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Cambridge Uni tries to get on Corrie to improve image

Ad-Alta

Surely no more narrow minded or simplistic than assuming that a certain demographic is going to be influenced by a television soap?

No, quite a bit more so.

And even if it was possible to quantify levels of narrow mindedness and they were found to be the same, the one context can do no harm, but holds the potential for great good, while the other is a causal factor behind the recurrent nature of the problem for which Cambridge have employed this strategy to counteract.

Reply 121

Rudrax

12

Craghyrax

No, quite a bit more so.

And even if it was possible to quantify levels of narrow mindedness and they were found to be the same, the one context can do no harm, but holds the potential for great good, while the other is a causal factor behind the recurrent nature of the problem for which Cambridge have employed this strategy to counteract.

Win. lol.

Reply 122

Craghyrax

17

Chewwy

whoops, lol

Damn you, Chewwy :p:

My Quote Box called me back to check :huff:

Reply 123

Ad-Alta

14

Craghyrax

And even if it was possible to quantify levels of narrow mindedness and they were found to be the same, the one context can do no harm, but holds the potential for great good, while the other is a causal factor behind the recurrent nature of the problem for which Cambridge have employed this strategy to counteract.

I disagree, because all the replies seem to assume I have a problem with the 'working classes' (which is the demographic Cam is seeking to attract by this measure) when in fact I don't. I came from a state school, so I'm certainly not a privately educated, 'snobbish' individual.
My only issue is that I think it's pointless because in doing this, they're just perpetuating more stereotypes by the way they're trying to publicise themselves. I generally dislike 'advertising' because personally I think it cheapens any university which resorts to it, regardless of whatever reason they're doing it for.
That's just my opinion - none of us can control what Cambridge does now/will do in the future about this matter.

Reply 124

Chewwy

17

Ad-Alta

I generally dislike 'advertising' because personally I think it cheapens any university which resorts to it

give me one good reason why that's so.

Reply 125

Arrogant Git

Ad-Alta

My only issue is that I think it's pointless because in doing this, they're just perpetuating more stereotypes by the way they're trying to publicise themselves.

How? The level of misinformation about Cambridge admissions in the media is ridiculous. Most people from state comprehensives don't have a clue about what actually goes on. Cambridge tries to get its message across through the newspapers and through schools, but for every letter Geoff Parks or a student access officer writes to a newspaper or sixth form, there are ten from Oxbridge Applications or wherever peddling misinformation in order to flog their grubby services. Teachers are still passing the wrong facts to their pupils and potential applicants could be put off.

Having a character in Eastenders go through the admissions process to Cambridge in a storyline could do far more in terms of dispelling myths about Cambridge than any amount of well-meaning letters to the Telegraph. It's not just the 'working class pupils' they are targeting- teachers and parents who would otherwise be telling kids that Oxbridge is elitist might be find their prejudices challenged by seeing what happens in the interview process (albeit in a fictional setting).

I generally dislike 'advertising' because personally I think it cheapens any university which resorts to it, regardless of whatever reason they're doing it for.

If advertising encouraged a talented applicant who would otherwise not have applied, then I'm happy for my university to cheapen itself.

Reply 126

Ad-Alta

14

Chewwy

give me one good reason why that's so.

We're getting back into the grounds of another thread that was around here a while ago about universities and advertising. I'd just be reiterating what some posters had said on there. I'm just bemused as to why everyone's happy to slag DMU off for its infamous TV advert, but Cambridge doing a similar thing is somehow saintly.

You think one thing, I think another - people differ, that's life.

Reply 127

Chewwy

17

Ad-Alta

We're getting back into the grounds of another thread that was around here a while ago about universities and advertising. I'd just be reiterating what some posters had said on there. I'm just bemused as to why everyone's happy to slag DMU off for its infamous TV advert, but Cambridge doing a similar thing is somehow saintly.

You think one thing, I think another - people differ, that's life.

in other words, you can't. thus your whole argument is baseless. cool.

the reason why one might slag of De Montfort is because in league-table terms it isn't very good, yet it bigs itself up a lot in a desperate to fill places up through clearing. This Cambridge thing is COMPLETELY different - the aim here is to challenge long-existing misconceptions and attract talent.

Reply 128

Jigglypuff

16

The first time I heard of 'Oxbridge' was on Coronation Street years ago, and I'm at Cambridge now. It obviously didn't inspire me to apply or anything like that, but I had never heard of Oxbridge before and it did result in me at least google-ing the two universities and finding out a bit about them.

I don't get why Ad-Alta is so adamant this won't work. In my opinion there are better ways to attract students from less traditional backgrounds to apply, dispel myths etc but let's be fair-- Cambridge do quite a lot in terms of access already, so it's not like this is the one thing they've done. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but there's nothing to lose.

Ad-Alta, if you have any better ideas get involved in access yourself and stop whinging about something that although is not going to work on a large scale, might get a few people interested in applying to Cambridge.

Reply 129

Good bloke

19

Ad-Alta

Surely no more narrow minded or simplistic than assuming that a certain demographic is going to be influenced by a television soap?

You may not realise it, but the whole advertising industry is built on the concept of market segmentation. You can identify the type of person or family that has a greater disposition to watch certain programmes, read certain magazine or newspapers. From this knowledge you can target your marketing message reasonably accurately.

Reply 130

Ad-Alta

14

Chewwy

in other words, you can't. thus your whole argument is baseless. cool.

As far as I'm aware, an opinion is diametrically opposed to anything factual, so there was never any base. Also, I'm not arguing with anyone - these are just my thoughts; if they're oppositional to yours, then so be it.

Jigglypuff

I don't get why Ad-Alta is so adamant this won't work.

I never said it wouldn't work, I just don't like their way of doing it. Geez, I don't know why everyone has leapt onto my (original) single post when other people have said similar things throughout this thread.

Reply 131

Craghyrax

17

Ad-Alta

I disagree, because all the replies seem to assume I have a problem with the 'working classes' (which is the demographic Cam is seeking to attract by this measure) when in fact I don't.

You said:

...I just don't grasp why they seem to want to boost a certain student demographic. People who are intelligent will always know about Oxbridge, regardless of whatever 'class' they are.

This suggests that all intelligent students perceive Oxbridge as an option because they know about it. By extension, we should do nothing to encourage state school applicants, because if they don't get here off their own backs they either weren't intelligent enough or didn't want to come. Judging by the implications of your comment, probably the former, as all intelligent students know about Oxbridge. If they don't know about it, they're probably not smart enough.

More to the point, it also suggests that the only psychological barrier that could prevent state school students from applying is ignorance. As I said before, this is overly simplistic and narrow minded.

The above would be true of what you said, were you to simultaneously cherish dreams of improving social circumstances for state-schoolers for the rest of your professional life. If you disagree with the suggestion that you have a problem with 'working' classes - fair enough! However that is still entirely irrelevant to everything I said, as I was responding to the literal content of your comment rather than forming and responding to any assumptions about your unstated views and prejudices. As a result, your objection is tangential and does not provide any reason for disagreeing with my criticism.

Ad-Alta

They're just perpetuating more stereotypes by the way they're trying to publicise themselves.

Could you describe what sort of stereotypes you're thinking of specifically? Personally I think Cambridge advertising themselves through the plot of a soapie is about as counter-stereotypical as you could ask for.

Ad-Alta

I generally dislike 'advertising' because personally I think it cheapens any university which resorts to it, regardless of whatever reason they're doing it for.

If it brings about even a small amount of positive social change, then it is a good thing whether or not you find it tasteful.

Ad-Alta

We're getting back into the grounds of another thread that was around here a while ago about universities and advertising. I'd just be reiterating what some posters had said on there. I'm just bemused as to why everyone's happy to slag DMU off for its infamous TV advert, but Cambridge doing a similar thing is somehow saintly.

You think one thing, I think another - people differ, that's life.

Unless you either 'reiterate what some posters said' or link us to the posts, this just creates the impression that you don't really want to justify your opinion.

Ad-Alta

Geez, I don't know why everyone has leapt onto my (original) single post when other people have said similar things throughout this thread.

I read the OP at the start and didn't check the thread again until yesterday when the last page happened to contain your post. I didn't want to read through the rest of the thread.

If half of the thread including yourself had committed murder, would that make you less responsible for your action? Either answer for your posts or accept that they're unreasonable.

Reply 132

Chewwy

17

Ad-Alta

As far as I'm aware, an opinion is diametrically opposed to anything factual, so there was never any base. Also, I'm not arguing with anyone - these are just my thoughts; if they're oppositional to yours, then so be it.

opinions should still have reasons behind them..

Cambridge Uni tries to get on Corrie to improve image

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