Classroom of the Future
Brand Positioning Platform
“Speaking In One Voice”
August 24, 2004
©2004. Proprietary and Confidential.
CFF Marketing Timeline
 2003: Newsletter contract with Scott McGaugh for Synergies & TIMEKeeper
 Feb 2004: Annual event planning includes Innovations in Education Awards
and High Tech Academic Achievement Scholarships
 Apr 2004: Marketing communications analysis by Maria Schwartz to expand
corporate sponsorship opportunities
 July 2004: Mini-Brand Platform work by Peterson/Hill Marketing
 Aug 2004: CFF board strategy retreat
 Sep 2004: CFF positioning proposal at board meeting
 Fall 2004: Design Innovations in Education Awards and corporate sponsorship
programs
 Winter 2005: Execute Innovation in Education Awards program
 Spring 2005: CFF annual event highlights Innovation in Education Awards
program
Overview of Assignment
The CFF Brand Platform will consist of the following:
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Educational Non-Profit Landscape
Key Positioning Opportunities and Challenges
CFF Brand Personality
CFF Positioning Statement
Reasons to Believe Positioning By Target (Messaging)
CFF Tagline
CFF Elevator Pitch
Objectives of Brand Platform
 Provide a clear and differentiating description and way of
communicating what CFF uniquely offers
 Provide relevant rationale of why CFF is beneficial to each
target
 Unite the board, sponsors, educators, students, etc. through
solid positioning and consistent messaging
Discovery Audit – What did we do to get ready?
 Reviewed Marcom Plan – Consisted of several board interviews
 Conducted conference calls with the following individuals on
7/27 to gain broader perspective:
 Susan Cornell – Nokia, Sponsor
 Bill McGrath – Teacher
 Tom Dillon – Board Member
 Held strategic meeting with marketing committee on 7/23 to lay
the foundation and set the overall strategy of the Brand Platform
 Conducted marketing committee meetings on 7/30 and 8/20 to
review key elements of the Platform
CFF Current Marketing Situation
 CFF desires to elevate its brand position in an effort to attract
additional corporate sponsors and improve the overall reach and
effectiveness of the organization.
 A Marcom plan has been developed to raise awareness of CFF
and drive corporate sponsorships.
 The positioning will drive the messaging for the implementation
of tactics outlined in the Marcom plan.
Target Audience
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Prospective Donors/Sponsors
Existing Donors
Superintendents and Key Administrators
Teachers
Students
Educational Non-Profit Landscape
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Existing organizations focus on business/technology in education
“Improve educational excellence”
Emphasis on enhancing students’ future societal contributions
Limited scope within the county
No visible focus on the important role that teachers play
Key Positioning Opportunities
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Appeal to the target in a new and emotional way
Promote the unique role that teachers play
Communicate the tangible benefits for students
Highlight the depth and breadth of impact – Access for all
Ensure that CFF is positioned as more than the TIME initiative
(CFF is the umbrella under which TIME and future programs
reside)
 Revisit the mission once the positioning is solidified to ensure
the external facing messages are consistent
Key Positioning Challenges
 Mission has been developed, but heavy detail makes it difficult to
understand
- Demands prior knowledge of programs
- Makes CFF feel independent of TIME
- Diffuses focus; not sure what you do
 Within CFF, various degrees of understanding of the purpose and
benefits of positioning
 No well-defined profile of an ideal corporate sponsor
 Donors have difficulty explaining the CFF concept internally
 Benefits to students are not concrete to existing & future sponsors
 Corporate sponsors do not understand the educational system
which presents key “sell-in”disconnects
CFF Brand Personality
Visionary
Inspiring
“CFF sees what other organizations
don’t. This big picture thinking makes
the seemingly impossible a true reality.”
“Working with CFF, people see the
limitless possibilities for enhancing our
children’s educational opportunities.”
Energetic
Seasoned
“CFF brings unlimited energy and
commitment to every project.”
“CFF applies its business experience to
help teachers maximize their efforts.”
Collaborative
Empowering
“CFF brings together a wide-range
of talented people who build off each
others’ individual strengths.”
“CFF believes in what teachers
do and delivers the resources they
need to make a difference.”
CFF Brand Personality – Breakout Exercise
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2 Tasks
1. Provide overall comments on the six brand
personality attributes
2. Suggest other brand personality attributes for consideration
Positioning Statement – What Is It?
A positioning statement is simply a definition of CFF’s greatest
strength versus other educational non-profits.
 Used as an internal statement, not an external theme or
tagline.
 Used as a platform to concept an external tagline and build
consistent messaging from.
 Not intended to be communicated or printed verbatim.
How is a Mission different than a Positioning?
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A mission statement literally and concisely communicates
the purpose of an organization or company.
A mission statement is an umbrella under which the
positioning resides.
A mission statement is external.
A positioning statement communicates differentiation from
other educational non-profit organizations.
A positioning statement is internal.
Mission & Positioning Evolution
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A mission statement is intended to last and only evolve when an
organization significantly changes strategic direction.
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If the mission changes, so must the positioning.
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As “competition” or market factors change, so must the
positioning.
Key Criteria In Selecting A Positioning Statement
1. Authenticity - Must be unique, ownable and defendable over
time.
2. Simplicity - Must concisely communicate the core differentiator.
3. Flexibility - Should be specific enough to promote current
offerings, but broad enough to accommodate future efforts.
4. Tonality - Must reflect the brand personality of the organization.
5. Longevity - If a tagline is to be developed from the positioning
statement, then the statement must stand the test of time.
Positioning Statement – Holistic Vision
Classroom of the Future teams with San Diego County
educators and businesses to integrate advanced technologies
and implementation expertise with innovative teaching to
create more impactful learning experiences.
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teams: Expresses the idea of collaboration
San Diego County: Demonstrates the countywide reach of CFF programs
educators and businesses: Shows respect for both areas of expertise
integrate: Demonstrates contribution is about finding and implementing a complete
solution
advanced technologies and implementation expertise: Emphasizes how
businesses can leverage their operational experience in the educational environment
innovative teaching: Shows the important role of teachers and their unique ideas
and methods
impactful: Communicates a measurable difference
learning experiences: Implies and expresses a wide range of ideas – individualized
teaching, improved test scores, new opportunities, etc.
Positioning Statement – Holistic Vision
Tagline Examples:
Innovative education. Exponential impact.
Enterprising education.
Positioning Statement – Holistic Vision
:15 Elevator Pitch Example:
Classroom of the Future puts together winning teams of San
Diego County teachers and business resources to speed
innovation in our county schools. By bringing real-world
business experience and educational expertise together, CFF
creates a collaborative environment that shortens the learning
curve for effectively integrating technology into the classroom.
Together teachers and business leaders are increasing the impact
of our children’s learning environments.
Positioning Statement – Teacher-Oriented
Classroom of the Future inspires and empowers teachers to
create innovative learning environments by providing
access to business resources that enhance education.
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inspires: Expresses respect for what teachers do and desire to help them in the process
empowers: Shows commitment to providing teachers with the resources to be more
effective
teachers: Emphasizes CFF’s focus of bringing resources to the educational community
innovative learning environments: Allows greater flexibility & wider applicability of
CFF’s programs
business resources: Communicates people, money and technology
enhance education: Promotes the end goal of providing tangible benefit to students
Positioning Statement –Teacher-Oriented
Tagline Examples:
Empowering teachers. Advancing education.
Innovative environment. Enriched education.
Positioning Statement –Teacher-Oriented
:15 Elevator Pitch Example:
Classroom of the Future helps teachers create innovative learning
environments by drawing on the resources and experience of San
Diego County’s leading businesses. By providing teachers the
tools they need, streamlining the implementation process, and
respecting the expertise of our educators, CFF inspires and
enables teachers to take classroom education to the next level.
Positioning Statement – Teacher/Student Connection
Classroom of the Future partners with teachers to integrate
the technology, business expertise and progressive teaching
that ensures students countywide can connect with innovation
for a more enriching educational experience.
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partners with teachers – Communicates the critical role that teachers play in the
solution and collaborative approach of CFF
integrate: Promotes the power of fusing different worlds together
technology, business expertise and progressive teaching: Demonstrates a new,
unified approach
countywide: Communicates the reach and impact of CFF programs
connect with innovation: Displays the real value of new thinking and new
approaches
enriching educational experience: Evokes a whole new way of learning;
signifies a rewarding and beneficial interaction
Positioning Statement –Teacher/Student Connection
Tagline Examples:
Innovative connections enriching education.
Innovation elevating education.
Positioning Statement –Teacher/Student Connection
:15 Elevator Pitch Example:
Classroom of the Future Foundation enriches San Diego County
students’ learning by partnering with teachers to leverage
business expertise to advance their efforts. The Foundation
collaborates with leading companies to deliver the technologies
and implementation experience that teachers need to create
innovative learning environments and build more powerful
connections with their students.
Positioning Statement – Breakout Exercise
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Task 1: Gut Check
Is there consensus in your group on a preferred positioning
statement? If so, present supporting rationale.
Positioning Statement – Breakout Exercise
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Task 2: Strategic Input
Prepare feedback on the concepts in the positioning statements
Next Steps
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Marketing committee and PHM to refine selected positioning
statement based on Board feedback
PHM to begin formal tagline exploration for the selected
positioning
PHM to write an elevator pitch for the selected positioning
PHM to develop target-specific messaging for the selected
positioning
Present recommended Brand Platform to CFF at 9/16 Board
Meeting