the 5 truths of higher ed branding

5 TRUTHSTHE

OF HIGHER ED BRANDING

Things we’ve learned along the way

William Hull FaustManaging Partner

@ologie@williamfaust

ACT 1: A MAD, MAD WORLD Today’s higher ed landscape

ACT 2: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS Communications? Marketing? Branding?

ACT 3: THE FIVE TRUTHS Things we’ve learned along the way

The Agenda

A MAD, MAD WORLD: TODAY’S HIGHER ED

LANDSCAPE

“Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

ACT 1

THE ENROLLMENTLANDSCAPE

• A BUYER’S MARKET Fewer students, with more choices

External Environment



• FINANCIAL FATIGUE Tuition, debt, and ROI





• UNDIFFERENTIATED Everyone looks and sounds the same





• UNDIFFERENTIATED Everyone looks and sounds the same

• HYPERCOMPETITIVE Regionally, nationally and even globally



S T E MS C H O O L S

C O M P R E H E N S I V E U N I V E RS I T I E S

RISD

SCAD

MIT

IIT

Georgia Tech RIT NYU

Stanford

CMU

Cincinnati

MICA Full SailColumbia College

Emerson

E N T E R TA I N M E N T A N D M E D I A

S C H O O L S

CIAParsons

Pratt

ART AND DESIGN

SCHOOLS



C O M P R E H E N S I V E U N I V E RS I T I E S

RISD

SCAD

MIT

IIT


Stanford

CMU

Cincinnati


Emerson

CIAParsons

Pratt

ART AND DESIGN

SCHOOLSMEDIA

SCHOOLS



RISD

SCAD

MIT

IIT


Stanford

CMU

Cincinnati


Emerson

CIAParsons

Pratt

ART AND DESIGN

SCHOOLSMEDIA

SCHOOLS

UNIVERSITIES


RISD

SCAD

MIT

IIT


Stanford

CMU

Cincinnati


Emerson

CIAParsons

Pratt

ART AND DESIGN

SCHOOLS

STEMSCHOOLS

MEDIASCHOOLS

UNIVERSITIES


THE ADVANCEMENTLANDSCAPE

• GENERATIONS OF ALUMNI Engagement is a challenge




• BEYOND ATHLETICS Converting fans to supporters





• COMPETING FOR ATTENTION So many good causes, so little time





• COMPETING FOR ATTENTION So many good causes, so little time

• DONOR FATIGUE Annual funds, capital campaigns, and everything in between

Internal Environment

MEANWHILE, BACK ON CAMPUS...

• STEM VS. LIBERAL ARTS The debate rages on




• PRODUCT VS. PURPOSE Should schools be run like a business?





• THE QUEST FOR DIVERSITY Higher ed’s Holy Grail





• THE QUEST FOR DIVERSITY Higher ed’s Holy Grail

• HAVES AND HAVE NOTS When supply exceeds demand

DISRUPTIONIS COMING

THE BOTTOM LINE:

[And it will take on many forms.]

STRANGEBEDFELLOWS

“If you build it, they will come.”

ACT 2

COMMUNICATIONS?MARKETING? BRANDING?

BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS(or at least finding kindred spirits)

Advancement


Advancement Enrollment


Advancement Outreach Enrollment


Communications



Communications Communications



Communications Communications Communications





Centralized Marketing(CMO)




Institutional Brand Management

Centralized Marketing(CMO)

CMOThe Rise of the Higher Ed

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER



2013Northwestern



2013 2014Northwestern William & Mary



2013 2014 2015Northwestern William & Mary Ohio State



2013 2014 2015 2016Northwestern William & Mary Ohio State Univ. of Georgia

INSTITUTIONALBRANDMANAGEMENT?

• More than a logo• More than a tagline• More than a campaign

But what do we mean by

EXPERIENCEIt’s the total

we promise to deliver to our stakeholders via... PEOPLEPLACEPRODUCT

IDENTITY INSPIRATION INFORMATION

EXPERIENCEManaging the brand

in higher ed requires breaking down the silos...

PEOPLEPLACEPRODUCT

IDENTITY INSPIRATION INFORMATION

Turning brand ambassadors into storytellers is one of the most effective ways to share the experience to engage people to...

STORY....and telling a unified

APPLY

GIVE

ENROLL

CARE

THE BOTTOM LINE:

While an inclusive process can be painful at times, the brand benefits from greater alignment.

PEOPLE SUPPORT WHAT THEY HELP

CREATE.

THE FIVETRUTHS

“Be true to your school.”

ACT 3

OF BUILDING & MANAGING A BRAND IN HIGHER ED

A strong brand looks backwards and forward.

IT’S A BALANCE OF PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

1

Your story must be real and genuine to be believed.

AUTHENTICITYIS EVERYTHING.2

People absorb information differently than they used to.

SHOW ME A STORY.3

Gen ZWe communicateconstantly.Social media is the #1 reason we use the Internet, and we send more than 100 texts a day.

Our digital world is noisy.Our attention span is 8 seconds, and we multi- task across five screens.

No one really cares how you are organized.

COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS REQUIRE SIMPLE STORIES.

4

What’s the one thing at the top of your pyramid?

IT STARTS WITHA BIG IDEA.5

WE RISE

OH, AND ONE MORE THING...(Truth #6, but I didn’t want to change the title)

Launching internally first ensures that branding efforts are more than a campaign.

INSIDE then OUT.6

MOUNTAINEERSGO FIRST.

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU.