Talking Stick - May/June 2008 - (Page 48)

Strike Up the Brand and emotional associations, Coke speaks loudly – and for 122 years, the world has been listening. In this way, products have become social phenomena that “connect with culture and reach people’s hearts,” explains Marc Gobé, contemporary marketing guru and author of several books on emotional branding. By projecting a statement through a product, a company or institution can directly broadcast its ideals and personality. The product becomes an ambassador whose message distinguishes it from its competition. PHOTOS: HESTER + HARDAWAY The sun sets on Pitzer College’s Sanborn Hall, which houses 178 students. Distinction as Competitive Edge Just as there are numerous brands of a single product on the grocery shelf, there is a wide range of choices in the college market for today’s consumers. With more than 4,000 higher-education campuses in the United States, distinction is critical to a school’s competitive edge. Only a sliver of these can boast instant name recognition, often due to historic heritage or a speciﬁc academic orientation. Many of the rest know they need a clearly discernible identity. The result of this image race, fueled by media rankings, is an intense, ongoing competition, with an institution’s bottom line at stake. To successfully compete, contenders must borrow the retail industry’s marketing methods and embrace the concept of brand. This marketing style can establish public recognition of a school’s culture by literally and ﬁguratively superimposing its image and personality across the entire academic institution. According to the tenets of emotional branding, the initial step is for a school’s governing body to hone in on the values, goals, and atmosphere of its institution. Usually this effort encompasses all branches of the campus community through surveys, discussion, focus groups, and research. Before choosing an identity comes serious collective soul-searching, often overseen by an outside consultant who serves as a conduit in the process. “A school’s identity – or culture – is an indicator of its quality, reputation, and values,” explains Jeff Haack, associate principal of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE, a San Diego-based strategic design ﬁrm. “The key is to develop the style organically – that is, extract the identity directly from the university’s existing culture.” “Every aspect of communication representing a particular academic brand must reinforce what is memorable, distinctive, and relevant about that particular school’s culture,” Haack continues. “We believe that a healthy college identity reﬂects the culture within and conveys a message about the people, places, philosophy, and ideas that make it unique.” Once an identity is clariﬁed, this ethos must be cultivated throughout the entire institution. From academics and athletics to dorm rooms and dining rooms, the daily operations and lifestyle of the college become part of a consistent and uniﬁed message. The built environment of a campus is a highly visible element that easily lends itself to brand identiﬁcation and even marketing. Consider the Gothic towers and Colonial chapels that have taken on iconic stature 48 Talking Stick

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - May/June 2008

Talking Stick - May/June 2008 Contents Online Now Vision Just In Your ACUHO-I Transitions Res Life Facilities Business Calendar Managing Move-In Madness Strike Up the Brand 44 for the Future There Goes the Neighborhood Academic Communities Conversations First Takes Reporting Out New Members On the Spot

Talking Stick - May/June 2008

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