WHY DO WE EXIST? To Make Great Things Happen for the University of Virginia

OUR PURPOSE Elevate the Reputation of the University & Optimize Brand Equity

OUR GOAL To be the Best Communications Operation in Higher Education

Surprise & Delight Our Audience

BEING THE BEST ALSO REQUIRES EXCEPTIONAL DISCIPLINE AND COMMITMENT

Priorities

Passion

Expertise

OUR DNA:

Reception Photography

Endorse Non-

Conforming Logos

Event Promotion

Video Uploads

Livestream

News Reporting

Blast Press

Releases

Put up a Webpage

Communications

Excellence

Reputation

Scholarship

Value

Innovation

Tradition

Honor

Research

Strategic Communications

Goal

Strategy

Tactics

Channels

Measurement

AWARDS

PRIDE

SHARES Graphic Identity Adoption FACEBOOK LIKES

EARNED MEDIA TREND LINES

Viewership

MOST READ Local

Web Traffic

Tweets

National

Emulation

Benchmarks Peer Inquiries

Open Rates

Click Throughs

393 433 413 422 473 380

537 532 618

462 718

1100

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

American Marketing Association Higher Education Leadership Symposium

23 OF THE TOP 25 UNIVERSITIES IN THE NATION ATTENDED

Regi

stra

tion

Hist

ory

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A

BRAND?

LET’S START BY DISPELLING SOME

MYTHS

A BRAND IS NOT A LOGO

FIRST

A BRAND IS NOT STANDARDS

SECOND

A BRAND IS NOT A PRODUCT

FINALLY

A BRAND is both expectations and emotions you experience when an institution comes to mind.

It is a gut FEELING because people are emotional, intuitive beings.

A brand creates a set of PROMISES established through a relationship with its audience.

A brand creates EXPECTATIONS about what a person will experience during interactions.

WHY BRANDING MATTERS Universities operate in an extremely COMPETITIVE environment.

We compete for students, faculty and university leadership, research grants and awards, state and federal support, and philanthropic support.

A university’s competitive position is affected by how these key

audiences perceive its ACADEMIC STRENGTH and overall

REPUTATION.

A university’s image also plays an important role in reinforcing and

building alumni PRIDE and trust in their university.

STARBUCKS BRAND LADDER

Coffee Experts

Signature Roasting

Coffee Breaks

“The Third Place”

Hot Premium Pricing

Higher Arabica Bean Content

Eco-Friendly, Fair Trade Practices

Health Insurance for p/t Employees

Music

Espresso Based Beverages

Italian Names

Unique Coffees

Displays Explaining Coffee Process

Feeling More SOPHISTICATED

Feeling INDULGENT

Feeling RESPONSIBLE EMOTIONAL

BENEFITS

FUNCTIONAL  BENEFITS  

TECHNICAL    BENEFITS  

Better TASTE (acquired)

A Special Treat, Premium QUALITY

Fair, ETHICAL

RELAXING

BRAND LADDER

Top 5 Ranking

Nationally Recognized Faculty

Superior Lifestyle/Living Experience and College Town

Beautiful Infrastructure

Tradition of Athletic

Excellence

State of the Art Facilities (Labs, Classrooms)

Public/Private Partnerships

Employers Want to Hire UVA Grads

Students with Strong SAT Scores

Research Breakthroughs Attributed to UVA Faculty

Jeffersonian Tradition

Honor Code; Self-Governance

Feel SMART and CONFIDENT ~ I made a great choice and was challenged to discover my true potential in ways that enrich my life experience.

Feel PROUD ~ Through its promise to educate leaders with purpose I am part of a University that successful individuals and organizations aspire to be connected with.

Feel CARED FOR ~ This University does so much for me and for communities in Virginia and beyond.

EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS

Strong ACADEMICS

A National REPUTATION that Helps Me Succeed

Active, Engaged University

COMMUNITY

Activities that Contribute to the

Local/Global ECONOMY

Network Of UVA ALUMNI

TECHNICAL    BENEFITS  

FOUNDATIONAL Organizational Excellence

Leadership Role

Across Grounds Collaboration Graphic Identity & Brand Management

Media Strategy

Building Capacity; Resources

Surprise & Delight

NEAR TERM PRIORITIES

Enhance Reputation

Optimize Brand Equity

Student Experience

Discovery & Innovation

Curiosity-Driven Research

Rich History Recruitment of Distinguished Faculty

Refined Student Recruiting

Value Proposition

STRATEGIC

Portions of this presentation were adapted from Neutron LLC in partnership with New Riders Publishing, Boston Consulting Group and the American Institute of Graphic Arts