Simon. Where Thinkers Become Leaders

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Simon. Where Thinkers Become Leaders!

• Norman Goluskin
• Dawn S. McWilliams
• Charles W. Miersch
• AACSB International
• 2002 Public and Media Relations Conference
• Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC
• William E. Simon Graduate School of Business
  Administration University Of Rochester

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The Assignment

• Develop positioning statement that will help
  increase qualified application and promote
  greater brand awareness identification to a
  diverse audience.

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A Positioning Statement for Simon

• One that is different from the competitions,
  meaningful to the target audiences and consistent
  with the Schools curriculum and culture.

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The Process

• Formed a Strategic Marketing Task Force.
• Hired an outside consultant.
• Personal interviews with faculty and
  administration.
• Personal interviews with current students.
• Telephone interviews with corporate recruiters.

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The Process

• Interviews with alumni.
• Canvas relevant publications and trade
  organizations.
• Reviewed accepted and decliners reports.
• Developed directly competitive schools.
• Determined apparent positionings of these schools.

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The Process

• Summarized Simons strengths and weaknesses.
• Defined primary target audiences
• Prospective Students
• Corporate Recruiters
• and secondary target audiences
• Faculty
• Administrators
• Alumni
• Friends and Supporters
• Developed four alternative positionings.

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Maximize Your AssetsThe ideal environment for
students to realize their full potential
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The Business Edge That EnduresTeaching the
essential analytical methods, effective writing
skills and persuasive oral communication
techniques that ensure success throughout ones
career
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Knowledge Powered. Market Driven.A program for
students with the intellect to master
market-based analytical skills that are in high
demand in the marketplace
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Where Thinkers Become LeadersTakes students with
intellectual firepower and provides them with the
skills and training to become business leaders
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The Process

• Research With Primary Target Audiences
• Focus groups in Boston and New York City with
  prospective students.
• One-on-one interviews with corporate recruiters.
• Where Thinkers Become Leaders
• Differentiates Simon.
• Important concept to the audiences.
• Idea is at once complimentary and aspirational.

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The Process

• Role of Advertising
• Build awareness.
• Generate leads to Web site.
• Decided to do brand-building advertising.
• Hired a creative team to develop alternative
  executions of Where thinkers become leaders.
• Four concepts were shown to current Simon
  students, prospective students and others.
• Based on research and judgment, the final
  executions were produced.

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Simon Ad Focus on Selectivity
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Simon AdFocus on Teamwork
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Simon Ad Focus on Faculty
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Measuring Effectiveness

• Hits to dedicated Web site.
• Tracking of phone calls.
• Pre-post awareness survey done.
• Level of qualified applications.
• Playback from target audiences.
• Current students
• Faculty
• Administration
• Community

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Additional Marketing Using Creative

• Direct mail postcards featuring the ads sent to
  prospective students.
• Teaser to increase awareness.
• Continuation of ad campaign this year based on
  stats.

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The ProcessWeb Site Re-Design

• Navigation reviewed by Marketing.
• Re-focused around target audiences.
• Other successful sites benchmarked.
• Internal designer created visual design.
• Internal CIS created the back-end.

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The ProcessRe-Designed Web Site

• Web site re-designed based on users input
• visually
• navigation
• marketing content
• Home page has a location for each target
  audience.
• Search engines checked for placement in top ten.
• New site launched in conjunction with ad campaign.

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Simon Web Site
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Measurable Increases

• By October 2000, our Web site use increased 10.
• Informal surveys indicate new navigation is very
  good.
• Formal survey to be completed on-line.
• Continuation of linking the image ads, Web site
  hits, to an increase in applications from the
  target audience.

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Simon Marketing Plan

• Created after the positioning statement, ad
  campaign and Web site re-design.
• Not the normal process.

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Marketing Plan

• First comprehensive marketing plan written.
• Strategic Marketing Committee reviewed and
  approved.
• Establish yearly marketing goals from Marketing
  Plan.
• Used to refine ideas and keep us focused.
• Strategy from which all marketing decisions are
  made.

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Second -Year Tactics

• New Identity System
• New Local Product Ads
• Internal Communication Plan/Talking Points
• Visual Branding Campaign

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The ProcessNew Simon Identity System

• Benchmark other University identity systems.
• Review University identity system
• Discussions with administration, faculty, staff
  and students.
• Took a portion of University symbol and re-fined
  to define business school.
• Approval/blessing from University President.

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The ProcessNew Simon Identity System

• Used focus groups to determine best new logo
  design.
• Graphic Identity System was written/created to
  insure consistent usage.
• Implemented in September 2001.
• Put on Intranet for all audiences.
• Increase in visual brand awareness.

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Simon Logo Ideas
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New Simon School Logo
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Simon Stationery Sample
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Simon Business Card
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The ProcessNew Local Product Ads

• Local audience survey.
• Reviewed product attributes and aspirations for
  this audience.
• Creative focuses on desired customer attributes.
• Tested with part-time and executive M.B.A.
  current and prospective students.
• Launched with new logo.
• Being measured for success.

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Local Product Ad Focus on Teamwork
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Local Product AdFocus on Selectivity
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Local Product AdFocus on Faculty
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The ProcessInternal Communications Plan

• Need for consistent message.
• Requested by administration to help ensure they
  were giving the same message.
• Helped to established buy in from the faculty,
  administration and staff.
• Internal communication and talking points
  relating to the new positioning statement and
  what it means to Simon.

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The ProcessInternal Communications Plan

• Created a chart to link how Simon creates
  thinkers who become leaders.
• Supporting concepts defined and linked.
• Extensive details put on Intranet for Simon
  audiences to use.
• Small printed card created as well.
• Key to infusing message in Simon community.

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The ProcessVisual Communications

• Interest in new marketing ideas.
• Needed visual communication.
• Banners with new logo and positioning flying on
  Simons campus.
• Articles in student, alumni and corporate
  publications have increased interest in new logo
  and branding ideas.
• Created an excitement about the branding
  campaign.
• Helped Simon differentiate to internal audiences
  as well.

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Third-YearTactics

• Creation of Hall of Leadership to include CD,
  Web site presence and brochure.
• Increase in advertisements, more focused.
• Focus on management of survey data and consistent
  messages.
• Another visual makeover of the Web site.
• Creating additional leadership opportunities for
  our students.

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Third-Year Tactics

• Continue image ad campaign to increase awareness
  and applications.
• Testing image ads in other media/publications for
  effectiveness in 2001-2002 recruiting season.
• Results to date are very good
• Helped us focus in the current recruiting season.
• Keep marketing-focused Web site continuously
  monitored, updated and tracked.

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The Future

• Work to infuse the marketing message.
• Long-range marketing plan.
• External communications audit for effectiveness
  and audience coverage.
• Continue benchmarking.
• Work to get closer to and listen to the customers!