Marketing at TalTech.

The competition organized by the Estonian Marketing Association (TULI - fire in English) assesses the effectiveness, efficiency, and data-driven nature of advertising campaigns. In the case of the TalTech admissions campaign, jury members highlighted its precise targeting of the audience, clarity, and impact. "It stood out for its clarity and precision – the right buttons were pushed, and the message was kept simple," noted Madis Eesmaa, Head of Marketing at Rimi Eesti. Emilie Toomela, Head of Marketing at Telia, said it was a very comprehensive work that also included a good dose of creativity. "You can't achieve results without creativity, and vice versa," Toomela stated.

The main award, the Grand Prix, recognized the technical university's campaign for its integrity and versatility. The TULI Grand Prix winner is sent to participate in the prestigious Effie Europe competition.

According to Margit Täht, the central idea of the TalTech campaign was to show how real knowledge acquired at the technical university creates real-life solutions – from smart systems to everyday objects. "The visual and verbal creative solution tied the university's specializations and scientific fields into a whole through recognizable examples, making the message understandable and inspiring to both young and old," said Täht.

Joel Volkov, Creative Director of the creative agency Tank: "We don't think about how the lamp gets into our ceiling, the water into the bottle, or the sneakers onto our feet – but the fact is that without engineers, or technical education more broadly, these things wouldn't exist. We would literally be living in the Stone Age. Understanding this is actually quite a powerful trigger for realizing the true importance of engineering for all of us and for all of humanity. Nobody wants to live in the Stone Age – the future is infinitely more desirable compared to living in a cave. I think the essential simplicity of this perspective was what made the otherwise quite complex nature of the university much more understandable for many. It's also great that TalTech itself embraced this seemingly simple core idea and gave 110 percent to broadly showcase itself as an institution that provides education that creates real value."

Saara Bergström, Project Manager at Tank, said about the campaign that, unlike previous years, the focus shifted from the individual to the system: the university as a whole shaping the future, rather than a collection of single persons. This allowed for the creation of a unified and massive narrative that worked across all channels.

According to Kadri Kiigema-Voorel, the results were exceptional: the number of applications increased by 46% overall, with a 42.4% rise in bachelor's studies and 56.7% in master's studies. The TalTech website was visited over 1.6 million times during the campaign period, organic (non-paid) web traffic grew by 62%, and over 25 million impressions were achieved across digital channels. The conversion rate (clicking the "Submit Application" button in SAIS) also doubled, leading to a record number of admissions for the university.

The three TULImust awards confirm that TalTech is a brand shaping the future of Estonia, connecting knowledge, technology, and people to create real, functioning, and socially significant solutions.

Collaboration and Partners:

• Creative Agency: Tank OÜ
• Media Agencies: Initiative Estonia OÜ and OMD Estonia (HBS Estonia OÜ)
• PR Partner: Miltton New Nordics OÜ
• Client: Tallinn University of Technology