Launching a brand is not a departmental function. It is an institutional movement. How do communications professionals gain support and ownership for brand management from all university stakeholders, internally and externally? Consider new and different strategies designed to develop a strong brand that not only withstands institutional challenges, but also becomes stronger as the organization changes and grows. Through a combination of theory and practice, lessons learned from failed launches become the foundation for successful brands owned by the university, not just the marketing department.

Word of mouth is the most powerful influencer, whether you’re choosing a new pair of shoes, an independent school, or a college. In 2020, social media IS word of mouth. Someone likes something posted or tweeted by a school and all their connections see it and tacitly accept it as an endorsement. Find out how committing to a simple, easy social media strategy can allow a school to dictate word of mouth to thousands of potential students.

Take an in-depth look at using podcasts for engaging with alumni, for recruiting new students, and for connecting the university to alumni, parents, family, friends, and the community. Learn how to create your own podcast and discover the benefits it can have on your institution.

Tired of “batch and blast” emails? Want to avoid unsubscribes and being marked SPAM? Learn more about how NYU transitioned to an alumni-centric opt-in email strategy that empowers alumni to control the messaging they receive and the clubs they hear from. This session covers the opt-in strategy highlights, as well as execution of the preference center and opt-in communications campaign.

It’s incredibly hard to capture the essence of an institution and its mission in just a few words. So, what goes into crafting an effective campaign name? Explore the “art and science” of the process, including key principles such as authenticity, future focus, and graphic design, not to decorate but to communicate. We’ll share campaign themes that have been effective and those that fell short. We'll also discuss the importance of fostering internal ownership of the campaign, revisiting the journey at UNLV — with all its twists and turns.