Communications
& Marketing
at
London’s Global University
Communications & Marketing Mission
To maintain & develop the reputation & profile of London’s Global
University as a world-leading organisation and as an aspirational
choice as a study destination
Objectives:
– to communicate UCL’s corporate vision and strategic direction to
key internal and external audiences
– to increase UCL’s positive public profile as a world-leading
university
– to increase the number and quality of applicants to UCL degree
programmes
Why reputation matters
• Influences our ability to attract and retain the best staff
• Directly contributes to our ability to recruit the best
students – particularly internationally
• Reputation affects funding decisions – to support research,
teaching and institutional development
• It influences our ability to engage with the best
collaborations, partnerships, knowledge transfer activity,
and public engagement
Embedding A Strategic Approach
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
Plan communications &
marketing activities to
support institutional
objectives
AUDIENCES
Identify and
understand key
audiences
MESSAGE
Target messages
to specific
audiences
CHANNELS
Use appropriate
vehicles to
maximise
influencing
opportunities
Corporate Strategy
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
AUDIENCES
MESSAGE
CHANNELS
• Communications & Marketing supports
institutional priorities:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
White Paper
Research strategy
Teaching and Learning strategy
International strategy
Enterprise strategy
Partnerships (including Crick Institute, UCL Partners)
Estates strategy, Fundraising, Public engagement
Corporate Strategy
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
AUDIENCES
MESSAGE
CHANNELS
• Communications & Marketing supports academic
faculties and departments:
– developing a co-ordinated approach across the
institution, with Faculty Comms Managers and through
the UCL Communications Network
– developing tailored international recruitment plans
– development of effective student recruitment marketing
materials
– developing effective communications strategies
Audiences
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
AUDIENCES
MESSAGE
CHANNELS
• Understanding our audiences and their needs
– Market research
– Mapping across UCL
• Key priority groups
– STUDENTS: prospective (+ influencers), current,
alumni
– STAFF: current & prospective
– OPINION FORMERS / FUNDERS: HE sector;
Government; Business, International, London
Messages
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
AUDIENCES
MESSAGE
• Scale / diversity is a challenge and an opportunity
• Consistent top level messaging for key audiences
• Themes
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Excellence – breakthroughs, citations, league tables
Global initiatives
London / Community
Innovation in teaching
Graduate employability / Global Citizens
Interdisciplinarity / Grand challenges
Enterprise
CHANNELS
Channels
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
AUDIENCES
MESSAGE
• Face to face
– recruitment
– Events – public & networking
• Online / multimedia
– audience focused, innovation – audio visual, social media
• Publications
–
targeted, branded
• Media –
– reputation management /reactive
– planning, prioritising, expert comment
CHANNELS
Planning & Delivery
• UCL Communications network
• Communications grid – planning, sequencing
• Key message framework
• Corporate Identity guidelines & styleguide
• Evaluation/ monitoring – communications scorecard
• Success measures
– Key metrics across range of channels
– Stakeholder perception research
Media
• Reputation management as well as proactive
communications
• Planning & prioritisation
• Relationship building – internally & externally
• Targeting key media - & understanding social media
• Supporting fundraising:
– focus on the story
– people & outcomes, not just money
• Evaluation/ monitoring
Branding
your brand = your reputation
your brand = what people say about you
your corporate identity = a visual shorthand for
everything you do
• Maintaining A STRONG CONSISTENT brand reinforces
institutional strengths
• Be RECOGNISED AND DIFFERENTIATED in a competitive
market
• Harnessing the strengths of ONE INSITUTION for our wide range
of audiences
Branding – delivery
• Institutional buy-in to strategic approach
• Clarity on boundaries, sub-brands & partnerships
• Corporate identity guidelines:
– COLOUR, TYPEFACE, IMAGERY
– GRAPHIC ELEMENTS, TONE OF VOICE
– LOGO / banner device
• Using networks for implementation
– Web
– Design/ print
– Legal / business
• Review and refresh
Getting started
CORPORATE
STRATEGY
AUDIENCES
MESSAGE
CHANNELS
• Agree clear, achievable targets with the institution's leadership
aligned with strategic goals
• Identify key audiences, understand their communications needs
• Develop high level key messages
• Assess the most effective channels
• Identify priority media targets and nurture those relationships
• Establish a planning structure for identifying stories
• Develop effective evaluation of activity
• Build teams incrementally on the basis of evidence of positive
outcomes