As students get ready for an entirely new academic year with an unexpected twist on online classes, schools are also doing their part in making sure they’re fully equipped for its drastic changes. One university that has gone beyond the usual reminders and encouraging posts is De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) with its new series of videos introducing BeTH.

The campaign was to promote Benildean Trailblazing Habits (BETH) online, with a fun little project from their staff that showcases what happens on and off camera during Zoom sessions. The short films starred real Benildean Associates, students, and professors who participated in filming witty skits that depict the new reality of online classes and meetings: munching on snacks during lectures, getting sidetracked in conferences with skincare discussions, and being rudely interrupted by pets, children, and garbage collectors outside the gate.

The promotional videos leading up to the big reveal also featured these professors doing some silly things on camera for the shoot, which understandably appealed to the student body. There were flash outfit changes after video calls to go to the market before curfew, a sneak peek into BeTH’s group of friends pretending to have bad reception to avoid answering their bosses’ deadline-related questions, and one professor even stood up after his call to reveal shorts below his corporate long-sleeved polo.

Produced and edited by the VCA Project BeTH Team themselves, the series of films was an instant hit to students of the university, and even to alumni who saw some familiar faces on screen. This resulted in high social media engagement for all the videos released pre-BeTH reveal, showcasing the entertainment value of the short films, and its effectivity in promoting solidarity and understanding within the staff towards the student body.

The BeTH campaign overall is a smart and witty way for the university to reach out to students, parents, and faculty members struggling with the new reality of online classes. In its videos, the message is clear—DLS-CSB sees these struggles and challenges and tells its community that they’re all going through the same thing.

The launch videos also ended with a message from the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Academics, assuring parents and students that they’re doing their best to find more ways to innovate and preserve the quality of education while putting the needs of its students first.

 

Since the big reveal was launched on September 6, the College of Saint Benilde has been using the campaign to share tips and insights to help students with the current school year online with the tag #BethInOurHearts: