Archives

On Campus, It’s One Big Commercial

Posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2017

IT’S move-in day here at the University of North Carolina, and Leila Ismail, stuffed animals in tow, is feeling some freshman angst.

A few friendly upperclassmen spring into action.

But wait: there is something odd, or at least oddly corporate, about this welcome wagon. These U.N.C. students are all wearing identical T-shirts from American Eagle Outfitters.

Turns out three of them are working for that youth clothing chain on this late August morning, as what are known in the trade as “brand ambassadors” or “campus evangelists” — and they have recruited several dozen friends as a volunteer move-in crew. Even before Ms. Ismail can find her dorm or meet her roommate, they cheerily unload her family’s car. Then they lug her belongings to her dorm. Along the way, they dole out American Eagle coupons, American Eagle water canisters and American Eagle pens.

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The 20 Most Popular Cities Among International Students

Posted on Tuesday, January 31st, 2017

New data shows the most popular cities among international students as the globalization of education shows no signs of slowing down.

London is the first choice for most, with its unparalleled combination of world-leading universities and cultural attractions.

And the impact of Brexit has yet to be felt in the international education market as six U.K. cities feature in the global top 10 and 13 in the top 20, with the growth of inquiries in studying in the U.K. matching the global trend.

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5 Best Practices when implementing a web content management system

Posted on Monday, January 9th, 2017

Is your institution considering making a long term investment in a digital engagement and web content management system? Before you begin the process of deciding on a vendor, it’s important that you arm yourself with the relevant knowledge that when followed will help keep you on the right path towards success.

We have listed 5 of the best practice tips that you should follow when evaluating the right choice for your institution:

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Stop Marketing Your College Like A Timeshare

Posted on Monday, November 28th, 2016

timeshareEvery time I read an article about campus dining, I think about this segment of the old Yale promo video. In fact, this quarter-century-old loopy video has proven to be a prism through which my former roommates and I view college life – ours and everyone’s.

We must have watched it 100 times. Soon, snippets from the video entered our daily lexicon:

“Every time we sing, we win.” (Singing group member engaged in staged conversation about singing at hockey games.)

“It’s a friendly place. Yale is nothing like my home.” (Comment from student who came from an abusive home?)

“It’s a myth that Midwesterners get worse treatment, ‘cause I’m from Milwaukee, and I’m practically a celebrity here. (Fake laughter ensues.)

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Fall heralds an enhanced marketing and brand campaign with several new twists

Posted on Thursday, September 29th, 2016

brandFall is an exciting time, as York University’s campus communities are abuzz with activity and the next generation of university students begin to contemplate where they want to pursue their post-secondary studies.

In 2015, York launched [OPEN YOUR MIND], a powerful, breakthrough brand advertising and marketing campaign that reflects and promotes the bold, proud and leading initiatives that make York University one of Canada’s top post-secondary institutions.

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Marketing Your School to Millennial Moms in 2016 and Beyond

Posted on Monday, September 19th, 2016

mom_childIt’s no secret that the once “tried and true” school marketing methods are no longer as effective as they once were. As a result, one of the major challenges schools are currently facing revolves around the ability to update their marketing strategy in order to effectively attract and engage today’s parents.

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How To Combine Print And Digital Marketing Campaigns

Posted on Tuesday, August 16th, 2016

WritingTo the digitally devoted, the idea of print marketing might seem like something from a bygone era.

But rest assured – print is not dead.

Inevitably, the medium has had to move over to make room for the explosive rise of digital, but it’s far from becoming a niche format. Some traditionally digital based companies have even started to see the benefits of producing printed magazines or content rich brochures to market their brand (more about that later).

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‘Will they switch off Game of Thrones for this?’ The art of alumni communication

Posted on Tuesday, July 19th, 2016

thronesAs the landscape of higher education becomes more and more competitive, we are encouraged to “create more engagement” with our alumni. But what does that mean, exactly? Call me a curmudgeon, but I hate the word engagement.

As an alumni communications officer I’m expected to embrace it, but this kind of professional jargon becomes devoid of meaning over time. Armies engage; starter motors engage. What alumni teams do is build relationships with strangers. Talking about “engagement” does nothing to grapple with the complexities of that process and the time it takes to get it right.

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University websites: The so-so, the bad, and the egregious

Posted on Monday, July 11th, 2016

bad web siteYes that’s right, it’s time to take a look at university websites and why they are perennially difficult and unpopular. For quite a while I’ve been meaning to write a post about this; it’s a problem that’s ongoing, and one that generates much wailing and gnashing of teeth among regular users of the sites, including current students and faculty. Yet it’s something that never seems to change, or if it does change, it’s merely “upgraded” to a system with new and equally infuriating flaws.

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A Guide to Understanding Audiences and Creating Personas in Higher Education

Posted on Tuesday, June 21st, 2016

Students in hallsFirst developed in the 80’s by Alan Cooper, a software engineer, audience personas have become a key element to any successful design program or marketing strategy. Initially created to understand how different groups of people use software, personas have evolved to help marketing and advertising professionals target very specific groups of people to deliver the messaging and content they want, expect and respond to.

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