branding consultation 2012 final - the su bath · branding consultation 2012 university of bath...

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Branding Consultation 2012

University of Bath Students’ Union

Carrie Blake Deputy Chief Executive (Communication, Marketing & Bars)

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Your name__________________________________ User [email protected] I am

Staff Student staff Student Sabb/ Sabb Elect

Students/ student staff: What is your knowledge of your Students’ Union?

Very good Please explain.. Good Please explain.. Okay Please explain.. Poor Please explain..

I am

Male Female

I am (please tick any that apply):

An Undergraduate PGR PGT International/ EU

Please read: It is really crucial that you follow the process of this document reading through all the explanations and looking at the examples. So please set aside a quiet 20 minutes to do this with careful consideration and concentration. Your responses will help inform us of the direction of our brand, which will improve our services, communication and profile. The cost of a re-brand will be in the existing resources of the Union. It is important to respond instinctively and without discussion. If you don’t know something – that in itself is very valuable information. Do feel free to write any notes or responses to anything you see here. All your responses (to even the examples) are interesting. No responses are right or wrong. If you are involved in the Union, in most cases you will need to please try and respond objectively: put yourself in the shoes of someone just arriving to life as a student at Bath and trying to understand what the Students’ Union is and what it offers.

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The Brand Identity

Values The starting point of building a brand of an organisation is being clear it wants to be known for or its key Values. These are often summarised in three words. Examples:

Money, Quality, Innovation

Trust, Quality and Creativity

Be bold, be open, move fast

Representation, Participation, Inspiration

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Your Students’ Union’s Values:

Q. Circle four boxes that you think your ideal Students’ Union should have as the main things it should be known for:

Accessibility

Effective Innovation Reliability

Accountability

Empowerment Inspiration Representation

Achievement Equality & Diversity

Integrity Respect

Ambitious Excellence Intellectual curiosity

Safe and healthy environment

Best value

Fairness Involvement Student Led

Challenging

Forward thinking

Open and transparent

Supportive: giving good advice and help

Collaboration Friendly & welcoming

Personal development –employability

Sustainability

Creative Fun and Enjoyment

Proactive and responsive

Socially conscious

Democracy

Improvement Professionalism Other..

Development

Inclusivity Quality Other..

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Mission Statement Another part of an organisation’s brand is having a clear organisational promise of what people should currently expect from the organisation (in marketing this is referred to as a Mission Statement). Examples:

We are an independent organisation, registered as a charity, affiliated to Oxfam International, with partners, volunteers, supporters and staff of many nationalities – part of a global movement to build a just and safer world.

We’ fight barriers to education, and empower students to shape both a quality learning experience and the world around them, supporting influential, democratic and well-resourced students’ unions.

To organise the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings.

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The Mission Statement for your Union: Here are seven Promises/ Mission Statements from Students’ Unions - including our current one. Please read though each one and feel free to comment on what you like/ don’t like, as you read them. Then complete the questions below. Promise (Mission Statement) A Our mission is to be a students’ union of excellence delivering our members needs. Promise (Mission Statement) B The Union exists to represent its members and provide them with high quality services, support and opportunities for development to enable them to maximise the benefits of their overall student experience. Promise (Mission Statement) C To improve the experience of student life by providing representation, development opportunities and quality services for all of our students. Promise (Mission Statement) D The Students' Union - creating a better experience for students at University. Promise (Mission Statement) E We exist to enhance the overall experience of all our students and to support the student voice. Promise (Mission Statement) F The Union is student led and student focused organisation. It aims to represent, inspire and involve its members to enhance the University experience Q. Circle the promise which you think is: Most memorable:

A B C D E F Good definition of a strong promise:

A B C D E F Leaves a good impression:

A B C D E F Best represents University of Bath Students’ Union:

A B C D E F

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Vision Another part of a brand is the Vision of the organisation. This is something that is inspirational: what the organisation is working on becoming in the future. Examples:

Our vision is to be earth's most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online

Our vision is a world fit for children

To create a better everyday life for the many people.

To build a better society by excelling in everything we do

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The Vision for your Union: Here are seven Visions from Students’ Unions - including our current one. Please read though each one and feel free to comment on what you like/ don’t like, as you read them. Then complete the questions below. Vision A To be the outstanding students led organisation in the UK Vision B Our Union will be an innovative Students’ Union, enabling all students to participate fully in the academic and social life of the University. We will be a sustainable organisation which prioritises our members’ needs, and will be considered an asset to University and to student life. Vision C To be a leader in promoting change through a highly influential student voice and in delivering nationally recognised, innovative student development and peer support programmes. Vision D Our vision is to endeavour to create a first class student experience that has strong democracy and is inspirational to students. Vision E To be a progressive, forward thinking, vibrant student organisation, which hears, listens to and reflects the student voice and is the champion of the student body. To be a driving force for ensuring students play an integral role in the shaping of their academic and overall experience as students of the University and within their wider local community Vision F The vision of the Students' Union is to be an outstanding organisation that makes a lasting, positive contribution to every student. Q. Circle the Vision which you think is: Shows a clear direction:

A B C D E F Seems inspirational:

A B C D E F Leaves a strong impact and creates something you want to be a part of:

A B C D E F Best represents University of Bath Students’ Union:

A B C D E F

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Straplines Often an organisational strapline/ motto/ slogan is meant to sum up its purpose: emphasising its mission or even vision. .Examples:

Two Students’ Unions:

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Your Students’ Union strap line/ motto: Q. Do you have a phrase or motto that you think would sum up The University of Bath Students’ Union? (Please put any words or thoughts here..sometimes great ideas can come from other people sowing the seed.)

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Visual Branding

Logos Part of having a strong brand is having a clear, easily recognised logo which reinforces what the organisation is about. A good logo should be: simple, effective, memorable, appropriate, timeless and simple. The logo’s overall design (shape, colours, and fonts) should covey an impression about the organisation.

Effective

Memorable/ easy to describe

Appropriate for the target market/ product

Timeless

Simple

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Context: The University of Bath Students’ Union is a student-led, registered independent charity and works to represent students’ views locally and nationally and to the University. It also offers services that enhance the student experience. The Union is partly funded by the University and its commercial operations. The Union is separate to - but works in partnership with - the University. Logo Shape Some Students’ Union logos are completely different from their University:

……………………………..………………………………………………………………..

Some are deliberately linked visually:

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

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Corporate Colours The colours that is used in a logo and everywhere visually, is important in expressing a message about the organisation, because people’s reaction to colours is instinctive. Here are some examples of the way colour has been used to help stimulate a sub-conscious reaction: Examples (Students’ Unions are on the left): ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Green – harmony, renewal

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Red – strong, bold

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Yellow – friendly, happy

.............................................................................................................................................. Orange – creative, youthful

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Blue – authority, security

………………………………………………………………………………………………............. Purple – luxurious, special

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Your Students’ Union and the University logo: Q. I think it is better for the Union:

To have a separate visual identity from the University

To have a logo that reflects the University logo

Please explain why: ………………………………………………………………………. Your Students’ Union’s colours: Q. What two colours would you choose to represent the University of Bath Students’ Union and why? Main Colour: Secondary Colour:

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Students’ Union’s Logos An effective logo should help reinforce a message about the organisation through the design (using colour, shape, fonts etc).

……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Please circle how you would rate this logo overall (thinking of simplicity, effectiveness, message it conveys etc): Poor Okay Good Excellent Reasons?

Please circle how you would rate this logo overall (thinking of simplicity, effectiveness, message it conveys etc): Poor Okay Good Excellent





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Brand Architecture

Context: It is really important that all students are aware of the wide range of services and opportunities that are run and funded by our Students’ Union but also that they serve the core purpose of the Union. Currently, every department, and sections in departments in the SU such as Volunteering, Sport and Societies have their own logos (see page 19 – 21 to see most of them). A department in an organisation can show a visual link to the overall organisational “umbrella” brand, emphasising a clear relation between the main organisational brand and its sub-brands. This is a good example of how the National Museums of Liverpool visually unified all their organisations:

Main “umbrella brand”

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Sub-branding Q. Rate the examples from Students’ Unions below on how well you would easily identify the service as belonging to the Union, purely through the visual link between the main brand and the sub-brand. ………………………………………………………………………………………..

How easily would you identify that the three of the services/ departments belong to the Students’ Union (top logo) through the visual branding?

No link at all – looks like different organisations

Some link – but not obvious they are the same organisation

Quite well linked

Very clear that these all belong within the Students’ Union

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

: How easily would you identify that the three of the services/ departments belong to the Students’ Union (top logo) through the visual branding?



Quite well linked


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Quite well linked


……………………………………………………………………………………………….




Quite well linked


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Q. These are most of the logos of services or areas that are run and funded by The University of Bath Students’ Union. Please circle your answers. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Would you know this was a part of the Students’ Union by the logo? Yes No Please circle how you would rate this logo overall (thinking of simplicity, effectiveness, timeless (not out dated), message it conveys, visual link to Union and if it clearly shows what it service it is):

Poor Okay Good Excellent





Yes No Please circle how you would rate this logo overall (thinking of simplicity, effectiveness, timeless (not out dated), message it conveys, visual link to Union and if it clearly shows what it service it is):






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………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………











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………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………… Q. Your Students’ Union brand and sub-brands: The proposal is that the Students’ Union would have an “umbrella brand” - with all the areas within the Union linking visually with the overall SU brand. Do you think this would help students recognise all the activities and services as belonging to the Union?

Yes No





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Union Structure Q. Look at the departments/ areas within the Students’ Union (1-18). Match them to one of the four categories (A – D) where you think they would naturally fall under.

A - Activities and opportunities to have fun B - Personal Development: improving employability C - Representation D - Support 1. Advice & support ____ 2. Community – local ____ 3. Community – campus ____ 4. Peer (academic) Support/ Peer Mentoring ____ 5. Job Link ____ 6. SORTED Training Courses ___ 7. Volunteering – RAG ___ 8. Enterprise / Banter/ SIFE ____ 9. The Bath Award ____ 10. Academic Representation/ Academic Reps ____ 11. Student Media 12. Backstage ____ 13. Diversity & Support Groups ____ 14. Representation on non-academic issues ___ 15. Sports Clubs ____ 16. Societies ____ 17. Bars ____ 18. Events: Freshers’ Week/ Summer Balls/ Club Nights ____ Q. If you knew nothing about the Union, looking at the titles of Sabbatical Officers (A – E) and match them to the areas within the Students’ Union (1-18) that you would think they would be responsible for. If you would not know by looking at the title – please say so. A - Students’ Union President B - Vice President Activities & Development C - Vice President Education D - Vice President Community & Diversity E - Vice President Sport

1. Advice & support ____ 2. Community – local ____ 3. Community – campus ____ 4. Peer (academic) Support/ Peer Mentoring ____ 5. Job Link ____ 6. SORTED Training Courses ___ 7. Volunteering – RAG ___ 8. Enterprise / Banter/ SIFE ____ 9. The Bath Award ____ 10. Academic Representation/ Academic Reps ____ 11. Student Media 12. Backstage ____ 13. Diversity & Support Groups ____ 14. Representation on non-academic issues ___ 15. Sports Clubs ____ 16. Societies ____ 17. Bars ____ 18. Events: Freshers’ Week/ Summer Balls/ Club Nights ____

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Union Terminology Context: We must communicate with students in the most effective and efficient way possible. The first step is to term things in understandable and clear way. Q. Please imagine you are a first year arriving on campus and know nothing of the Union - all you have is the words we use to interpret a meaning from them. 1a. What is the most obvious terminology for the elected students paid to lead the Students’ Union and represent students for a year? (They may be taking a year off or they may have just graduated).

Sabbatical Officers

Student Officers

Sabbatical Trustees

Other

1b. Do you know a) what “Sabbatical” means and b) why they are called Sabbatical Officers? 2. The Students’ Union runs the recreational and club sports offered to students. It is not a separate organisation and not funded by Team Bath. What is the best terminology to describe this:

Sports Association

Athletic Union

Student Sport

Student Sport Union 3. The Students’ Union offers training courses to help students develop their skills and improve their job prospects. What is the best terminology to describe this?

Student training SORTED Other

4. The Students’ Union offers students the chance to find part-time jobs on and off campus. What is the best terminology to describe this?

Student job shop Job link Job Shop

5. As a new student to campus what would the terms a) SU b) BUSU c) SA/ SUSA mean to you? 6. Would you think the Student Centre is the same as the Students’ Union? 7. What does the Students’ Union Activities include? 8. What expectations would you have when we call a department a “centre” such as the “Volunteer Centre” or the “Enterprise Centre”? 9. What kind of event (size, content) do you expect when we call it “Festival on the Hill”? 10. Are there any terms or expressions the Union uses that you find confusing or misleading?

Thank you for your time!

branding consultation 2012 final - the su bath · branding consultation 2012 university of bath...

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