“Branding and Marketing”

Presented to Director of Communications Search Committee

New Mexico State UniversityJune 20, 2003

By Ellen Mayou

GOAL 

To position the Southern Methodist University School of Engineering as the leading engineering

school in the Metroplex.

REASONS FOR CAMPAIGN New dean appointed in August 2000

The school had almost been eliminated in the 1970s and many people did not even know it still existed. 

TARGET PUBLICS Internal·        Students·        Faculty·        Staff·        Alumni·        Parents 

TARGET PUBLICS External·        Business leaders·        Community leaders·        Media·        Prospective students·        Potential donors·        Funding agencies

OBJECTIVES

·        Increase undergraduate enrollment ·        Raise $14 million for a new engineering building

·        Increase alumni giving ·        Increase research funding

RESEARCH ·        “Day One” branding session by J. Walter Thompson conducted October 25, 2000 to develop a comprehensive situation analysis and come up with an initial branding strategy. ·        “Day Two” branding session by J. Walter Thompson conducted Sept. 21-22, 2001 to develop specific positioning messages for undergraduate students, graduate students, donors and media.

STRATEGIES·        Create a new brand for the school (“Engineering

and Beyond”)·        Increase internal and external awareness of the

school·        Educate internal and external audiences about

exciting new changes in the school·        Enhance the school’s reputation·        Increase media coverage of the school·        Enhance two-way communication with target

publics

TACTICS 

1. To create a new brand for the school (“Engineering and Beyond”):

·      School name was simplified to “SMU School of Engineering”·        Web site redesign ·        A new logo was created and printed on t-shirts, mugs, and caps ·        New letterhead printed ·        New newsletter ·        “Engineering and Beyond” incorporated into all marketing materials

2. To increase internal and external awareness of the school:

·  Create new internal and external newsletters – both printed and electronic·   Increase coverage in the campus newspaper·   E-mail news releases about the school·   Increase media coverage of the school·   Hold monthly infosessions for prospective graduate students featuring lectures by professors·   Form an internal events committee·   Sponsor a booth on “The Boulevard” prior to SMU home football

games·    Host receptions throughout the Metroplex for alumni·    Create a “Hall of Leaders” for distinguished alumni

3. To educate internal and external audiences about exciting new changes in the school:

·  Create an alumni advisory board·   Create a student advisory board·   Write news releases on new programs·    E-mail news releases about the school

4. To enhance the school’s reputation:

·   Hold monthly infosessions for prospective graduate students featuring lectures by professors

5. To increase media coverage of the school:

·  Increase the number of news releases sent out about the school·   Conduct media training for key faculty members·   Take the new dean on a media tour in key Texas cities – Houston,

San Antonio, Austin·    Pitch faculty members as experts on current topics·    Place students and alumni in features·    Develop relationships with reporters who write about technology·    Develop relationships with engineering publications

5. To enhance two-way communication with target publics:

·  Create an alumni advisory board·   Create a student advisory board·    Create new internal and external newsletters

MEASUREMENTAND

EVALUATION

The campaign is ongoing, but results to date include the following: ·   Large numbers of faculty, students and alumni are participating in

gatherings on the “Boulevard.”·    Favorable responses to newsletter and e-newsletter ·    News releases produced has more than doubled:  ·    Media coverage of the school has doubled·    Advisory Board is a success·    First Hall of Leaders dinner in Feb. 2003 honored a former governor

and senator and drew a packed crowd·   May 2003: Announcement of gift for new building!

Other academic institutions that have implemented successful branding/marketing campaigns:

UTMBUniversity of LouisvilleDel Mar College (Corpus Christi)