Branding the Future: The Key to an Inspiring University Identity
Ever since Tony Blair set a target of 50% of young adults entering higher education, UK higher education has been transformed.
Whether that target was right, wrong, or largely symbolic doesn’t really matter; in the quarter of a century since, the sector has grown and entered an era of competitiveness that goes beyond league tables and admission rates.
As much as anything else, it’s ushered in the dawn of the “University Brand”; a tool for attracting prospective students, new sources of funding, top level academic talent and forging industry links.
In short, universities must stand out from the pack in new ways. Only the very few have been able to rely on prestige alone, and everyone has had to search for new ways to make their university experience appealing.
With university fees set to rise again, and with plenty of students asking whether the debt burden of a degree is worth it, this dynamic will be accelerated once more.
The “University Brand” is entering a new phase: one where the stakes are higher, ROI is more important than ever, and the business of educating and inspiring future generations goes hand-in-hand with encouraging them to apply, long before the lecture halls are filled.
Find out what you stand for, and own it
University brands are different from others - they play with multiple unique variables simultaneously.
Reputation remains a big one: what does it say about someone to hold a degree from “x institution”? So too do hard metrics like drop-out rates, future earning potential and employability. Add to this the uncontrollable influence of location – “would I like to live in Manchester, Edinburgh or at home for three years?”
And this is before we even get to the question of ‘what we offer’ – academically or in terms of student experience.
But what every university brand can do is zero in on what they stand for. That means what they believe in as a brand, their unique culture and how they deliver it like no other.
Take Edinburgh Napier University. An institution with incredibly high student satisfaction, top quality education, but facing the challenge of being the third most prestigious institution in a world-renowned city.
Napier needed people to choose Napier, rather than simply find themselves there - whether through clearing, or as a second-or-third choice.
The university had to look beyond the tried and tested narrative to find something true - and uniquely Napier - that they could stand behind. And in truth, it was easy to find: unlike more August institutions who could lean on fame or the inspirational power of learning, Napier graduates were consistently at the forefront of practical innovation. Napier is no ivory tower, it’s something far more real: a place where people make stuff happen and leave empowered to make even more stuff happen.
This was reflected in a new visual identity: a spotlight, which could showcase the extraordinary achievements of its alumni, who have made significant contributions in and around Edinburgh, and to demonstrate that graduates aren’t just participants in the city’s life, but the driving forces behind meaningful change.
Inspire a digital generation
Universities are at the forefront of innovation in what they teach. And their target audiences are, by definition, a new generation - one expected to drive innovation further.
While universities adapted quickly to a Covid-inspired need for digital learning platforms and new modes of delivery, they haven’t necessarily adapted as well when it comes to marketing and branding. That’s dangerous, given their prospective undergraduates are the most digitally fluent adult generation in history.
Over 47% of prospective undergraduates in the US visitInstagram as a part of their research, and many connect with current and former students on channels including Reddit and WhatsApp to learn about life at the university.
Prospective students also expect to find highly tailored content based on their interests and area of study too. This means universities need to embrace digital channels and technology to deliver a personalised experience. Not only will this inspire the next generation, it can enhance their brand reputation through a coordinated digital strategy, dynamic content and competitive SEO.
Advertise where the magic happens
Universities take up space. Physically, in sprawling campuses, and psychologically – becoming the hearts of the communities they sit in. A university has a presence: one that is authentic, geographically centred and means a lot to those who interact with it.
Even in a digital world, OOH advertising can play a crucial role here, as it signifies this presence. It shows that a university is here, active and alive, demonstrating confidence and collective pride.
By strategically placing OOH ads in high-traffic areas like city centres, public transport hubs and community spaces, campaigns can connect with both potential students and the broader community, emphasising the institution’s role as a cornerstone of local life.
Napier strategically placed their OOH to inspire potential students as they went about their daily lives - to seed in their minds that a brighter, exciting future was nearby, and that great things were happening on their doorsteps. By being active in a community, physically, they could encourage community members to join what’s going on, to sense that a future was there for the seizing and to widen horizons even in the places people knew every day.
Whatever your institution, academic focus, reputation or location, remember you are dealing with something innately exciting.
Universities are the gateways to the future. Your audience are people with the world at their feet - personally, psychologically, practically. Remind them of that and give them sight of a future that they will be shaping for themselves. A university quickly becomes one of the most formative brands in people’s lives.
If you can help them even glimpse that fact, you’ll go a long way to bringing them through your doors.
