When I noticed the first new TV commercial for Kaplan University, I was intrigued. Then, when I caught the second TV commercial in the new campaign, I was impressed. Yes, I will admit that I was compelled to watch because I work in higher education marketing and branding and this was something new. However, I was equally impressed by the strong, powerful, bold message that is often absent in higher education. Well done.
Leaving nothing to chance, Kaplan’s savvy marketing team and agency (Ogilvy & Mather) carried the message over to the Website. The social networking aspect of the campaign greatly enhances the message and continues the conversation well beyond the commercials or print ads. Well done, indeed.
I’m constantly preaching the importance of a strong brand message that truly differentiates your institution. This is not an easy task. Kaplan took the essence of what makes their university unique, crafted a differentiated brand story, and translated it into a compelling ad campaign. And, equally important, Kaplan had the courage to stand up and make this bold statement.
As you may know, many colleges and universities in the US have been offering what Kaplan is proclaiming for years—offering flexible online learning options beyond the traditional classroom environment. The difference is that Kaplan has communicated it in a compelling, memorable, and motivating campaign. They own this message, at least for a little while, until the next big idea.
If you had told me a year ago that I would be writing about Twitter, well, I would have thought you’re crazy. And here we are. Ironically, I was sitting at an American Marketing Association lunch last week and the topic happened to be on social marketing. The nice lady next to me was swiftly plugging away on her iPhone during lunch. I thought to myself, this poor lady is so overworked that she doesn’t even have a free moment to enjoy this wonderful speaker filling our minds with insight on social networking. Ahhh . . . only moments later I discovered she was Tweeting away while we were learning about Twitter. Wow!
For many education marketers out there, you’re still wondering what this is all about and if you should be incorporating it into your daily routine. First, let’s define it. Twitter.com provides this description on its Website: “Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?”
There’s a great video (Twitter in Plain English) that provides a simple and helpful overview of how it works.
Twitter Video on YouTube
How can you employ Twitter into your college or university communications?
- Post short media announcements about your programs and events
- Have an event ambassador that reports on happenings throughout campus
- Follow the college president
- Follow a student’s life (to share the “day-in-the-life” experience of your college or university)
- Follow a successful/high-profile alumni to share what life after graduation is like
- Going green? Appoint a “green” reporter to keep tabs on the daily green initiatives around campus (selecting paper over plastic can be inspiring)
If you are in education marketing and/or communications, you need to have some metrics behind this new media outlet. Thanks to David Smith at MediaPost for providing a list of Websites that help you measure your tweets. As David mentions in this article, Twitter is a great place to learn about social networking, keep up with the competition, and track any general topic of interest.
http://twinfluence.com/
http://tweetrush.com/
http://tweetlists.com
http://tweetvolume.com/
http://twitter.grader.com/
There’s even a Twitter group for higher education that you can join. It’s great for beginners who want to connect with people already tweeting! Good luck!
As the use of online social networking tools such as Facebook continue to grow on campus (and beyond), the debate continues with student affairs administrators as to how to use and/or monitor these tools. A new book offers some guidance in these areas: Online Social Networking on Campus: Understanding What Matters in Student Culture.
Inside Higher Ed interviewed the authors and revealed interesting insight regarding social networking as the “digital exchange of cultural norms” for students, how the line between real worlds and digital worlds can sometimes be blurred by students, and issues regarding faculty participation on Facebook. The authors also mention that SNS will eventually become an instructional tool (noting that Facebook has already partnered with a course management system).
From a communication and branding perspective, I believe the last paragraph regarding the continued use of Facebook after graduation is important. When we talk about lifelong learning and the student lifecycle, colleges and universities already know they need to maintain those relationships with alumni. Facebook is a permanent player in the social fabric for young adults and now an important part of managing the student lifecycle . . . as graduates enter the professional world, participate in alumni programs, consider graduate studies, and make recommendations to future students.
Have you noticed more TV ads for colleges lately? As competition for students in higher education is heating up across the nation, more and more universities are dedicating resources to branding. In many cases, this includes broadcast advertising. According to a recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune, there are three universities in Utah that are investing in media campaigns to build enrollment and enhance public image. Weber State University, Utah State University and Utah Valley University are among the first to take the lead in branding via mass media.
Before you consider any type of mass media advertising, make sure you have defined the top key brand messages you want to convey. Be diligent about sticking with these messages consistently to keep your brand strong and effective throughout all your communication channels. With limited marketing dollars for media expenditures, make every message count! You can do this through a well-defined brand story and consistent delivery.
Remember, the brand story encompasses your core messages and brand promise—the expected emotional and functional benefits of the educational experience you offer . . . the guiding star for your institution to use in order to stay on track and stay consistent.