University Business - February 2007 - (Page 48)

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To help build the case, Flannery’s team documented the lack of recognition of excellence across the institution which most internal audiences already recognized when it came to their own program , which they linked to a failure to use a small number of memorable, authentic, strategically chosen messages and graphics. “Once we provided a rationale for supporting a branding program, many were willing to give up a degree of autonomy if it meant they would get more recognition and awareness in return,” Flannery says. The University of Maryland also had to overcome the tendency to develop an approach that made it seem more “Colleges continue to say a lot of like other institutions—when you are on the way up, there things simultaneously, and end is a desire to prove you fit in. From the standpoint of many stakeholders, Flannery says, “There was comfort in mesup communicating very little to an sages that established our belonging to a group of other top over-messaged public.” research universities. But from a branding standpoint, that would have been a colossal waste. It took courageous lead—Mike Norris, Centre College ers, willing to take risks, to support original approaches that reinforced our distinctiveness, not our similarities. “President Dan Mote, for example, wanted no beakers, lab coats, or filtered beauty shots of the campus in our public service ward trajectory: improved admissions applications, student qualiannouncements,” Flannery adds. “He wanted something so unique fications, retention and graduation rates, faculty recruitment, facthat people would remember it 10 years hence. And they have.” ulty recognition, research expenditures, private giving, number of Determining whether a strategy is effective is a key step in alumni members and donors, etc. maintaining long-term commitment. When they began the process Flannery says the one piece of advice she has for a college or more than 10 years ago, Flannery says, Maryland ranked second university about to undertake a brand strategy is to be ready to or third in terms of audience awareness, and there was significant take advantage of unplanned opportunities. “We didn’t plan for confusion with other institutions’ names and missions. Now re- 18-wheelers traveling up and down I-95 between Washington search shows Maryland ranks first among public or private institu- and New York to carry ‘Fear the Turtle’ messages, but a supporttions in Maryland and the Greater Washington–Baltimore region ive alumnus and trustee, Robert Facchina, offered 17 from his by a wide margin—20 percent over the second-ranked institution, company, Johanna Foods, which travel that route every day. We according to a recent poll. grabbed the chance to deliver millions of impressions with an outIt is important to note, too, that they deliberately chose to con- sized terrapin and messages that conveyed our brand values, and centrate their resources on regional branding first, before widening Bob was happy to help his alma mater. As a result, more and more the focus to selected national opportunities. people ‘Fear the Turtle’ on I-95!” “Nearly every direct measure of awareness, support, and loyalty See videos from University of Maryland’s “Fear the Turtle” among core audiences has also increased during Maryland’s brand- campaign online at www.universitybusiness.com/media . ing efforts,” says Flannery. “Most audiences demonstrate awareness and pride in the institution that was not there prior to the brand Centre College becoming established. We see this in our data on applications, en- Centre College, a highly rated liberal arts institution of 1,150 in rollment, graduating, giving, joining, advocating, and so on.” Danville, Kentucky, decided to commit resources for a very specific Flannery notes that while one would not suggest a direct cause- reason: to gain more consistency in its student recruitment results. and-effect relationship between branding and such behaviors, she Mike Norris, Centre’s director of communications, says that while is certain it facilitated outcomes that are all showing the same up- the college was generally in a strong position, recruiting was one 48 | February 2007 universitybusiness.com Branding.indd 48 1/22/07 10:32:53 AM Warning : Unknown : The session id contains invalid characters, valid characters are only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 in Unknown on line 0 Warning : Unknown : Failed to write session data files . 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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - February 2007

Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
Stats Watch
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Admissions
On The Hill
Future Shock
Facilities Focus
Independent Outlook
Flu Pandemic Prep
Advancing the Brand
The Picture’s Getting Clearer
Groundbreaking Ideas
Gotta Get a Message to You
Internet Technology
What's New
calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - February 2007