The Conversation Group

Challenge:
Launching a groundbreaking school of higher education dedicated to teaching the next generation of science leaders on the convergence of exponentially accelerating technologies. The school faced a number of challenges, not the least of which was that its namesake, “Singularity,” had an identity more closely associated to science fiction than science. But the biggest challenge was to launch the school in February with enough momentum to enroll a first class in June — a four-month ramp.

Solution:
TCG approached the launch of the university by (a) directly addressing the controversial elements of its story, and (b) by engaging a critical mass of influencers — with vast global reach — ahead of the launch. Result: on the first day of the launch, several dozen traditional and social media influencers reported, including The Associated Press, The Financial Times, Business Week, and the BBC. And within one week, more than 300 traditional media outlets around the globe followed, filing unique stories tailored to local audiences. Singularity University quickly attracted thousands of world-class applicants, and subsequently launched its first term with great success and fanfare.