Education Embraces Branding
In a recent New York Times article, Alan Finder explored the importance of brand names in higher education.
Since Beaver College in the Philadelphia suburbs became Arcadia University four years ago, applications have doubled. Western Maryland College was also looking for a boost when it became McDaniel College in 2002. And California State University, Hayward, decided last January that a name change to California State University, East Bay, would help it reach out to students in new communities.
Names have gained increasing importance in the competitive world of higher education. As colleges jockey for market share, they are looking for names that project the image they want or reflect the changes they hope to make.
"All I hear in higher education is, 'brand, brand, brand,'" said Tim Westerbeck, who works with universities and other nonprofit organizations. "There has been a sea change over the last 10 years. Marketing used to be almost a dirty word in higher education."
Of course, renaming a university is ultimately about attracting students. "The competition in higher education is forcing a lot of what appears to be more commercial activity," one administrator said. "It sounds a little like it's a pizza business.
"It's not a pizza business, but we do think of our students as our most important customers. And if they are unclear about who we are, then we run the risk that we might lose potential students."
Talk to you soon,
Kae Groshong Wagner
CEO, Founder — North Star Marketing
Award-winning Author, Speaker
Brand Consultant
CEO Advisor for Sales & Marketing
