Branding…What’s it all about?Emaan Abdelbaki

Director of Marketing

Holly Houk CullenAssistant Vice Chancellor

LSU Office of Communications & University Relations

Outline of Today’s Presentation

• Definition of brand/brand essence• Where we’ve been, where we’re going• Research, planning, implementation, evaluation• The brand gap• House of Brands vs. Branded House• Conclusions/questions

What is a brand?

Let’s start with what it’s not…

A logo

A tag line

Or cooked up in a well-intentioned meeting

A brand is…

“…a CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE represented by a collection of images

and ideas; often, it refers to a symbol such as a name, logo, slogan, and

design scheme. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the

ACCUMULATION OF EXPERIENCES with the specific product or

service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of

advertising, design, and media commentary."

American Marketing Association: www.marketingpower.com/_layouts/Dictionary.aspx?dLetter=B#branding

What is a brand essence?

Definition of Brand Essence

• The brand’s promise or essence expressed in the simplest, most single-minded terms

• The most powerful brand essences are rooted in a fundamental customer NEED

• Internal; provides verbal & visual vocabulary• It is rational & emotional

Brief Background• 2001 – Brand cacophony• 2004 – Brand Management Team• 2006 – Visual Identity Task Force• Today – VIP, CMS, Style Guide, Wayfinding

ResearchPlanning ImplementationEvaluation

RESEARCH

Brand Audit Research

• 2009 – 2010 (personal interviews)– Leadership (Deans, Vice Chancellors, etc.)

• November 2009 (email survey)– Undergraduate Prospects

• August 2010 (email survey)– Graduate Prospects– Alumni/Donors– Current Students– Current Faculty & Staff

Focus Group Research

• Prospective Undergraduates– College-Bound, High School Juniors and Seniors

• Parents– Spring Invitational Attendees

Focus Group: Key Findings• Create a sense of belonging– Students want to picture themselves in their university of

choice• Be literal– Be sure to include images of the cliché and expected; don’t

assume anything• Be real– Portray a “not-posed” feeling

• Showcase the LSU brand– Use images for which LSU is known (e.g., purple and gold,

big, athletic, tiger)

External Advisory Feedback

• April 27, 2010• Group of LSU alumni reviewed creative

direction– Wright-Feigley Communications– Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana– Otey White & Associates– STUN Design– Creative English Communication– Maxon Media

PLANNING: DEFINING BRAND ESSENCE

What We Learned

• Big• Spirited• Athletic• People don’t know us; neutral

Task Force/Campus Communicators

• Support from the top• Interdisciplinary team• Frequent, well-planned, inclusive meetings• Sought input/feedback at every opportunity• Initiated, strengthened campus relationships

Brand Objectives• To position LSU as a high-achieving academic institution

• To position LSU as Louisiana’s Flagship institution • To showcase LSU’s tier-one research and educational accomplishments

• To leverage the brand equity within Athletics to increase awareness of the academic accomplishments of LSU

• To leverage the culture and geographic location of LSU

• Demonstrate how LSU transforms you – taking potential and turning it into greatness

LOVE PURPLE. LIVE GOLD.

Love Purple. Live Gold.• Purple =

passion & spirit

• Gold = academic excellence & athletic achievement

EVALUATION

Results

• Recruiting successes, 5725 (Largest class since implementing admissions standards in 1988)

• Nike, licensee adoption• Popularity on campus & among all audiences• Developed a life of its own

THE BRAND GAPPresentation vs. Perception

When companies combine…

Logo out of the gate - 2008

Current Logo - 2010

Take a couple of minutes to think about how this hurts or helps the brand for two

companies merging…

The experience for the new company’s:• Vendors• Partners• Employees• Investors• Customers

Now let’s take a few minutes to see what you think the LSU brand means to…• Students • Prospective Students• Faculty• Staff• Donors• Alumni• Athletics• Academics

HOUSE OF BRANDS

BRANDED HOUSE

If you’re protecting a brand…• You must ensure you use it properly, set the right example in

everything you do so others follow• Be consistent, not random or unclear, on how to use the brand• Protect it against uses that can hurt it inside and outside of

the organization• Protect it against those that may try to infringe on your brand

or misuse it in their own communications• You must watch it carefully

– How is it portrayed internally and externally?– How is it portrayed in social media, news media, your competition,

websites, local businesses?

I’ll leave you with a couple of things to think about…

What is the “POWER” of the LSU brand? How have we touched people…

• Within Baton Rouge?• Within 80 miles of Baton Rouge?• Within the state of Louisiana?• Within the SEC?• Nationwide?• Worldwide?

THANK YOU!Questions?

Contact Info:Emaan Abdelbaki Holly Houk Cullen225.578.3866 225.578.3872eabdelbaki@lsu.edu hhouk@lsu.edu