‘Doodles’ campaign offers a sweet twist on serious message

Extracurricular activities can represent a sizable chunk of the average family budget. Parents rightly want to ensure that their children are getting as many benefits as possible from the after-school activities they take part in.

With this in mind, Stagecoach, a performing arts school for children has repositioned its brand to place focus on kids’ long-term wellbeing.

Stagecoach, along with launch marketing agency Five by Five, has created ‘Doodles’ which features Stagecoach students, with quirky doodles representing their innermost thoughts. From worrying about school, friends and social media, to dreaming of becoming a barrister, the campaign places an emphasis on acknowledging the difficulties and challenges children may face and giving them the skills they need to be successful in life.

The overall ’Creative Courage for Life’ messaging conveys to parents that teaching performance is also about teaching discipline, concentration and teamwork, and encourages kids to be curious and open to new experiences. With a global network spanning the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and beyond, Stagecoach’s reposition is paving the way to expand its market even further.

Paul Cottrell, executive creative director at Five by Five, says, “Stagecoach is a network of internationally renowned performing arts schools, with over 46,000 students worldwide. It teaches students so much more than how to sing, dance and act, helping them blossom into well-rounded individuals, ready to embrace life and all its opportunities. It helps young people to deal with the pressures they’ll face throughout their lives. With Doodles, we wanted to express the bigger role Stagecoach has on children’s lifelong wellbeing and do that side greater justice.”