Sure, there are certainly cases where universities from varying tiers of education may use puns in advertising in order to draw attention to their unique offerings, as the retort pointed out with such examples as Michigan State University and Dartmouth College. However, Nikhil's original concept still stands: the more "punny" college advertising is, the worse the school. To be fair, Michigan State University and Dartmouth College both have impressive accreditations; therefore, for the sake of their argument, we must look at a university with a lower-tier accreditation. Take Ohio University for example; their advertisement reads "Ohio U: Step Up Your Game!" This pun-focused ad might draw potential students' attention, but it only serves to prove why puns often equate to lower-tier universities. We can only assume that the school's accreditation matches the quality of their advertisements.
But it doesn't just stop there. Even the best universities cannot perform a successful ad campaign if they are too trying too hard to be humorous. There are certain occasions when puns can be effective, but most college advertisements don't need them. A great example of an effective ad without puns is Harvard University's slogan "Be Boundless." This concise phrase accurately communicates Harvard's core values without resorting to a pun. Therefore, it is safe to say that The more “punny” college advertising is, the worse the school theory still holds true. UrRong!