Congratulations to Mercedes College, SA who were recognised as winners in the 2026 educate+ Excellence Awards
Category: Marketing Campaign – Digital
In Adelaide’s competitive independent school market, Mercedes College wanted to show prospective families what makes our community distinctive. Our social media analysis offered a useful starting point: short video reels consistently outperformed static imagery, particularly when students spoke for themselves.
That insight became ‘Behind the Hedge’, a video series launched in April 2025. Named after the heritage-listed hedges that have framed our College for more than 70 years, it invited audiences into the conversations, humour and relationships that shape everyday life.
Rather than telling families that students feel known and connected, we wanted them to see those relationships for themselves.
Start with relationships, not scripts
We paired students and teachers from different year levels and learning areas, using simple conversation prompts to encourage stories and genuine interaction.
The prompts gave each conversation direction without prescribing the answers. We allowed participants to be themselves and deliberately retained the laughter, unexpected responses and personality that made the exchanges engaging.
For other practitioners, the starting point is to identify what you want families to understand about your school, then consider which relationships could demonstrate it. Choose prompts that invite specific memories and everyday experiences rather than rehearsed endorsements.
Film efficiently and plan for flexibility
Working with our Marketing team, our videographer edited the conversations into short reels. Two half-day filming sessions produced a substantial content library for release throughout the year, alongside our other social media content.
Batch filming made production manageable, while flexible scheduling helped individual clips remain relevant.
One student’s morning routine, including her 7.07am alarm, became a daylight saving reminder. Another student’s memories of an Intercol victory helped build anticipation for the next carnival.
The practical lesson is to review footage for several possible uses. A conversation recorded months earlier may connect naturally with a seasonal moment, event or campaign.
Measure response and community connection
Across approximately 51 weeks, we published 31 reels on Instagram and Facebook, generating more than 25,000 interactions, including likes, reactions, shares and saves.
A light-hearted lunchbox conversation reached 193,000 people, generated 5,151 interactions and attracted 193 new followers, alongside local media coverage.
Another reel featuring two Year 12 students discussing why they loved Mercedes reached 194,000 people, generated 5,142 interactions and attracted 253 followers.
Beyond the numbers, students and staff eagerly anticipated new episodes. Participation became sought after, with volunteers keen to appear in future reels. The series became part of our College culture.
For practitioners, this means looking beyond reach alone. Track interactions and follower growth, but also notice whether your community recognises itself in the content and wants to participate.
‘Behind the Hedge’ worked because it made our relationships visible. The approach is practical to adapt: begin with channel insights, create space for natural conversations and build a realistic production schedule.
Key Takeaways
- Use your own channel data to guide content decisions.
- Give conversations direction while allowing personalities to emerge.
- Batch filming, connect clips with relevant moments and measure both digital response and community participation.
