BEYOND THE LOGOMANAGING THE DIGITAL BRAND

2016

EDWARD “BLACKBEARD” TEACH

Brand promise?

"Die, ye scurvy dogs!"

“BRAND”?

A representation

of the product

The product’s

reputation

“BRAND”?

Representation

Identification:

Logo, colors, style…

Reputation

Specific attributes:

Healthy, fashionable, luxurious…

“BRAND”?

Representation

Identification:

Logo, colors, style…

Reputation

Specific attributes:

Healthy, fashionable, luxurious…

(Relatively new)

IN THE DIGITAL AGE

More access to information, more available choices

Can also shape brands

Consumers Brands

Followed consumers online

Blur the line between representationand reputation

IN THE DIGITAL AGE

One-way Two-way

Message Experience

A carefully crafted one-way message

delivered to a receiver, with no opportunity

for dialogue or compromise.

BRAND COMPONENTS

What a company looks like, sounds like,

and how it behaves are all equal

components of brand.

“

”Kate Williamson, Nielsen Norman Group

Visual design: How it looks

Content design: How it sounds

Interaction design: How it feels

BRAND COMPONENTS

BRAND COMPONENTS

Seriously, Microsoft?

BRAND TONEFunny

Serious

Formal Casual

Respectful

IrreverentEnthusiastic

FactualApplies to all channels and points of contact.

Can vary to fit the situation.

MEASURING BRAND STRENGTHSearch interest

MEASURING BRAND STRENGTHHead vs. Long Tail

Visits

KeywordsHead Long Tail

MEASURING BRAND STRENGTHSocial Listening

Volume of mentions

Reach

Measure against

Time

Competition / Market

BRAND & PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

TheProspective Student journey

BRAND & PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS9 in 10 have no idea which universityto choose

83% use non-branded search terms

BRAND & PROSPECTIVE STUDENTSBrands become priority in the late stages of the selection process

BRANDED CONTENT ?

Blurs the line between editorial content and advertising

More difficult for brandsto deliver what they advertise

Content shock

DEBRANDINGConsumers

Products

interfaceBRANDReal peopleReal tones

of voice

DEBRANDINGBrands grow by differentiating, isolating themselves from others, but:

For consumers, everythingis interconnected.

What distinguishes brands is less important than what brings thingsand people together.

BRAND ADVOCATESIncrease reach

Increase trust

Easier to find within university than externally

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

Business as Usual

“Wrapper”

“Supercharger”

Brand as dialogue

Co-creation

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

@faubet

SOURCESBrand Is Experience in the Digital AgeKate Williamson, User Experience Specialist,Nielsen Norman Group

How Students Use Digital to Choose SchoolsJennifer Howard, Education Industry Director, Google

The Future Of Branding Is DebrandingJasmine De Bruycker, creative strategist, Base Design

To build digital brands, universities need to relinquish controlMax du Bois, executive director, Spencer du Bois