BRAND STRATEGY
INITIATIVE
GOALS
1. To build awareness and recognition of
UM’s attributes through development of
a comprehensive brand strategy and
marketing plan.
2. Through effective brand management
and marketing, increase alumni
engagement, receive more
philanthropic and legislative support,
and enhance faculty, staff and student
recruitment and retention.
SCOPE OF PROJECT
Four Phases
1. Research and Discovery
2. Brand Positioning & Strategy
3. Creative Concepts & Brand Manual
4. Brand Communication Plan
TIMELINE
Jan. 31/Feb. 1 Discovery sessions on campus
February
Online focus groups and phone interviews
March
Analysis and ID of potential messaging
April
Surveys and analysis
May
Brand development
June
Campus workshop & tagline testing
TIMELINE
July
Tagline testing report delivered
August
Creative concepts &
brand manual developed and approved
September
Marketing plan delivered
October
Brand sessions and launch events
TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Co-Chairs:
Provost Perry Brown and Beth Hammock, UM Foundation Vice
President, Strategic Communications and Marketing
Campus Representatives:
Jean Carter, Faculty Senate
Jen Gursky, President, ASUM
Rick Hughes, Chair, Department of Media Arts
Bill Johnston, Director, Office of Alumni Relations
Rosi Keller, Associate Vice President for Administration and
Finance
Peggy Kuhr, Dean, School of Journalism
Jed Liston, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Services
Jakki Mohr, Regents Professor, Department of Management and
Marketing
TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Jim O’Day, Director, Intercollegiate Athletics
Sharon O’Hare, Executive Director, Office for Student Success
Cary Shimek, Senior News Editor, University Relations
Allison Squires, Staff Senate
Bill Woessner, Regents Professor, Department of Geosciences
Kim Zupan, Carpentry Program, Department of Industrial Technology
Community/Alumni Representatives:
Mike McDonough, Retired Telecommunications Executive, UM
Foundation Trustee
Ginny Merriam, Public Information/Communications Director, City of
Missoula
Tim O’Leary, Co-Founder and CEO, R2C Group, UM Foundation
Trustee
Jeremy Sauter, Marketing Consultant
THE CHALLENGE
Average Alumni Annual Giving Rate: National Universities
61%
51%
50 %
4 1%
40 %
39%
39%
39%
39%
37%
37%
36%
35%
35%
35%
34 %
33%
33%
33%
32%
32%
Princet on
Dart m out h
Not re Dam e
Yale
Harvard
Duke
Brow n
U Penn
USC
MIT
Em ory
Colum bia
Johns Hopkins
W ash U
St anford
Rice
U Chicago
A uburn
Brandeis
Lehigh
Cornell
32%
31%
31%
30 %
29%
29%
28%
28%
24 %
24 %
24 %
23%
23%
23%
23%
23%
22%
22%
22%
22%
21%
Source: U.S. News & World Report, 2010 Best Colleges Rankings
W ake Forest
Nort hw est ern
CalTech
U A labam a
Georgia Tech
Calt ech
Georget ow n
Clem son
Vanderbilt
U Tulsa
Tuft s
U Virginia
Bost on College
U Nebraska
Texas Christ ian
U Dayt on
U Nort h Carolina
W &M
Fordham
Yeshiva
Florida St at e
21%
20 %
20 %
20 %
20 %
19%
19%
18%
18%
18%
18%
17%
17%
17%
16%
16%
16%
16%
15%
14 %
14 %
U Oklahom a
Carnegie Mellon
Penn St at e
U Kansas
BYU
Tulane
Case W est ern
UC Sant a Barbara
Syracuse
U Rochest er
U W ashingt on
U Michigan
U Florida
SMU
Rensselaer
U Texas
Purdue
Ohio St at e
Pit t
UCLA
U Illinois
9.1% The University of Montana
SOURCE OF GIFTS TO UM
$15.0
$12.5
Millions
$10.0
$7.5
$5.0
$2.5
$0.0
2002
2003
Alumni
2004
2005
2006
Non-Alumni
2007
2008
Corp/Org
2009
2010
2011
Foundations
WHY WE NEED A BRAND
 A brand is a set of associations evoked by a University that
should be:
 A short cut description of the actual experience
 Tied to mission, vision, and objectives
 Positive and motivational
 Why we need a brand:






Prospective Students: Creates an “easy choice”
Alumni: Generates loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations
Parents: Results in willingness to pay higher prices
Media: Insulates from negative situations
Internal Audiences: Directs behavior
Everyone: Enhances reputation over time
Source: Carnegie Communications
RETURN ON INVESTMENT:
BRAND VALUE
 Enrollment Metrics (applications, inquiries, visits,
matriculants, etc.)
 Student Quality Metrics (average test scores, GPA)
 Development Metrics (annual giving, campaign goals,
alumni participation)
 Academic/ Research Quality Metrics (faculty/ admin
recruiting, research funding, publishing)
 Operational efficiencies (unified/ centralized marketing
materials, resources)
 Soft Assets (spirit, loyalty, pride, motivation, state and
national prestige)
Source: Carnegie Communications
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
AT AUSTIN
“What Starts Here Changes the World”
Source: Carnegie Communications
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
BRAND POSITIONING IDEA
The University of Texas at Austin is
leading the future of higher education.
As a unified community, UT is creating a
new vision of the public university for the
next generation that will have more
impact on changing the world than any
institution of its kind.
Source: Carnegie Communications
IT’S MONTANA’S TURN
Questions? Comments?
Contact me:
beth.hammock@mso.umt.edu or 243-4609