SimpsonScarborough is the data-driven partner for higher education marketers. 

We're extraordinarily proud to announce the promotion of Perrie Howes to the role of Director, Project Management Office. 

Early in my career as a higher ed market researcher, I never would have imagined working with provosts and deans to study the demand for potential new programs. Decision-making related to new programs rested squarely with the academics among the administration; the opinions of marketers were rarely factored in. Assessment criteria included organizational fit, investment requirements, operational costs, and possibly some broad secondary data on job trends. The most important factor seemed to be the existence of a strong and effective champion for the program among the faculty. From a marketing perspective, the attitude seemed to be, "If you build it, they will come." Marketers, of course, know that only happens in the movies.

Design thinking is a methodology that provides a solutions-based approach to solving real-world problems. In the world of higher ed marketing, it can be a framework to help address big questions and solve challenging problems by focusing on a target audience and working backward to find a solution. This can be especially useful in solving complex problems that are ill-defined or completely unknown. According to the Hasso-Platner Institute of Design at Stanford University (more commonly known as the d.school), there are five stages to design thinking: 

It was just a simple note — four words on an index card that I scribbled in Sharpie and tacked to the wall of our agency studio: 

This is a guest post from one of our industry colleagues, Michael Imber.  Michael is a Managing Director at Conway MacKenzie, part of advisory firm Riveron, and has extensive experience working with higher education institutions and not-for-profit enterprises. This is the first of a two-part series on institutional value proposition as a means of driving long-term sustainability.

Last March, the role of the higher education marketer and communicator changed in an instant. Long-term planning went out the door, sacrificed for just keeping up with day-to-day decision-making and pandemic communications. Institutions had to shift to remote instruction overnight. Residence halls emptied. Admission offices had to enroll a class without the ability to hold in-person events for admitted students. All communication with internal and external audiences shifted to virtual. The demands on higher ed marketers became very near-term focused.

What is your brand? It’s a question we should constantly come back to, whether or not we’re being asked or making strategic and tactical decisions. A university’s brand is more than a positioning statement, and it’s more than its expression: the display ads that drive awareness and the viewbooks that help compel a prospect to apply. As we know, brands are built on institutional culture and on ownable strengths that make us relevant and distinct from peers. But for our customers — those who buy in — a brand is consumed every day based on a promise of what that experience would be.  

We're extremely proud to announce the promotion of three of our team members: Kristen Creighton, Chelsea Woodard, and Steven Lovern. At SimpsonScarborough, our core values — authenticity, confidence, high-performance, independence, enthusiasm & collaboration — shape who we are and how we work together. These individuals embody those values and help us continually challenge ourselves to set the bar higher.

In 2020, higher ed marketing and admissions teams diligently leaned into the headwinds of the digital and physical landscape at their feet. Many institutions quickly pivoted to expand their digital presence to secure and retain the relationships they foster with alumni, current students, and prospects that are so vital to conversion and engagement. The agility, time, and experience required to do this successfully leave many institutional teams drained or burnt out, not surprisingly so. Pressure to perform has rarely been higher.