2. Our vision:
Enhance the University's reputation as one of the country's
leading public research universities and build upon our strong in-
state reputation to become the preeminent academic and
research institution in South Carolina among all colleges and
universities.
3. Our mission:
Serve as the communications interface between the University
and its various publics. Our work helps audiences better navigate
through the organization. By creating credible, timely, authentic
and confident communications opportunities that foster
conversations and inspire engagement, the Office heightens
awareness and appreciation of USC’s distinctiveness and value.
We are focused on building relationships and advancing USC’s
brand and reputation through development of communications
strategies that marry fact-based decision making, innovative
practices and superior creativity.
5. Brand Statement
USC is a globally recognized, high-impact research university
dedicated to providing a superior student experience. We are
committed to developing new models for flexibility, access and
affordability. We are a vital part of South Carolina's economic
and overall wellbeing, striving to impact the world around us.
We cultivate successful leaders, new generations of bold thinkers
and committed problem solvers. We are driven to build
healthier, more educated communities, inspiring a better way of
life for all.
6. On brands
• Brand positioning simply refers to the way a brand is
“positioned” in the minds of those who perceive it
• The brand essence statement captures the distinctive
characteristics of the University of South Carolina
• A frame of reference when producing communications
vehicles to ensure that they incorporate and reinforce the USC
brand
7. No Limits campaign
• While the brand is simply the core identity of the university,
brand campaigns will deliver that identity to constituents in
creative ways.
• Typically last 3 to 5 years—although some go much longer
• Developed in house
• Will launch version 3.0 in the spring with a refreshed look
8. No Limits seeks to:
• Illustrate the individuality of our students, alumni, faculty and
staff in the context of our welcoming university,
• Demonstrate the many ways the University of South Carolina
exceeds expectations, realizes goals and pushes boundaries,
• Showcase how even ordinary circumstances can make
extraordinary differences in our lives.
9. How do we do it?
• Owned media: website, @UofSC Today, social media,
collateral, anything we control internally
• Earned media: NY Times, Huffington Post, WIS, ColaDaily.com
• Paid media: TV, radio, digital, billboards, print
• Consistent message across owned, earned and paid=
integrated marketing campaign (IMC)
10. New structure
• Brand strategy: digital strategy, creative strategy, content
strategy, market research and analytics
• Public relations: media relations, communications managers,
promotion
• Writers group: @UofSC, emails, magazines & print
• Presidential communications
• Strategic communications
• Printing services
• Carolina on King
23. Market Research and Paid Media
Effective brands are:
• Authentic, relevant, consistent
• A delivered promise to your customers
• The property of the target audience
24. Market Research
• Ad copy testing NE and SE states
• Brand platform testing
• Replication of brand perception study
26. Umbrella
Successful Graduates
Outstanding Faculty
Strength in Research
Academic Excellence
Parents Alumni Staff
Good Citizen of Community Successful Graduates Successful Graduates
Successful Graduates Outstanding Faculty Strength in Research
Academic Excellence Academic Excellence Academic Excellence
Outstanding Faculty
Community Students Faculty
Successful Graduates Strength in Research Outstanding Faculty
Access to Education Successful Graduates Strength in Research
Good Citizen of Community Outstanding Faculty Successful Graduates
Academic Excellence Academic Excellence Academic Excellence
Leadership
USC Attributes – Monitoring and Measuring
Core Attributes Aspirational Attributes
27. Media Buys
• Target thought leaders and alumni
• Constant monitoring
• Proof points for academic excellence
• 47 nationally ranked academic programs (US News)
• Nation’s best honors college
• #1 international business
28. Media Buys
• In-state
• Four metros
• Broadcast, digital, out-of-home, etc.
• National
• Chronical of Higher Education
• IHE
• New York Times
30. "A brand is a living entity –
and it is enriched or undermined
cumulatively over time,
the product of a thousand small
gestures."
Michael Eisner, Former CEO, Disney
35. What we do
• Promote interesting research, innovative
programs, major announcements, and
faculty, staff and student achievement to
external media outlets
• Provide university-wide public relations
assistance
36. PR resources
• Media training for faculty and staff
• Event promotion (Guide in Documents
Library of Marketing Toolbox)
• Submit story ideas through @UofSC
Today
37. Our Team
• Jeff Stensland (7-3686;
stenslan@mailbox.sc.edu)
• Peggy Binette
• Megan Sexton (7-1421;
msexton@mailbox.sc.edu)
• April Blake
• Glenn Hare
• John Brunelli
• Frenche Brewer
43. What’s next?
• Evolution of the campaign- more in-state focus on impact, access,
affordability to create an environment that welcomes investment in higher
education
• A campus communications agency- consistency & efficiency
• Achieve the right balance of owned, earned and paid- focus on brand
journalism & communicating directly with constituents
– Examples: marketing services & technologies, creative strategy, marketing
videos/commercials
• Increase collaborations and partnerships to help all customer touch points
accomplish their goals and be better brand ambassadors
As a division, you have been great in executing the graphic identity
As a division, you have been great in executing the graphic identity
As a division, you have been great in executing the graphic identity
-Ad copy testing –How do audiences in different markets respond to language? “Breakthrough research” positive, Gamecock//academics clash
-Brand platform testing at start, will re-do based on positioning study as we modify
-Undergoing brand perception study with –students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and general pop. in SC
First on left: most important in minds of audience
Blue: where research university like USC should be
Red: how people perceive USC
What is common aspiration attribute?
Brand as a lifestyle, delivered through stories; feelings, emotional appeal
Product attributes (“new and improved” detergent ,“brighter whites”), “register for classes”; rational appeal
We are all in it together
Earlier, Wes mentioned that some media we buy — like billboards or ads or TV commercials. Other media we try to earn: positive articles in print or digital media. And finally there’s the media that we own.
Our owned media includes Carolinian magazine for alumni and friends of the university; USC Times, a monthly tabloid for faculty and staff; and Breakthrough, the university’s research magazine. The University Writers Group, which has five writers including myself, works with the Creative Services staff to produce this media.
There’s also the daily @UofSC Today, which goes to faculty, staff and other subscribers. A weekly version of @UofSC is available, too, and we’re trying to promote that to alumni. Many of the stories from our print and digital publications feel the @UofSC web pages, which include portal for students, parents, alumni and faculty and staff.
Then there is the @UofSC for students that goes out every Sunday evening to undergraduate students. That’s a joint project between our office and Student Affiairs, and we’re getting good open rates on this publication. We’re planning to do a quick survey before the holiday break. Anecdotally, we’ve heard from the Counseling Center that whenever they promote suicide prevention training in this publication, they get several students who saw the information here and respond. (Only 200 of 25,000 students have unsubscribed; 32 percent open rate; 5.8 percent click rate)
And, finally, we produce mini-zines, which are basically 16 to 20 page magazines, for several colleges and schools around the campus.
Our goal with all of these publications, whether print or digital, is to tell compelling or at least interesting stories about people. And in doing that we can convey in subtle ways our key marketing messages: USC has smart, savvy students, successful graduates and outstanding faculty — and together we comprise an institution whose hallmark is academic excellence. There are some other messages we can embed, as well, that Carolina is affordable, that we provide true value to our students and to the state of South Carolina.
So that’s a quick overview of the “owned” media that the University Writers Group produces in conjunction with our partners.
One last thing: good story ideas are our lifeblood. As you’ve seen we have a lot of communications venues that depend on a steady flow of stories. So we invite you to submit story ideas through the form that’s found on the @UofSC page and in every issue of @UofSC Today. You can also submit any professional notes there such as conference presentations, articles, book chapters, etc.
Thank you.