The chancellor’s marketing and branding committee is searching for new ways to present a cohesive campus message.
The project, led by a steering committee that includes faculty members, senior administrators and communications professionals, is being supported by a private-sector consulting firm.
“It’s a really good mix of folks from across campus,” said Melissa Edwards, the director of research communications in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, who is the project coordinator.
She said it may be the most comprehensive review of campus marketing efforts ever undertaken, considering it includes departments ranging from athletics and admissions to student affairs and public engagement.
Chancellor Phyllis M. Wise said she called for the project to find ways to better focus and enhance the campus communications efforts.
“This effort will help us to analyze and align our resources to accurately reflect the excellence of the entire university,” said Wise. “Thoughtful branding/marketing pays dividends to organizations that invest in that area, and this project will help to position the university for success in the years to come.”
Edwards said the project will result in two sets of recommendations: a “strategic and creative brief” that outlines the campus brand position, and an operating model that addresses issues of structure and governance.
“The recommendations will provide an institutional blueprint to enhance collaboration and coordination among campus communicators, to amplify communications efforts and achieve maximum impact,” Edwards said.
She said the overarching goal is to improve the university’s market position as it competes in the challenging world of higher education, ensuring that top students continue to choose the U. of I., and that Illinois graduates remain highly sought after, that Illinois educators and researchers receive the recognition they deserve, and that the people of the state, nation and world are aware of the university’s distinct contributions to society.
“Our brand position is not the color orange or a Block I logo, or a slogan or a tagline,” she said. “It’s how we operate. It’s our environment. It’s what we create. It’s who we are – and it has to be authentic and credible. I’ve heard brand positioning described as ‘Who you are on your best day,’ and I really like that, because it gets to the heart of what we are here to do, serving the people of the state of Illinois and addressing grand societal challenges in ways that only an institution like the U. of I. is equipped to do.
“Ultimately, it’s about aligning our resources and values and articulating a shared vision.”
Edwards said several facets of the project are already underway and will run throughout the summer, including focus groups, one-on-one interviews and a general survey. The steering committee also is planning presentations and informal information sessions, and progress updates will be provided on the project website, which includes a feedback form.
The committee will provide a report on the organizational chart to the chancellor by the end of August and will make brand development recommendations by the end of the year. Implementation is expected to begin in spring 2016.
Edwards said a well-planned and sustained communications effort will be needed more than ever as the university creates a medical college and prepares to celebrate its sesquicentennial.
“We have to organize for the future,” she said. “This is a strategic investment that will improve our processes and position us to think creatively and embrace new opportunities. There’s a very real cost to doing nothing.”
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