Pinar, M., Trapp, P., Girard, T., & Boyt, T. E. (2011). Utilizing the brand ecosystem framework in designing branding strategies for higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 25(7), 724–739. doi:10.1108/09513541111172126
“Utilizing The Brand Ecosystem Framework in Designing Branding Strategies for Higher Education” includes a compelling rationale for the importance of branding institutions of higher education and a framework for developing a brand. Building off of an extensive review of the literature, the authors provide information specific to higher education institutions (such as challenges associated with the narrow view of branding), present a brand ecosystem, and demonstrate the importance of having a fully integrated effort. The literature review includes numerous general marketing sources as well as those specific to higher education.
In the article, the authors use a coherent well-organized approach that includes examples of branding and its components both from outside of and within higher education. This approach, particularly the examples of branding in higher education, presents a clear reason for the value of branding to a higher education audience that may be less familiar with the concept. The main goal of the article is to present a theoretical framework that includes the major factors and interactions of these factors in developing a university brand (Pinar, Trapp, Girard, & Boyt, 2011). This theoretical framework is the articles primary contribution to the field. There was no primary data gathered by the authors and the analysis was based on the information gleamed from the literature review.
With the recent economic downturn, reduced higher education funding from states (for state colleges and universities), and the increase in for profit competitors, higher education institutions have looked for alternative ways to maintain or improve the services they provide. A number of institutions have explored branding. According to Kotler and Keller (2006), a brand represents customers’ perceptions and feelings about the product (or service) and its performance. As one of the most important assets of an organization, brands need to be thoughtfully developed and managed.
Some in higher education view branding as only marketing communication such as brochures, logos, and websites. A brand is much broader than that and includes the experiences of students, alumni, donors, and employers with the institution. In higher education, a more significant challenge is the “ideological gap” between designing the university experience to meet student expectations and designing the service to meet what the institution believes the students should experience. Brands that are successful at the university level focus on students and their needs, not on what the university believes students should need (Ng & Forbes, 2008). For many universities, the focus on students’ needs will only occur when there is a substantial paradigm shift and operational changes throughout the institution. These changes may be necessary but likely won’t be easy.
The theoretical framework presented by the authors is called a brand ecosystem (Pinar et al., 2011). In a brand ecosystem, the preferences and expectations of the target market are the driving force. Also, every internal and external activity in the brand system inter-relate and should contribute to reinforcing the desired brand image and customer experience with the brand, both short-term and long-term. With the perspective that students are the only reason universities exist, the center of the brand ecosystem is the student experience, as indicated in the graphic below. The core value created by the university experience is learning through teaching and research. Other activities that create value for students include student life, sports, and community activities or service (Pinar et al., 2011). While these ancillary services may not be essential, they impact the delivery of the core academic service and all services interact to create the entire university experience for students (Ng & Forbes, 2008). The brand ecosystem also includes the experiences of alumni, donors, and employers with the institution.
Like other services, the students’ education experience is the sum of all encounters including student-faculty, student-administration/staff, and student-student interactions, any of which has the capability to influence students’ perception of the university brand. The academic experience, for example, can be viewed as the sum of classroom lectures and discussions, homework, tests, class projects, internships, student research supervised by faculty, conversations between students and faculty, academic advising, etc. Each encounter can improve or negatively affect the students experience and therefore, the brand ecosystem is a compilation of the interrelated experiences over time that share a common focus and direction (Pinar et al., 2011). Due to the importance of these encounters, universities should clearly articulate the desired student experience and provide a strong internal branding program and provide faculty and staff with the necessary training and support, particularly for those whose duties require direct contact with students. Highly qualified faculty, staff and administrators are essential to creating excellent student experiences with the brand ecosystem. Universities should clarify the roles and behavior needed from all employees to deliver on the promises of value associated with the brand. A university brand and a student experience have an interdependent relationship. The brand communicates the type of experience (i.e., promise and expectation) while the experience reinforces and (hopefully) builds the brand. In turn, the brand facilitates the next experience in a relationship that continues in a dynamic and mutually rewarding way.
My view
The authors write with a well-informed marketing perspective that is firmly grounded in higher education. Some in higher education continue to believe that branding is not appropriate and incompatible with traditional academic values. I believe that good branding not only is aligned with academic values but can bring them to the forefront. It isn’t one or the other. Without branding, universities face greater risk of declines in enrollment and, more importantly, a missed opportunity to become more student focused.
The article presents the rationale for branding in an effective manner for those in higher education. In addition, the brand ecosystem provides a high level model for universities willing to take the first step in developing a brand. The authors suggest future research on implementing measuring and testing the brand ecosystem model and I agree. Developing the model is helpful; implementing and testing it would provide great insight into the model’s effectiveness and capability to facilitate the adoption of much needed branding initiatives in higher education.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2006). Marketing Management (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Ng, I., & Forbes, J. (2008). Education as service: the understanding of university experience through the service logic. Journal of Marketing Higher Education, 19(1), 38–64.
Pinar, M., Trapp, P., Girard, T., & Boyt, T. E. (2011). Utilizing the brand ecosystem framework in designing branding strategies for higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 25(7), 724–739. doi:10.1108/09513541111172126