jay colombatto executive director, university communications california state university, east bay...

Jay ColombattoExecutive Director, University Communications

California State University, East Bay

May 2008

Building a Strategic University Brand

Positioning California State University, East Bay as a Regional University of Choice

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEBAgenda

Background: California Higher Education, the CSU, and CSUEB Branding and Positioning in Higher Education: Definitions, Role, and Relevance Branding Objectives at CSUEB The CSUEB Approach to Brand Development Positioning CSUEB — Communicating our Distinctiveness CSUEB Branding — Vision, Messages, and Strategies Putting the CSUEB Brand to Work — An Integrative and Collaborative Endeavor

BackgroundThe CSU and CSUEB

The California State University

• 23 Campuses • Bachelor’s Degrees • Master’s Degrees • Professional Doctorate

California High Schools

• 1,182 High Schools• 1,800,000 Students

• 350,000 Graduates/Year

CA Community Colleges

• 109 Campuses • 2-Year Associate

Degrees

University of California• 10 Campuses

• Bachelor’s Degrees • Master’s Degrees • Doctorate Degrees • Professional Degrees

Private CA Universities• 100s

• Bachelor’s Degrees • Master’s Degrees • Doctorate Degrees • Professional Degrees

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB The Path to Higher Education in California

Source: www.calstate.edu and California Dept. of Education

Source: www.calstate.edu; 2007

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB The California State University System

Largest, most diverse university system in nation 23 campuses across state More than 450,000 students Graduates 82,000 students/year Highly affordable @ approximately $3,350/year Practical, hands-on education Known for job-ready graduates Expert, professional faculty Supports more than 207,000 CA jobs $7.46 billion annual economic impact Vital to CA economy — providing next-

generation workforce; bridge to middle class

The CSU: Working for California

The S.F. East Bay region’s CSU Serves Alameda & Contra Costa counties

33 communities; 2.5 million residents 3 East Bay locations — Hayward • Concord • Oakland Enrolls 12,500 students; graduates 3,500/year Contributes $341 million/year to local economy Largest producer of math and science teachers in CA 90,000 Alumni — 85% live and work in East Bay

Earn $1 billion/year attributable to CSUEB degrees Committed to regional stewardship, exemplified by:

Academic and strategic planning plus business partnerships focused on meeting workforce needs

Comprehensive campaign with stewardship commitments/programs as fundraising priorities

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB California State University, East Bay

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB CSUEB Student Profile: As Dynamic and Diverse as the Region we Serve 13,124 students enrolled (Fall 2007)

10,681(81%) Undergraduates1

2,443 (19%) Graduates1

62% Female; 38% Male1 At least 51% are “minority” 2

26% Asian/Pacific Islander1

25% White1

13% Hispanic1

11% African-American1

1% Native American1

17% Other/Decline to State1

7% International Mean age is 271

1CSUEB IRA Web site; Fall.Headcount.Enrollment.1-1.pdf.2Sum of Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, African-American, and Native American

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Nature of CSUEB Students

Highly focused on business of being in school Pragmatic; equate degree with skills needed for jobs Only moderate interest in a broad general education Seek rapid/early department, program, major connection Desire faculty connection/interaction—classroom/beyond; see faculty as “career-launchers” Interest in campus life, but needs different than residential campus Undergraduate students much like adult/transfer/grad students

Concerned about time-to-degree, convenience/access, and life/work/school balance Many are first in family to attend college

Concerned about “fitting in,” succeeding in college … and getting help if needed Affordability and financial aid is a top concern Expectations often have been adjusted (cost/location are often primary drivers)

Often uncertain about difference between prestige and quality

Branding & PositioningDefinitions and Role in Higher Education

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB What is University Branding?

Much more than logo or “look and feel” of publications and advertising About building and “owning a position” in hearts and minds of constituents

(customers) Provides a distinguishing core idea or image Communicates value and worthiness … and establishes choicechoice Our “trustmark” or promise to our Our “trustmark” or promise to our constituents

What is Positioning? The verbal component of our brand Expresses in words what’s distinctive about how we do what we do Provides a common concept and language set to express brand Communicates and translates our mission to the marketplace

Used across all institutional communications Articulates and conveys:

Unique culture, offering, values, and personality Nature of the student body and experience Our “promise” to constituents

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Positioning — The Brand Foundation

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEBPositioning — The Brand Foundation

What’s Required for Effective Positioning?

MeaningfulCommunicates simply and clearly

MemorableCan be recalled

RelevantValued and speaks to what target audiences care about (“resonates”)

BelievableAppropriate and “rings true”

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB A Short History of Branding and Positioning in U.S. Higher Education

As competition grows, universities have become increasingly concerned about image 1980s — private universities concerned about price competition from publics 1990s — public universities concerned about proliferating competition Shared recognition that:

Public confused by blurred identities and multiple choices Prospective students — and their parents — can “vote” with tuition dollars Prospective friends/supporters can “vote” with donations Citizens (literally) vote on how tax dollars spent

2001 — CSUEB begins development of its brand Recognized need to develop a competitive position — and become a choice

Newest college generation — “Millennial” — attracted to well-defined, well-expressed brands Assures quality and peer acceptance; simplifies complex choices — including

college

Branding & PositioningCSUEB Objectives

Consider ?Apply ?Enroll ?

Recommend ?Donate ?

Vote/Support ?

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB What’s our Objective?

The stronger our brand … the more effectively we can recruit, secure donor support, and strengthen CSUEB.

Are we inside the choice set ? Or are we out?

To become a real choice … and get included in the choice set.

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Why is Branding (Becoming a Choice) — Mission-Critical for CSUEB?

Grow Enrollment CSUEB has not reached full potential and planned enrollment Enrollment growth $ = new programs; more faculty, classes, and student services

Rebalance Enrollment CSUEB has out-of-balance 68:32 upper/lower division student ratio1

Standards for healthy, sustainable university call for 60:40 ratio

Preserve Market share and Increase Penetration CSUEB has lost local market share to SFSU and SJSU

Develop new Markets Too dependent on nearby markets (12- to 15-mile radius) K-12 populations declining; percentage of CSU-ready HS grads declining

Increase Donor Recognition and Private Financial Support Public support for higher education is declining

1CSUEB IRA; May 2008

Building a University Brand The CSUEB Approach

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB What’s the Basic Premise?

The most effective way to advance the institution is to … talk to our constituents — from our research — about what’s most important to them.

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB How CSUEB has Approached Building its Brand

Leadership made commitment (2001) Created position and hired brand evangelist and “point person” (2001)

Built a solid research foundation (2002 - ongoing) Tasked two committees to develop brand positioning platform and plan (2002)

Integrated Marketing and Student Research Staff, faculty, student, administrator representation

Hired full-service agency specializing in higher ed marketing (2002-2003) Examined existing institutional research (primarily admitted student data) Conducted internal and external focus groups Commissioned external market research including awareness and perception

Alameda and Contra Costa (East Bay ) households (1998, 2003, 2005, 2008) Focus: College-bound high school students and parents/influencers

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB How CSUEB has Approached Building its Brand Measured awareness and gauged quality perceptions of CSUEB versus competitors Identified qualities constituents desire; needs they expect us to fill Identified performance and perception gaps we can and want to fill Developed and adopted positioning platform — part “promise,” part aspiration (2003)

Put it to work with commitment to “360° marketing and communications” (ongoing) Changed name to reflect regional commitment, connection, and mission (2005) Developed and adopted strategic communications guidelines (2005) Adopted new institutional ID (seal and logo) to reflect regional commitment (2006)

Based decision based on perceptual mapping/graphic communications testing (2005) Created graphic (brand) identity guide and resource* Combined Marketing Communications and Public Affairs into integrated unit (2006)

Office of University Communications

*Online @ http://www.csueastbay.edu/communications/identityguide/

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB How CSUEB Approached Building its Brand

The Office of University Communications provides CSUEB brand leadership.

Mission: Increase awareness of CSUEB, shape University image, and advance CSUEB objectives among all constituencies via integrated, strategic communications

Role: Develop strategies, create standards, and produce communications in support of CSUEB priorities and initiatives, including enrollment, fundraising, public relations

Work: • Public and Media Relations• Enrollment/Recruitment Marketing Communications and Publications

• Development (Fundraising) Communications, Publications, and Marketing• Employee and Alumni Communications and Publications• Advertising, Awareness, and Advocacy Campaigns• University Branding, Brand Marketing, Design, and Publication Services

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB What’s Required to Extend, Strengthen and Sustain our Brand?

We recognize that for the CSUEB brand to succeed, the University must:

Be funded, operated — and led — to deliver on its brand promise Have an organizational framework to align brand aspirations with strategic plans

Create a new planning process tying resources to objectives, goals — and brand Foster a campus culture of brand confidence, pride — and shared vision of future Institutionalize its brand with every "touch point"/experience reinforcing the brand promise

Positioning CSUEBCommunicating our Distinctiveness

Positioning Concept/Summary— What Sets us Apart

CSUEB is a student-centered institution. While faculty scholarship is prized,

teaching and student interaction are our primary mission. Beginning with

prospective students' first experience on campus and continuing through their

relationship with the University as alumni, CSUEB programs and services are

designed to meet student needs as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Moreover, with low fees, small classes, convenient locations, generous financial

aid, and a overarching focus on student success, Cal State East Bay makes high

quality higher education truly accessible to students of all backgrounds.

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB The CSUEB Brand Foundation — Our Positioning

Positioning Statement

California State University, East Bay supports the quest of students of all backgrounds to discover and develop their personal potential and career paths.


CSUEB Qualities (“Evoke Words”)

Personal • Professional • Achievable


Creative Execution (“Tag Line”)

Cal State East Bay. Where All Your Possibilities Come Into View.


Put another way …

Cal State East Bay offers a professionally focused, academically rich, multicultural learning

experiencethat combines the personalized learning environment of small, private

college,with the value and resources of a major state institution.


Also see http://www.csueastbay.edu/communications/identityguide/UniversityPositioning.html

CSUEB Branding & PositioningVision, Messages, and Strategies

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Brand Vision

Brand VisionCSUEB can distinguish itself and achieve a position of choice by Assuming an earnest, active, and highly visible regional stewardship role Aligning its offerings with changing regional community and workforce needs Adopting expanded and new models and modes of access, teaching, and learning

Brand StrategyBy growing enrollment and private financial support through a position of choice, CSUEB can not only meet regional education and workforce needs, but also grow its resource base, enabling it to: Achieve a new margin of excellence through academic innovation Provide optimal conditions for student success Offer the quality of student services, support, and outreach required for truly broad access

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Brand-Supported Enrollment Objectives

Key Objectives Grow enrollment by 3 - 4% annually from 13,000 (current) to 25,000 (capacity) Manage and rebalance enrollment Focus on first-time freshmen Increase lower division/upper division student ratio from 32:68 to 40:60 Increase local, core market penetration (urban East Bay/non-traditional

students) Build new markets (suburban East Bay and out-of-area/traditional students)

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Key Brand-Vision and Strategic Communications Themes

CSUEB's core mission and vision is to be the region’s high-access university of choice. Broad access with a commitment to student achievement is a hallmark of CSUEB. At CSUEB, high access does not diminish — but rather enhances and supports — quality. CSUEB is the East Bay's CSU, committed to regional engagement and stewardship. CSUEB works for the East Bay, helping ensure its social, economic, and cultural vibrancy CSUEB student profile is as dynamic and diverse as the communities we serve. CSUEB is changing its programs and outreach to serve changing community needs. CSUEB is known for beautiful campuses with beautiful views — warm, welcoming, and inspiring settings for

learning, personal discovery, growth, and friendship.

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB CSUEB Brand-Building Messages and Strategies

Focus message on academic experience — benefits students value Emphasize reputation for small classes/personal attention Emphasize choice of more than 100 fields of study (majors, minors, options) Note strong, professional “school-to-career” character with service-learning opportunities Take advantage of good characterizations of faculty in classroom Discuss how faculty serve as mentors, advisors, and career launchers Showcase achievers/success stories to prove quality/goals met Illustrate quality and student satisfaction via

Princeton Review “Best Western College designation (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) Princeton Review “Best Business School” designation (2006, 2007) US News & World Report designation as “Top-Tier" master's-granting university in West


Highlight distinctive CSUEB Freshman-Year Experience Point to Freshman Learning Communities proven results

“Better Learning”= higher GPAs, high retention, more reliable 4-year graduation

Lumina Foundation and Syracuse University call it a “National Model” New freshman year social and academic programs Guaranteed classes and priority housing for first-time freshmen

Discuss changes, growth, momentum at CSUEB New Business & Technology Center Student union expansion New student housing and dining commons New “one-stop” student services building

Emphasize up-to-date, in-demand offerings including new/revamped majors


Leverage awareness of CSU and professional readiness reputation Leverage awareness of CSU and value/cost reputation Note major CSUEB advantage: quarter system/year-round learning

Fast, flexible, with ability to accelerate learning or set own pace Emphasize location, location, location

Convenient/nearby — attractive to local, non-traditional students Bay Area/northern CA location — attractive to out-of-area traditional students Midway between San Francisco/Silicon Valley — close to jobs, entertainment, culture

Offer “proof-points” for commitment to access and achievability Guaranteed admissions to all who meet CSU eligibility criteria Wide range of students support and services including tutoring and mentoring More than $37 million in financial aid awarded annually

Putting the CSUEB Brand to WorkAn Integrative and Collaborative Endeavor

University executives strongly support CSUEB branding and strategic communications.

Integrated Marketing Communications Committee sets brand and positioning standards.

Division/unit heads support and encourage brand consistency. Office of University Communications oversees CSUEB branding and communications. Planning & Enrollment Management Division deploys CSUEB brand and is major

client of UCom. CSUEB annually invests more than $1 million in combined strategic communications

including marketing, pr, publications, advertising, promotion, and events across all units.

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Putting our Brand to Work

Channels used by CSUEB to Communicate Brand and Position Publications (csueastbay.edu/communications/marketing_pub.html) Advertising

Print Transit/Outdoor Radio & TV (www.csueastbay.edu/communications/TV_Radio/)

Web/Internet/e-Marketing (www.csueastbay.edu) Direct Marketing Media Relations/Public Affairs/News (news.csueastbay.edu/index.php) Events Speeches Word of Mouth

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB Putting our Brand to Work

Prospective Students Influencers

Current StudentsAlumniDonors

CommunityFaculty & Staff

FriendsVoters

Legislators

Building a Strategic Brand for CSUEB 360° Brand Communications

For more information:

Presentation online at: http://www.csueastbay.positioning_primer

Jay ColombattoExecutive DirectorOffice of University CommunicationsCalifornia State University, East BayWA [email protected]

Dan BelloneMarketing Communications ManagerOffice of University CommunicationsCalifornia State University, East BayWA [email protected]

jay colombatto executive director, university communications california state university, east bay...

Documents

strategic brand

csueb csueb student

csueb degreescommitted

csuebthe csueb approach

strategic planning

california higher education

diverse university system

csueb ira web site