Leveraging your Foundation's brand for long-term
Success
(an integrated marketing approach)
Arthur H. Rathjen
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Foundation
Jamie Ceman
Integrated Marketing and Communications
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Our focus for the next 45 minutes
• Collaborative communication tactics involving
the entire organization in the brand
development process
• Defining integrated marketing &
communications
• Establishing the need for a brand
• Messaging
• Leveraging the brand in communications
Defining integrated marketing
• A customer-centric, data-driven method of
communicating with consumers.
• The management of all organized
communications to build positive
relationships with customers and other
stakeholders – stresses marketing to the
individual by understanding needs,
motivators, attitudes and behaviors.*
*Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications (JIMC) Medill -- Dept. of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)
Shifting our focus
customer
product
cost
price
convenience
place
communication
promotion
Source: jimc.medill.northwestern.edu/JIMCWebsite/site.htm
UW Oshkosh’s
integrated marketing and
communications strategy
strategic, comprehensive,
outcomes-focused
and authentic
What should your strategy be?
Benchmarks
• Has the public’s awareness, accessibility and appreciation of the
organization improved?
• Has the financial condition of the organization improved since we
implemented an integrated marketing and communications strategy?
• Will the quality of specific marketing goals significantly improve since
we committed to integrated marketing and communications?
• Will the organization’s goals be reached?
Integrated model
Integrated
Marketing
&
Communicatio
ns
Advertising
New Media
Public
Relations
& Promotion
External
Relations
The objective –
An organization-wide commitment
to integrated marketing and
communications
Rationale for an integrated strategy
• We live in a noisy, competitive marketplace
• Competition for resources impacts
strategies and initiatives
• Inconsistent messaging impacts
organizational outreach goals
• Mismanagement or no management of your
reputation – others will manage for you
What we needed to do
• Align messaging to support mission, values,
governing ideas and strategic initiatives
• Create a clear/clearer vision for organizational
image and reputation
• Establish a robust, contemporary and
memorable visual identity
• Educate the organization and shift the culture
• Communicate (externally and internally)
• Establish an integrated, consistent,
multichannel brand
Creative expression:
the
message must be credible
Brand platform
• Supports university’s mission, values and initiatives
• Communicates clearly, consistently, authentically
• Consists of
• Promise(s)
• Attributes
• Key words
• Distinctiveness
• Identity (visual and messaging)
Message must resonate
with your different
audiences or it will be
ignored
Recruitment marketing - Traditional
Recruitment marketing - Graduate
Recruitment marketing - Returning Adults
Alumni communications
Foundation communications
Leverage the
organizational brand in
all communications
Do you have sub-brands in your organization?
Focus on Success
“When I face challenges in my
life, my UW Oshkosh degree
reminds me of the dedication
and tenacity I had at such an
early age, and it gives me the
strength to conquer the
challenge.”
-Trevy McDonald ’90, Ph.D.
Focus on Success
“At UW Oshkosh, I found my
first real hope that I could
change my life. This was the
fork in the road.”
-Franklin Cumberbatch ’84
The process
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Communicating the “need”
Build “buy-in”
Leveraging support of senior leadership
Listening
Establishing benchmarks
Delivering a few “quick wins”
Offer resources
Where we started
• Discovered the organization's “brand”
together
• Drafted brand platform
• Articulated promises based on audience
feedback
• Tested initial platform with critical audiences
• Revised platform
• Tested platform, creative deliverables
Integrated process
• Brand champions - everyone has a
responsibility in managing the
organization’s reputation
• Provided customized training and support,
if possible
• Opportunities to enhance creativity and
flexibility in communications
Are there simple tactics you can do with limited resources?
Measuring success
• Has the public’s awareness, accessibility and appreciation
of the university improved since we began?
• Has the financial condition of the college or university
improved since we began integrated marketing?
• Has the quality of specific marketing goals significantly
improved since we began integrated marketing?
• Have our enrollment size, mix and targets been reached?
Leveraging your Foundation's brand for long-term Success
(an integrated marketing approach)
Arthur H. Rathjen
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Foundation
Jamie Ceman
Integrated Marketing and Communications
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh