Building Better Campaigns with Blaze: How Knox College Texts with Personality

At Knox College, marketing isn’t just about informing—it’s about connecting. With a creative approach to digital communication and the help of Mongoose, the small liberal arts school in Illinois is crafting campaigns that students actually want to engage with.

Since implementing Mongoose in 2020, Knox has turned texting into a dynamic, student-centered tool that fuels their admissions strategy. Leading the charge is Natasha Caudill, Digital Communications Specialist, who’s helped transform static outreach into coordinated, content-rich, and truly fun campaigns.

Texting doesn’t have to be boring. And when it’s not, students notice.

Natasha Caudill, Digital Communications Specialist, Knox College

From Utility to Creativity

Before Mongoose, Knox’s counselors texted manually via personal phones—creating extra work and inconsistent records. Even after adopting Mongoose, early use was basic: just a few one-off conversations and a default welcome message.

When Natasha joined in 2023, she saw an opportunity to flip the script. Drawing from her background in social media and campaign planning, she helped Knox reimagine texting as a strategic channel, not just a communication tool.

The first few texts I sent, I was terrified. But I quickly realized we could do so much more—and students were actually paying attention.

natasha caudill

Campaigns That Click (Literally)

Natasha and her team began planning around key moments—application pushes, yield season, and student events—syncing their messages across email, text, and social. Texts weren’t just reminders; they were interactive touchpoints with personality.

Blaze the Knox Fox

Newly admitted students now get a celebratory text from Blaze, the college’s quirky mascot. It’s quickly followed by a second message linking to Knox’s TikTok and Instagram—an approach that’s led to real-time boosts in social follows and engagement.

Knox in Your Inbox

To fill a fall communication gap, the team created a weekly email series with biweekly supporting texts. Topics ranged from study abroad to student life, each paired with videos, memes, or quizzes designed to capture attention and spark curiosity.

Live from Flunk Day

Knox’s most beloved (and mysterious) tradition—Flunk Day—got a live-texted makeover. Natasha shared playful updates and photos in real time, giving prospective students an inside look at campus culture. “It made something exclusive feel inclusive,” she shared.

Results That Speak for Themselves

Knox’s approach isn’t driven by hard data—but the qualitative results are hard to miss:

• 230+ quiz completions from one BuzzFeed-style holiday campaign
• Spike in social media follows just minutes after texting campaign links
• Positive replies and shout-outs from students who enjoyed the content
• Fewer “opt-outs” and more engagement across the board

And perhaps most importantly, counselors love it too, because Natasha handles the heavy lifting. She creates and sends the texts, freeing counselors up for the one-on-one conversations that matter most.

Our counselors love it, and students don’t hate it—which honestly means it’s working.

natasha caudill

Why It Works

Mongoose makes all of this possible by giving Knox a flexible, intuitive platform that supports creativity and consistency. Key features the team relies on:

• Shared Inboxes for mascot messages vs. counselor texts
• Easy media sharing for links, quizzes, videos, and images
• Campaign scheduling to align messages across platforms
• Low learning curve for first-time users and small teams

What’s Next

Knox plans to keep experimenting, especially with real-time texting during student traditions like Flunk Day, more social cross-promotion, and interactive content that gets students to click, laugh, and reply.

For Natasha, it’s all about making Knox feel real and relatable through smart, strategic, and student-centered communication.

Trust your marketing and social media people. Students respond to personality, creativity, and fun. If your team has a good idea, let them run with it.

natasha caudill

Download the Full Case Study

Knox College transformed its admissions marketing with Mongoose, turning texting into a strategic, creative channel that engages students where they are.