NASDCTEc Brand Messaging Initiative

Bringing clarity, consistency and connectivity to the CTE message.

The Situation

•Our nation is faced with serious challenge

•Jobs. Economic vitality. Innovation. Global competitiveness.

•Dramatic workforce turnover. Skills gap. Education reform.

•Budget challenges. Reauthorization. Rigor. Credentials.

•CTE is facing outdated notions as “voc ed”

• Harvard’s Pathways to Prosperity report and Secretary Duncan’s keynote speech on CTE

•Who said this on July 25, 2011? “Vocational education hit its

heyday in the 60s and 70s. Too many schools are still preparing students for the jobs of 30 or 40 years ago…”

Reflect, Transform, Lead:A New Vision for Career Technical Education

Our vision's core principles are:

• CTE is critical to ensuring that the United States leads in global competitiveness.

• CTE actively partners with employers to design and provide high-quality, dynamic programs.

• CTE prepares students to succeed in further education and careers.

• CTE is delivered through comprehensive programs of study aligned to The National Career Clusters Framework.

• CTE is a results-driven system that demonstrates a positive return on investment.

How We Got Here

CTE is evolving to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow…

• Late 1990s: Adoption of "Career Technical Education"

• Understanding of the need for a national vision for CTE

• Response to perceptions, expectations and funding requirements

• Adoption of five vision principles at Spring Meeting 2010

• Broad stakeholder support for the vision

• Continuing effort to implement vision

• Need everyone's support to see the vision through

• Renewed urgency in current economic/political climate

What We’ve Accomplished

A lot of great things have happened since the Vision Principles were adopted…

• More than 56,000 copies of the Vision Paper distributed

• Key vision presentations to regional/national groups

• Increased web traffic at careertech.org

• Production of CTE video

• Harvard’s Pathways to Prosperity report and Secretary Duncan’s keynote speech on CTE

• Editorial in Ed Week co-authored by Kimberly Green & Jan Bray

• The new CTE brand initiative builds on this momentum

GoalTo create a broad base of support,

awareness, understanding, advocacy and activism for CTE.

• Bring clarity to CTE communications

• Bring consistency to the manner in which CTE communicates

• Bring connectivity to the CTE messaging that resonates with key audiences

Objectives

• It is NOT a logo

• It is NOT a tag line

• It IS an implied promise—fulfilled

• It IS a connection

• It IS relevant and meaningful

• It IS a solution provided/offered

• It IS a “consumer experience”

What Is A Brand?

A strong brand is…

•Relevant

•Empathetic

•Distinctive

•Consistent

•Engaging

•Memorable

How a brand is defined…

•  By your best product—and your worst product

•  By the leader’s grand public statement—and the hallway conversations and Internet chat rooms

•By the words you use

•By the experience you provide—and the value of that

experience to the “customer”

• By every action, every decision and every choice

•Either you make the customer experience, or it gets made

without you. You cannot escape your brand.

•As a CTE leader, you ARE the brand

Perception

•It’s not what’s true that matters

•It’s what people THINK is true that matters (2004)

•What pops into people’s heads when they hear

“CTE” or “Career Technical Education”?

•If you don’t shape the perception, it will be done for

you

•Three segments of the audience

The Power of Owning a Word

•There is incredible power in owning a word or

concept in the mind of the marketplace

•That word or concept must have meaning &

relevance

•What word or concept is closely associated with

CTE?

Emotion & Logic

•Many people engage first on a gut level (heart)

•Need more at decision-making time (head)

•CTE has great anecdotal evidence of impact

•CTE needs more data and research (logic)

•Powerful combination for greatest effect

•Branding is a combination of art & science

The brand message should…

•Be aligned with the brand’s core values

•Be clear, engaging, unique and relevant to others

•Be better than “good”—incorporate an emotional attachment

•Be echoed throughout the organization

•Be consistent across messaging platforms

•Be continually reinforced internally to deliver on the promise

•Be adopted and echoed by strategic partners

•Be adaptable to change and various applications

Scott Talgo says…

“A brand that captures your mind

gains your behavior.

A brand that captures your heart

gains your commitment.”

Why Is This Important?

• Much more than just a message—but the message is important

• We need to take control of the message

• We need to participate in the conversation

• We need to shape perceptions

• National, state and local perspectives

• We need to convey impact, benefits and value

What the CTE brandinitiative will do…

• Put you in greater control

• Help shape perception

• Help frame the conversation

• Drive messaging that matters

• Put everyone on the same page

Process

• Online survey of membership

• Telephone interviews with key thought leaders

• Audit of current messaging

• Development of brand platform

• Identification of key target audiences

• Messaging for key audiences

• Tactics for implementation and execution

What Did We Hear?

• The window is open for CTE

• Outdated notions of CTE

• Overall lack of clarity about CTE

• Need for greater consistency

• Need for metrics, standards and documented results

What Did We Hear? (cont.)

• Need for greater outreach and broader relationships

• Need for a shared vision

• The time for leadership has never been greater

• Interest in a common message—and tools to tell it

What we heard…

“If we don’t rebrand, rethink and be able to deliver, no additional funding will come to support the dramatic change that needs to happen across this country…”

“CTE is a true stimulus package. Our main responsibility is to prepare workforce and increase economic development…”

“We don’t change belief systems with new terminology. You change by getting people to do things differently, and then the beliefs follow…”

The Challenge of theCTE Brand Experience

• Inconsistent quality and rigor = Inconsistent brand experience

• CTE is evolving at different rates in different places

• CTE is moving toward a common goal

• Lack of uniformity cannot be overcome with a brand messaging initiative

• The name itself is a challenge

• Influencers remember the way CTE was—instead of what CTE has become

Aspirations & Reality

This brand messaging initiative is about:

what CTE is today…

where it's headed…

and how CTE fits in the evolving landscape of our nation's educational and economic future.

Communications Platform

• What CTE is doing now—and where it's headed

• Demonstrated potential and achievement

• Use the Five Vision Principles as the foundation

• “Features” and "benefits”

• Real examples & credible, relevant data

• Define relationship between CTE, Career Clusters™ and NASDCTEc

The ¼-Inch Drill Bit

• What's in it for me?

• Help the audiences get what they want...

• Data vs. anecdotes

• Heart vs. head

• Logical reasons for emotional responses

• When someone “buys into” CTE, what are they getting?

Key CTE Strategies

• Clear, unified voice for CTE

• Engage/involve key advocacy groups

• Robust web presence

• Business & Industry relationships

• Data on the ROI of CTE

• Earned media

Five Key Target Audiences

Focusing limited resources for greatest effect:• State Leadership• Business & Industry• Federal Policy Makers• Affiliates & Advocacy Groups• Media• What about other audiences?

State CTE Leaders

• The LEADERS for CTE

• Budget challenges and the future of CTE

• Leadership role in implementation

• Stewards of the brand

• Tools to tell the story

Business & Industry

• The CUSTOMERS for CTE

• Skilled, sustainable workforce

• Bottom line performance & global competitiveness

• Can be influential advocates

• Trade associations, rural development, etc.

FederalPolicy Makers

• A key FUNDING SOURCE for CTE

• Jobs, revenue, student achievement

• Want ROI!

• Authorizing legislation and appropriations

• Must hear from others outside CTE "family”

Affiliate & Advocacy Groups

• The PARTNERS for CTE

• Specific policies/agenda

• Benefit from greater understanding of CTE

• Leverage each other's strengths and reach

• Partner when feasible; cross-pollinate

Media

• The MEGAPHONE for CTE

• Interested in what their audience is interested in

• Craft messaging to media

• Business, trade and consumer segments

• Become part of the conversation

What Is On America’s Mind?

Unemployment.

Economic vitality.

Student achievement.

• Concerns about the quality of life for the next generation.

• CTE is congruent with the national discussion

• CTE’s time is NOW!

Job creation. School reform. Global competitiveness.

The CTE Brand PositionCTE’s place in the landscape.

A

strategic national partner working

to improve the effectiveness of our

schools, increase the value and relevance

of students’ education throughout their

lives, and provide a skilled, sustainable and

innovative workforce to enhance America's

performance and global competitiveness.

The CTE Brand CharacterThe “personality” of CTE

• Broad appeal

• Practical and realistic

• Strives to be accountable

• Approachable and collaborative—but never afraid to lead

• Innovating and adapting

• Believes in personal responsibility

• Confident, articulate and visionary

• Inspires others to share its vision

• Eager to serve

• Earns respect through leading by example

The CTE Brand PromiseThe value proposition for CTE.

• It's NOT a mission statement

• It's NOT a public document

• It IS the foundation for your messaging

• It drives what you do and the decisions you make, how you behave, how you interact, how you talk about yourself and how you connect with others

• It's why you matter

The CTE Brand Promise

Career Technical Education promises an unrelenting commitment to:

• Continually improve the relevance and value of a student's educational experience;

• Prepare students for success in both career and college, by employing Career Clusters™ and their curriculum framework to ensure contextual learning and academic standards that reflect the goals and interests of all learners;

The CTE Brand Promise

Career Technical Education promises an unrelenting commitment to:

• Provide American business and industry with a highly skilled, sustainable workforce;

• Provide dynamic, innovative leadership for the nation's educational system; and

• Serve as a strategic partner with secondary and postsecondary educators, business and industry to strengthen America's competitive position in the global economy

WHAT IS THE CTE BRAND PROMISE…REALLY?

CTE: Learning that works for America™

• Adoption of “CTE” as primary brand nomenclature

• “Learning” is preferable to “teaching” or “education”

• “Works” conveys results, deliverables and outcomes

• We all want America to “work”

• Easily adaptable for state use

• CTE works for schools, students, business & industry, economic development, global competitiveness, etc.

CTE Brand Image

• Strong CTE presence

• Colors in the same "family" as Career Clusters

• Three graphic elements similar to Career Clusters

Tools Available Now: Brochure

Tools Available Now: Poster

Tools Available Now (cont.)

• Talking points for key audiences

• PowerPoint presentation to introduce initiative to staff/advocates

• CTE Brand/Usage Guidelines

• Brand User agreement for CTE

Logo Files:National and State

Logo Files:National and State

Logo Files:National and State

Logo Files:National and State

Tools Available Initially:Web Graphics

Tools Available Now (cont.)

• Standard brand messaging/paragraph

• CTE Brand Promise

• New Web Site: careertech.org

Web Site Features

• Merger of Web sites

• Increased functionality

• Increased content

• Increased interactivity

• Member section to facilitate sharing

What’s Ahead

• Online video

• Career Clusters™ Brand User Guide

• Career Clusters™ User Agreement

• Career Clusters™ logo/brand images

• Guest editorials on website

• General editorials and targeted public relations

• Additional Web functionality

• Increased outreach & visibility overall

• Increased engagement/adoption by states

What’s Ahead

• White papers on Vision Principles:

- Student success in further education and careers

- The National Career Clusters™ Framework

- Result-driven system with positive ROI

• Career Clusters™ Campaign—targeted to June 2012

• Other projects and tactics being developed

Summing It Up

A Pivotal Moment for CTE

• Important to speak with one voice

• Critical to connect with others

• Opportunity to help nation address challenge

• Responsibility to embrace this initiative—to continue momentum.

• The action starts here. Now.

This is CTE’s time

• LEADING CHANGE: Within our own ranks through greater rigor, technical standards and The National Career Clusters™ Framework.

• LEADING CHANGE: Creating a sustained, skilled workforce to enhance global leadership for the United States.

• TRANSFORMING EXPECTATIONS: Expecting more of ourselves. Our students. Our workforce. Our nation.

• MAKING THE DIFFERENCE: For business & industry. For America’s communities. For our economy. For global competitiveness.

• CTE: Learning that works for America.™

The CTE brand logo, brand positioning theme and brand

extensions are the property of NASDCTEc.