Student Affairs Communications Group Minutes
March 12, 2014
Attendance: Kami Hammerschmith, Brianna McNall, Colleen Schlonga, Wendy
Little, Majeed Badizadegan, Jennifer Edwards
Next meeting of the Student Affairs Communications Group will be Wednesday,
April 2, 2014, 9 a.m. -10:30 a.m., MU Council Room. Topic: TBA
Today
Wendy Little talked about the Recreational Sports branding process that they have
been in for about two years. They began by looking at The Brand Gap book and
following their focus test asking Who are you?, What do you do?, and Why does it
matter? The book states that a brand is “a person’s gut feeling, because brands are
defined by individuals, not companies, markets, or publics. It’s a gut feeling because
people are emotional, intuitive beings.”
Wendy said themes started emerging, both positive and negative. They discovered
six key themes emerged which became their brand values. Wendy said they began
sharing their brand values throughout the organization, because it takes a village to
build a brand – everyone needs to be a brand ambassador.
They then did a SWOT analysis of each of the six brand values. They looked at where
is the energy on campus and what’s the greatest need? They decided to focus on
community.
1. What is it? How do we want to define it internally?
2. How do others see us/perceive us related to “community”?
3. What can we do to sell our story better regarding what we are currently
doing related to community?
4. What actions or steps can we take to enhance our brand related to
community?
They looked to identify their main audiences, what message they wanted to deliver
to them and the method for delivery.
The branding committee met with each area within Recreational Sports and created
a mind map with the group around community. They asked, “What is currently
happening in your program that can be shared? and What new ideas do you have to
enhance brand?” They looked at the audience, message, method and outcome/effect.
The goal was that each group would put one outcome in their assessment plan each
year. Recreational Sports plans to focus on one brand value every two years.
Wendy asked those in attendance to partner and design a t-shirt for a Student
Affairs department that you think represents their brand. The two groups then
shared their work.
Wendy said their focus is on audience. They have started Rec Checks where their
student outreach team checks in with participants. They have varying topics for
them to ask about. One check was using a mad lib about brand. They asked the
students to provide an adjective, a feeling, etc. and then read the story back to the
student to help impart/educate about some of their brand values.
They developed a screen background with the six brand values for staff to post on
their computers and to post on student computers.
They developed signage guidelines for the building, so that all new signage will tie to
the branding effort.
Wendy said it is helping with marketing efforts – selection of photos and marketing
language. It also helped them write their annual report. They broke the report into
sections by brand value and used the brand values to tell their story and provide
statistics.
Wendy shared a video created by Josh Norris for the Adventure Leadership Institute
about “We are a community.” Brianna reminded groups to add closed captioning to
videos. She said Disability Access Services will provide one-on-one training for
closed captioning and is looking at holding some group trainings in the future.
Wendy also shared a book titled Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing
strategies for engaging the digital generation, by Damian Ryan and Calvin Jones.
Wendy said about 40 applications were received for the Student Affairs Director of
Marketing and Communications. The committee is meeting today to begin looking at
the applications.
At the May 21 meeting Wendy is looking at having a student panel. Our group will
design the questions for the students. For the August meeting she is looking at a
field trip or presenter. If you have suggestions for student participants, questions for
the students, a field trip or presenter, please contact Wendy.