Highline Community College is embarking on its first "viral marketing campaign."

The college is reaching out to the teen and young adult populations, especially to males, with a new ad campaign: Don't be an Obert.

"Our research shows that the younger male population is foregoing college. We want to change that trend," said Highline director of communications and marketing Kelly Maloney.

The viral marketing campaign includes two separate and distinct concurrent ad and image campaigns geared toward reaching all audiences.

Each features elements of in-theater advertising, TV commercials, billboards, buses, web pages, and webisodes.

Through a commercial and three support videos, the campaign tracks a group of three friends who are trying to get their other friend to enroll at Highline.

They play pranks on one another and, at the end, the hold-out friend (Obert) is finally enrolled.

"The campaign is about 'experience marketing.' We don't hit the audience over the head with the message, we let them decipher it through the antics of the characters." said Maloney.

A 15-second version of Obert Makes a Commercial is running in the AMC Kent Station, the Auburn Stadium 17 and the new theater in the Federal Way Commons. It will run for a year.

The ad is also being broadcast via KING, KONG and NWCN for two months.

As part of the ad campaign, Highline is creating a web page (highline.edu/obert) where the marketing vehicles will drive the audience.

The audience has the experience of watching the videos, rating them, sending or downloading them and uploading them to YouTube or other such web sites.

In addition, the campaign will include transit and billboard, as well as other elements currently in development.

"We've highlighted programs, faculty, students and alumni in a coordinated campaign that helps the audience understand the value of a community college education, specifically the benefits of getting an education at Highline Community College," said Highline interim president Jack Bermingham.