Colleges/Universities as brands?
Logos, stickers, promotional gear, and even sports teams; Colleges and Universities have all the trademarks of actual brands, and in many ways do a better job of marketing themselves than actual corporate brands. (At the end of the day students are basically customers of Universities).
Fiercely loyal customers/students who become loyal alumni...who support their school with donations throughout their lives passing on their passion to their kids...and announcing to the world their love for their alma mater with bumper/window stickers ,flags, hats, t-shirts,etc.
Does anyone view their Alma Mater as a brand, and themselves as promoters of that brand?
Is there anything corporate brands can learn from the type of loyalty inspired by the "college brands"?
Fiercely loyal customers/students who become loyal alumni...who support their school with donations throughout their lives passing on their passion to their kids...and announcing to the world their love for their alma mater with bumper/window stickers ,flags, hats, t-shirts,etc.
Does anyone view their Alma Mater as a brand, and themselves as promoters of that brand?
Is there anything corporate brands can learn from the type of loyalty inspired by the "college brands"?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Horne on
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Excellent topic. First let me say how funny it is that colleges are able to market to the gills, successfully, against a demographic we keep being told is unreachable by marketing. hah!
What can corporate brands learn? I think the colleges, fair comparison or not, have perfected "bonding" in two ways.
1) they are the facilitators for deep friendships that last a life time. So i guess the idea of social networks is close, but they have to be way more meaningful than some of the crap that exists today. There has to be a real sense of sharing/consequence.
2) they create direct bonds from the school to the student that are long lasting and value-added, be that a careers office, continuing education opportunities, community involvement. Corporations of course do a lot of "post-sales" communications, but how much of it is value-added? If i get one more newsletter from Schwab giving me a "tip" about asset allocation, I'll scream.
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Permalink Reply by Jarrett Carter on
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I do, and I'm lucky enough to work at my alma mater. The problem is academicians and executive types generally view creative branding in educational settings as sophomoric and disrespectful to the mission.
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