SimpsonScarborough: Intelligent Marketing for Higher Education

The truly enlightened higher education marketers and branders are embracing the idea that HOW you promote your brand is as important as what you are marketing. Most of us have read about the Wilkes University campaign which is now a couple years old and still getting attention from major media outlets including another article last week in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Wilkes strategy is designed to communicate the concept of mentoring; one-on-one relationships. They do this so successfully by using an ad campaign developed by a fantastic agency, 160over90, that speaks directly to the University's admitted applicants. As part of the campaign, a Wilkes admitted student might see their name on a kiosk in the mall along with a message personalized for them.

Another great example reinforcing the idea that "you are how you market" comes from Dr. Lisa A. Rossbacher, President of Southern Polytechnic State University, in Marietta, GA. She and her team are going to be presenting an advanced marketing session at this year's AMA Symposium about the huge increases in applications they have generated in the last couple years. They did not increase their marketing budget at all....they just put all their money online and into electronic marketing tools; the change was designed to reinforce their brand as a "techie" type institution.

Message to take home? Every institution needs to find their message...that core differential advantage that you want to deliver to your key target audiences. Once you find it, the manner in which you deliver it is a very important part of the equation. Don't forget to consider your brand when you are deciding on the HOW of your marketing strategy.

Posted by Elizabeth Scarborough at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a Mr. NDSU skit performed on March 18th, four North Dakota State University students stepped over the line. Actually, they trampled the line. One student portrayed Senator Obama in blackface and with afro wig while another gave the first student a lap dance, in the background “two male students dressed as cowboys simulated anal sex while holding an Obama sign that one student ripped at the conclusion of the 30-second performance.”

Wow.

Just in case you are wondering how NDSU is responding to this situation, their dean of students is quoted in the article as saying, ““We’re trying to find out the right approaches for accountability, but at the same time try to heal wounds that have occurred and allow the campus to move ahead.” The article classifies the situation as an investigation of complaints, not an investigation of the behavior of the students. And a suggested timeline for this approach, you ask? The dean anticipates the investigation will take until May 9th, which happens to coincide with the end of the school year.

Wow.

It took me quite a bit less time than a month and a half to determine that NDSU has to make some tough decisions, needs to update its crisis plan and crisis responses and review its student conduct policies and procedures. To quote my co-worker, Meredith Simpson, “You need a crisis plan for your campus not only in case people are on your campus with guns, but also because sometimes college kids just have zero common sense.”

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thank you to Kristine Maloney, associate director for national communications and media relations for the College of the Holy Cross, for sending me an email in response to my posting about March Madness. She pointed out that on March 20th The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote a piece on the 30-second spots produced by Davidson, Drake and University of Maryland- Baltimore County. The article describes how each approached the creation of a “non-traditional” ad and the elements each used. Check it out!

What do Dr. Pepper, Snickers and Skittles have in common? All share their hometown with Baylor University in Waco, Texas. I was lucky enough to visit the Baylor this past week, and I felt like I was home the minute I stepped on campus. Their student affairs office has set the standard, in my mind, for a university’s approach to making students feel like they matter. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit Baylor and you aren’t on the invite list for Jenna Bush’s wedding in nearby Crawford, then please seek out Baylor reps at the next conference you attend. You won’t regret it!

Guess what time of year it is?? Time for these sorts of articles to appear in your local paper! The rankings are coming! The rankings are coming! Even if you are a college participating in the Annapolis Group boycott of ranking beauty contests, I KNOW you still take a peek at where you stand!

Finally, I was just commenting to Loretta Cooper last week that I tell clients to post all of their video on their own site and on YouTube.com. This week, she asked me to share a story from Media Week that stated, “Google has introduced a new, free tool to YouTube that will provide those who post video clips on the mega-popular site--whether they are semiprofessionals or media conglomerates--with deeper insights into when, where and how often their video clips are viewed.” Read the article and stay tuned for more!!

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 06:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I can remember my first (and only) college fair experience clearly…I won’t bore you with all of the gory details, but the sweaty kid to campus rep ratio was about 30 to 1 and it was hard to find what you were looking for and nearly impossible to actually talk to someone. I left with a Clemson pencil and that’s about all.

Well, the times they are a changin’ folks…

CollegeWeekLive is a two-day virtual college fair, and my new favorite topic this week. While this is a new concept for higher education, it uses the technology that high school students use in their daily lives and reaches them on a level in which they are comfortable. Not only is it easier to access (you don’t even have to leave your house) but there is even more interaction possible on this virtual platform than at any normal college fair. If you want to read more about it, check out this great Newsweek article.

In the article, there is a great quote from the Robert Rosenbloom, the CEO of the company that created the event that really sums up the advantages of the virtual fair. He says,

"This isn't just creating 3-D booths in an exhibition hall so you can chat with an admissions person, get information about student life and apply online. In addition to all of that, there's the digital media piece. We're bringing all of this content together, streaming live video interactions with young professionals, experts, admissions officers all in one place—and allowing students and parents to ask questions of these experts, which you would never be able to do in a physical environment"

While using interactive technology that students can appreciate is definitely a plus, there are a number of other issues related to a traditional college fair that you don’t have to worry about. You don’t have to worry about transportation or location, and there is no fear of running out of materials. It is cost effective and much more accessible for all parties. Not to mention it is just really, really cool. Watch the video below to see what I mean.

-- Meredith Simpson

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As horrible as this sounds, there are too many campus shootings in this country for me to post comments on each. Each occurrence stirs emotion and I say a silent prayer for all victims, but some situations hit closer to home. Since I'm human, usually it is those that touch me personally that inspire me to write a blog entry.

Case in point-- today there was a standoff at the University of Louisville. After the woman was disarmed, police discovered she had fatally injured her 11- and 13-year-old children in their home.

Perhaps what resonated most was that this occurred in my husband's hometown, on a campus I know. Or it could be that my motherly instincts went into overdrive in memory of her children. But setting my emotions aside, this is an opportunity to discuss the need to plan for domestic issues that spill over onto our campuses. These types of situations are increasing in frequency, but they are also scenarios that we can plan in advance to address.

One suggestion should you face a similar situation: make sure that the information you communicate in your initial telling of the situation is correct. As we have seen many, many times on many, many campuses, U of L is taking time to correct the woman's status as a student rather than focusing on the successful disarming by the police and the success of their safety protocols. The misinformation was included in their initial web announcement. When you control the message and flow of information, your time is spent advancing your key points rather than correcting details.

Louisville-- my deepest condolences for your losses.

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Teresa Valerio Parrot at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just in case you need a smile on a Monday, see this story.

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Teresa Valerio Parrot at 04:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I cannot even begin to express how excited I am about March Madness, but probably not for the reasons you might think. I love any and all NCAA televised sports not for the athleticism (although as someone athletically challenged I appreciate their skill), not for the competition, but for the schools’ TV promotional spots. In my mind, rating them is more fun than any American Idol competition.

• Ha ha! A tribute to abeedle and Kettering… anyone see that bell tower?
• Wow! That school really just described themselves as student-centered and focused on academics. How do they think that differentiates them?
• :)! I love how the strategically placed collegiate sweatshirts appear in so many ads.
• Bravo! That ad kept my attention and I can tell the voiceover is hitting the Marketing & Communication’s key points without sounding creepy!
• Yikes! ABC University used the talking head president as he walked through campus with a male of medium stature, one female, and an ethnic -looking student while using b-roll with collegiate looking architectural columns. How 1990’s! (For full disclosure purposes, I was featured as "one female" in my alma mater's print materials in the 90's, and my brother was chosen as the "ethnic -looking student" for a mural in the 80's.)

And, for a serious take on March Madness please also read Inside Higher Ed’s story on how well each of the teams are scoring on the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate. In their analysis, Davidson is the winner of the tourney for their APR successes—congratulations to Davidson and their leadership. It is easy to forget that our student-athletes are amazing athletes that are also working towards college degrees and I appreciate IHE’s reminder.

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Teresa Valerio Parrot at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Branding and strategic planning should be closely coupled. In this ideal world your long-term strategic plan outlines your long-term business objectives (including reiterating your commitments to your core mission, and any major changes, extensions, investments, etc.) and your aspirational brand identity (desired reputation points and associations). Likewise your annual plans track and measure your current business performance (rankings, admission yields, graduation rates, faculty recruitment and retention, media hits and exposures, alumni engagement, donor participation, etc.) along with your current brand image and positioning (current brand awareness, reputation, associations, etc.). Doesn’t this sound like Nirvana, Utopia and the Holy Grail all in one?!?! Well, sometimes theory and best practice do not always reflect current reality – but that’s no excuse for not setting out to more closely align your business and brand planning processes!

I mention this now because a recent client project made me think of how branding initiatives usually stem from some ‘trigger’ event. These ‘trigger’ events come in the form of changes in leadership (new presidents, chancellors, deans, vice presidents, etc.), the close or launch of a campaign, fluctuations in performance (unfortunately, usually of the undesirable kind), reactions to trends (decreasing number of college bound children), and as a client just realized the opportunity of transitioning from a school within a college to an independent college within the university. Whatever the ‘trigger’ event may be, the important part is to now view branding as an ongoing process, not just a simple project, and to incorporate branding into your annual and long-term strategic planning. And remember, you’ll never find nirvana, utopia or the Holy Grail if you don’t set out to do so!

-- Lo de Janvry

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Governor Spitzer—

If you live in a glass house, then know people will catch you with a prostitute. Isn’t that how the adage goes?

--Teresa

_____________________________________________________________

Dear Dr. Laura—

You. Are. Priceless. And your outfit and Dr. Seuss boots do nothing to increase your credibility.

--Teresa

____________________________________________________________

Dear Everyone Else—

If you were every looking for an administrative scandal to follow and learn from, the state of New York is providing us with an educational moment. Look to see how Governor Spitzer messages out of this, the messages his colleagues and peers give publicly and to the media, and how collectively these resonate with the citizens of New York. I would never wish scandal or heartache on anyone or their family, but use the moments to shore up your crisis planning and messaging.

XOXO—Teresa

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In going through Christopher’s backlog of emails, Maura forwarded an email from Susan Chilcott, Vice President of Communications for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). In reading the email message, I was thrilled to see Christopher’s book, Weathering the Storm: Protecting Your Brand in the Worst of Times, reviewed in the February/March issue of Public Purpose, which is distributed to AASCU’s 430 member institutions.

Jennifer Herrera, media relations and editorial services manager for AASCU, summarizes the book by saying:

Perhaps most beneficial to communication professionals is Simpson’s frequent use of teaching by example. Throughout the book he draws from high-profile institutional crises to illustrate both successes and failures in post-crisis messaging. He also provides a step-by-step guide to the creation of a crisis communications plan, and peppers the book with advice ranging from how to mobilize your communication team to how to effectively respond to the media.

What fitting words to describe Christopher’s legacy and his teaching methods.

I was lucky enough to be mentored by Christopher for four years. He was a teacher at every step and a supporter through each crises we tackled. Every day was a learning experience, and I was pushed further and harder than I knew possible. My daily goal was to solve problems, teach others and make Christopher proud.

Jennifer has reminded me that Christopher’s lessons live on in his writings and through each of us at SimpsonScarborough. I have learned from the best. His use of random adjectives has been incorporated into my writing style (perhaps not for the best!) and my ability to email at all hours of the night has been solidified. And for all of these I am grateful.

My goals remain to solve problems, teach others and make Christopher proud.

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Darren Garnick wrote a great piece for the BostonHerald.com last week called “Brandeis butters up its brand.” It’s all about Brandeis University’s new campaign, called “The Smart Choice.” The campaign basically seeks to borrow brand equity from Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, and others and associate it with Brandeis. The only thing is, one of the “others” it borrows from is Smart Balance butter spread, which was invented at Brandeis. You can see the reference on the University’s Web site. Garnick’s article explores the strengths and weaknesses of the approach.

I think that, in theory, the University’s strategy is great! Brandeis has obviously recognized that marketing and branding (even when it’s applied to the ivory towers of higher education) must be relevant to the target audience. Let’s face it, college-bound high school students can probably relate more to a butter spread they possibly use every day than they can to a first lady/civil rights activist from the 30s and 40s. Unfortunate as it sounds, Brandeis is simply reacting to and embracing pop culture which we all know is a major driver in the minds of the key target audience for most colleges. What’s great about the Brandeis approach is they take the high road, sandwiching the Smart Balance message in between references to Pulitzer Prize winners and a new science center the University is building. The approach could only be better if Brandeis were responsible for inventing something students really care about, like txt messaging, YouTube, Facebook, or Lindsay Lohan.

Posted by Elizabeth Scarborough at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, I did a presentation this morning at the Spring meeting of an organization called CUPRAP, the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania. The first snap! snap! to CUPRAP is for holding the meeting at the old Hotel Hershey where a chocolate bar accompanies your room key and “kisses” are on your pillow at night. (Note to self….take kids for weekend this summer.) The second snap! snap! to CUPRAP is for effectively filling a gap somewhere between CASE and AMA. The organization now has almost 400 members and has expanded well beyond Pennsylvania and PR. They have members from the surrounding state and in areas including media relations, the Web, marketing, etc. Board Member, Ray Betzner, from Temple University, described how CUPRAP is testing new names which more appropriately describe the current and future scope of the organization. If you work at an institution basically anywhere in the northeast or Mid-Atlantic, look into becoming a member.

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)