Someone once said they didn’t know if there were 4,000 colleges and universities in the country or 1 college with 4,000 locations! As we enter recruitment season, consider the following benefits stated by many colleges and universities today: 1) small classes; 2) personalized attention; and 3) quality faculty.
Now Google each phrase and limit the results to .edu web sites.
- Small classes? Yields over 49,000 results
- Personalized attention? Over 10,000
- Quality faculty? Over 22,000
Amid increasing competition and more professional enrollment marketing approaches, colleges and universities are challenged to differentiate their brands. Two institutions have recently taken bold – perhaps controversial – steps to stand out in the educational market place.
Be the Bear – Mercer University
Mercer University recently launched their Be the Bear campaign by posing the question, “When do Bears Attack? After Graduation!”
What does it mean to be a Mercer Bear, the school’s mascot and now centerpiece of the marketing campaign? According to their ad:
- Mercer Bears don’t just learn. They master.
- They don’t just accomplish. They thrive.
- They don’t just compete. They dominate.
Beyond the splash ad located on the Atlanta Journal Constitution online edition, the Mercer web site has an entry page for the campaign, however I didn’t see much evidence of the theme carried through to the University’s Facebook and Twitter presence. The admissions office has a separate Twitter handle, however the theme is largely absent there as well.
I did see a prominent banner recently displayed (on right) in one of the atriums at Phipps Plaza, a high-end shopping mall in the Atlanta Buckhead area.
D+ – Drake University
Your potential + Drake’s Opportunities = The Drake Advantage. This new equation is generating buzz in higher education for it’s bold, yet controversial message. In a recent blog post for Inside Higher Ed, Jack Stripling asks the question, Does the Drake Ad Pass? The story has now been picked up by the national media through Yahoo!.
The campaign attempts to move beyond the expected (small classes? personalized attention?) and define a message that is uniquely Drake. According to the article, when viewed in context, the “D+” is meant to be part of an equation, suggesting Drake + you equals something, well, awesome. That said, Drake officials aren’t running away from a campaign they say they knew was “edgy” for the very reasons some are now criticizing it.
The “D+” graphic is part of a larger campaign dreamed up by Stamats Higher Education Marketing. The firm anticipated some might first view the logo as a grade, but the graphic was always intended to be paired with prose that would deliver a positive message about the Drake experience, said Fritz McDonald, vice president of creative strategy at Stamats.
The online pundits commenting on the post offer the following:
“Reminds me of a bright idea I had for a mailing to 150,000 prospective students. To encourage them to open the envelope I put "What kind of place is (institution name)? Unfortunately, right next to that question was something for the Post Office; THIRD CLASS.”
“Well, real universities do not need to resort to this type of silly marketing to promote themselves. Marketing is fluff. Quality universiites (sic) have substance and the substance is with the faculty. Facts are students select a university because of the faculty. It is the faculty that bring the name recognition and distinction to any university including public or private.
“This is a genious (sic) marketing strategy that has people talking about D and has increased traffic to their website. It may not get many scholars to seriously consider D but will sure get those C and D student who will interpret to be welcomed and appreciated. Since this seems to be their goal then those consultants are worth every penny and administration will be recognized for thinking outside the box.”
As the commenters are anonymous, it’s hard to know if we are hearing the thoughts of other practitioners … or competitors of Stamats.
The Relationship of Risk and Reward
Whether the campaigns or good or bad, only time – and results - will tell. However, both institutions are to be commended for taking a risk to not only stand out, but in a way that seemingly speaks to their values and missions.
If your institution is pursuing a branding initiative, consider the following:
1. Be prepared for the long haul
Branding efforts must be sustained over the long term. Make sure the institutional will – and resources – are there at the outset.
2. Deliver it
Nothing sinks branding efforts faster than not delivering upon what you claim.
3. Market internally
If I visited the Mercer campus today and asked a random student what it means to the “Be the Bear”, would they know?
