CUMU Conference 2017

Community engagement is a well-established strategy for enhancing student learning and faculty scholarship, and a recognized principle for guiding institutional behavior and organizational citizenship, but few universities capitalize on their community engagement work to elevate their brand identity within competitive and often congested higher education markets in urban and metropolitan regions. In this session, presenters will share the case story of an urban university that markets select aspects of its community engagement activities to advance a brand identity that resonates with key stakeholder groups, appeals to prospective student audiences and reinforces an organizational identity that affirms its role as a public, urban institution and distinguishes it from its market competitors.

An integrated marketing campaign that incorporates community engagement requires theme reinforcement at key points in the strategy and implementation phases: concept development, buy-in, creative phase, execution, advertising buys, promotions, earned and paid media. Presenters will share key insights garnered at each of these stages and share examples of the campaign products, including print and digital media.