Building a WorldClass Research University

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Building a World-ClassResearch University
Integrated MarketingCommunications

• The Leadership Campaign
• November 13, 2003

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Integrated Marketing CommunicationsBackground
and Progress
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Starting From The Core

• Providing the best undergraduateeducation at a
  research university
• Building an environment forworld-class research
• Fostering an environmentof trust and respect
• Committing to quality in all we do

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Integrated Marketing

• Integrated Marketing Communicationsis a
  research-based, disciplined communications
  strategy for advancing the Universitys
  reputationby focusing on what we do best and
  communicating that excellence for the purpose of
  achieving specific institutional goals.

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Our Focus

• Building reputation
• Achieving specific University goalsin support of
  the strategic plan

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What does Washington State Universityexpect from
its integrated marketing program?
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What does Washington State Universityexpect from
its integrated marketing program?
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• Success toward clear, measurable,goals in
  support of the Universityspriorities and
  evaluated each year.

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What does Washington State Universityexpect from
its integrated marketing program?
2

• A disciplined communications strategyfocused on
  multiple levels and tactics.

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What does Washington State Universityexpect from
its integrated marketing program?
3

• Consistent University messages to build both
  audience understanding and shared commitment to
  university goals internally and externally.

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What does Washington State Universityexpect from
its integrated marketing program?
4

• The advancement of Washington StateUniversitys
  reputation, within the state,nationally, and
  internationally.

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Why Does Reputation Matter?
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An Endorsement from the President

• We must have a reputation from our
  Universitythat matches the stature of our
  faculty and the excellent work they do. A
  reputation that definesus and contributes to our
  success so that faculty, students, alumni, and
  opinion leaders in the stateof Washington will
  be with us as we set our course of action

V. Lane RawlinsJuly 2000
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Reputations are Built Upon Two Things

• Quality
• Perceived quality (or lack thereof)

The way to gain a good reputation is to
endeavorto be what you desire to appear. --
Socrates
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• You cannot build reputation just by
  buildingquality. Our constituents students,
  faculty,donors, legislators must know about
  ourquality and believe in it.

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This is the Third Year ofWashington State
UniversitysIntegrated Marketing Communications
Program
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How Did We Get Here?
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First Step

• November 1999
• Assessment of Universitys reputationtook place

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Key Step GMA Research

• Conducted telephone surveys of
• Alumni
• Parents of prospective students
• Prospective students
• General public
• Influencers

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Key Findings

• WSU did not have a distinctive imagein the eyes
  of the public
• Top of mind awareness was low, particularlyin
  western Washington
• Student conduct issues were perceivedas a major
  negative in the opinion of those surveyed

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In the beginning of fall 2000,the real work
began.
Four-step Process

• Situational Analysis Aug-Oct 2000
• Strategic Planning and Positioning Oct 2000
• Creative Development Nov 2000-Jan 2001
• Integrated Marketing Plan launch Mar 2001

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Situational Analysis

• GMA Research Prospective students and parents
  didnt understand strengths of University
• Statewide discussion groups of alumni, faculty,
  students, staff
• Echo of the GMA no clear message or focus
• No consistent messaging
• Multiple designs, logos
• Decentralized communications structure
  fosteredad hoc strategies

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Strategic Planning and Positioning

• Marketing goals driven by the strategic planning
  process
• Primary target audience high-achieving
  prospective students
• Development of positioning statement with
  academic leadership
• Development of key messages
• Tagline development
• Testing of key messages and concepts with primary
  target audience
• Marketing plan developed by academic leaders,
  identitydesign team, communication colleagues,
  Student Affairs,WSU Foundation, Alumni
  Association

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Positioning Statement

• Washington State University is the best choice in
  the nation for motivated, high-achieving students
  who seek a complete, culturally and
  intellectually diverse university experience
  through engaged campus life and active learning
  in a research environment. Our close-knit
  community values personalized education through
  which we challenge and inspire our students to
  achieve their highest individual goals. We
  prepare our students to lead wisely and
  responsibly in a global society, and we create
  knowledge that improves the quality of life in
  our state, nation, and world.

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Progress Toward Our Goals

• The First Two Years

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Annual Marketing Goals Years One and Two

• By fall 2002, increase by 10 percent the number
  of high-performing incoming freshmen (3.6 GPA or
  higher) from Washington state choosing
  Washington State University.
• Improve organizational communications and build
  a shared commitment to and voice for portraying
  the excellence of Washington State University.
• Improve WSUs external reputation statewide, as
  benchmarked through GMA survey research, fall
  1999.

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Research Goal 1 Recruiting high-performing
students

• GMA Research, 1999 Significant reputation issues
  with parents and prospective student relatedto
  confusion over academic strengths and issuesof
  student conduct
• GMA, 1999 Low top of mind awareness on westside
  of state
• Focus group follow-up with high-achievingprospect
  ive students key institutional messagingdid not
  reflect their focus on academic strengthsand
  reputation

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Strategies Goal 1 Recruiting high-performing
students

• Overhaul of recruitment messagingand
  Communication Plan
• University/Future Student Web Site
• Regents Scholars Program
• High School Counselor Education Campaign
• Reorganization of University Relations to form
  cohesive communication structure in supportof
  University priorities, including integrationwith
  Admissions and Academic areas.

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Progress Goal 1 Recruiting high-performing
students

• The number of incoming freshmen witha 3.6 G.P.A.
  or higher increased 30.7 percentin fall 2002,
  with an additional 15.1 percent increase in fall
  2003.
• Additional parameters to increase selectivityand
  incorporate SAT/ACT benchmark under development

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ResearchGoal 2 Improving organizational
communicationand shared commitment to excellence

• Internal communications assessment in spring
  2001, spring 2003, by Dr. Patricia Sias, Edward
  R. Murrow School of Communication
• 2001 assessment identified numerous issues with
  commitment to University, perceived quality and
  morale, and perceived weaknesses in internal
  communication processes.

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Strategies Goal 2 Improving organizational
communicationand shared commitment to excellence

• Presidents and Provosts e-mail updates
• Dialogues with President, Provost,and other
  University leaders
• Answerline
• Refocused WSU Today
• Consistent and open communicationre budget,
  emerging issues
• This year World Class Honors and Awards Banquet
  on March 26

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Progress Goal 2 Improving organizational
communicationand shared commitment to excellence

• Rapid improvement of faculty/staffperceptions in
  critical areastrust and respect among faculty
  and administrators and quality of university
• Increase in employee commitmentto WSU and job
  satisfaction
• Strong commitment to strategic planand belief in
  it.

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ResearchGoal 3 Improve Washington State
Universityreputation statewide

• GMA Research, 1999statewide phone survey
  assessment of reputationwith alumni, opinion
  leaders, prospective students, parents, general
  public
• Situational Analysisdiscussion groups with
  alumni and opinion leaders
• Benchmarklow top of mind, confusion of
  missionand perceived strengths
• WSU not positioned as a market leader broadlyor
  with any audience beyond alumni

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StrategiesGoal 3 Improve Washington State
Universityreputation statewide

• World Class. Face-to-Face. advertising campaign,
  aimed at prospective students and parents.
• Launch of Washington State magazine
• Enhanced media relations
• National Public Radio
• Cougars and Huskies campaign
• Leveraging Murrow Symposium and Cougar football
  game in Seattle

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Progress Goal 3 Improve Washington State
Universityreputation statewide

• Robinson Research, 2002benchmark to measure
  changes in attitudeand awareness
• Findings Audiences noted significant
  improvements in WSUs perceivedperformance in 15
  quality indicators
• Significant rise in top of mind awareness,
  especially among teenagers

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Year 3 2003-2004 Ongoing Goals

• By fall 2004, increase by 10 percent the
  numberof high-performing incoming freshmen (3.6
  GPAor higher) from Washington state choosing
  Washington State University.
• Improve organizational communicationsand build a
  shared commitment to and voicefor portraying the
  excellence of WashingtonState University.

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Year 3 2003-2004 Leadership Goals

• By fall 2004, Increase the enrollment of
  high-performing graduate students in selected
  disciplines by 10 percent in fall, 2004.
• Increase top of mind awareness and willingnessto
  recommend for Washington State University among
  business, political, civic, and medialeaders in
  Seattle and Spokane.

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The Leadership Campaign

• Building Our Reputationas a Major Research
  University

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• The core strategy is evolving to includebuilding
  Washington State Universitys reputation as a
  national research university.

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It is the beginning of the long-termmarketing
work required to

• Support the Universitys goal to remainone of
  the top 50 public research universitiesin the
  United States.
• Build the reputation required to
  positionourselves for relationships which
  resultin transformational gifts and major
  legislativeand federal support.

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What is our market position now withleaders in
the state of Washington?

• Two quantitative evaluations (phone surveys)
• Statewide image assessment, GMA Research,Nov.
  1999
• Statewide benchmark of 1999 survey, Robinson
  Research, March 2002
• Two qualitative evaluations
• Statewide discussion groups, Situational
  Analysis, Sept. 2000
• Seattle and Spokane discussion groups, Sept. 2003

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How do Leaders AssessOur Reputation?

• GMA Research, 1999, and Robinson
  Researchbenchmark, 2002, showed business,
  opinion leaders, donors, and general public still
  havelittle understanding of WSU academic
  andresearch strengths.
• 2002 Robinson research showed some progress
  toward awareness and attitude within leadership
  audiences thanks to spillover from undergraduate
  recruitment and external image work.

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Impacting Perception, Motivating Action

• Qualitative research needed to determinehow to
  motivate leaders to engage with Washington State
  University.
• Goal To discover how to best present our
  strengths as a research university in orderto
  build our reputation with leaders andto motivate
  them to engage with us.

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Objective of Recent Testing

• Gain qualitative data on effectiveness of
• Proposed messaging
• Creative campaign elements
• In order to
• Create a solid and effective brand campaignto
  reach business and opinion leaders

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What do Leaders Think About WSU?General Comments

• Overall, positive. Common understanding the
  University is moving in the right direction.Only
  a few isolated references to student conduct
  issues, a marked difference from
  SituationalAnalysis discussion groups in fall,
  2000.
• Cougar and Husky Campaign seen as good strategy
  for legislative support. Message about
  importanceof the research universities as a
  strength of statenot widely understood.

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What do Leaders Think About WSU?General Comments

• WSU still defined by historical perceptionsof
  Ag school research and teaching.Little
  acknowledgement of importanceof these areas or
  of other areas of strength.
• Many leaders said they wanted more
  interactionwith WSU leaders to understand us
  better.

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Impacting Perception, Motivating Action

• Testing Messages and Concepts
• Is it believable?
• Does it motivate?

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Brand Components

• Leading research
• World-class faculty
• Challenging individual involvement
• Premier student experience

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Test StatementLeading Research

• Ranked as a top national research universityby
  the Carnegie Foundation, Washington State
  University has a track record for conducting
  groundbreaking research.

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Leading Research

• As a result, Washingtons economy continuesto
  grow because pioneering research solves problems
  and supports our states economicwell-being.
• As a result, the lives of individuals in our
  stateare improved because of the latest
  scientific advancements developed here.

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ResultsLeading Research

• Participants uniformly found this statement,if
  true, to be important and compelling
• Participants saw research as a valid
  andvalue-added activity for a premier publicly
  supported university
• Participants found it compelling becauseof the
  economic benefits

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CommentsLeading Research

• I dont think of WSU as a research university
• Interesting, but what does it do for me?
• I believe this statementand I would loveto see
  WSU leverage it.
• Right now, the reputation of WSU doesntfall
  into these categories.

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Testing Three Creative Approaches that Extend the
World Class. Face-to-Face. Campaign

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Three Creative Approaches

• Each represented the research of WSUProfessor
  Dr. Rod Croteau through useof different copy,
  imagery, style, and tone.
• Billion Dollar Genes
• Great Minds. Bold Ideas.
• The Gift of Hope for Sarah

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Billion Dollar Genes
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Billion Dollar Genes

• Positions WSU as a powerful economic machine
• Sophisticated business-like approach to research
  message
• Outlines WSUs unique impact and its implications
• No-nonsense, bottom-line language
• High-end, classy, upscale
• Designed to impress those accustomedto the
  boardroom

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ResponseBillion Dollar Genes

• Generated strongest and most deeply felt
  emotional and intellectual responses from
  participants.
• Respondents from both Spokane and Seattle
  indicated this approach significantly improved
  their positive perceptions of WSU.
• Wanted claims substantiated

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Great Minds. Bold Ideas.
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Great Minds. Bold Ideas.

• Reflects existing brand execution
• Highlights high-level research
• Involves students in faculty research
• Faculty are represented as friendly, care about
  students, are doing groundbreaking research,
  making contributions to the state, nationand
  world.

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Response Great Minds. Bold Ideas.

• Milder reactions and emotional responses
• Respondents liked
• Seeing and relating to the research team
• Strong connection between researchand teaching
• The expected approach generic

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The Gift of Hope for Sarah
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The Gift of Hope for Sarah

• Reflects how WSUs research and economic
  contributions impact individuals
• How research makes contributions to thepeople of
  Washington state, the nationand the world.

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Response The Gift of Hope for Sarah

• Mixed reviews
• Least persuasive
• Might make excellent follow-up materialfor other
  concepts
• Personal stories would lend credibilityand power
  to primary message of economic impact coupled
  with teaching

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Conclusions for Impacting Perceptionand
Motivating Action

• Messaging
• Brand components regarding high-impactresearch
  programs and world-class facultyviewed as highly
  motivational
• Messages must be credible and demonstrate
  specific impact
• Market differentiation seen with challenging,
  hands-on student involvement

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Conclusions for Impacting Perceptionand
Motivating Action

• Creative Approaches
• Billion Dollar Genes most likelyto grab
  attention, change perceptions,and motivate
  action
• Great Minds. Bold Ideas. Expressedimportant
  face-to-face contact

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Conclusions On Strategy

• WSUs reputation with leadership audiences
  needssignificant improvement, validated through
  1999 survey, 2001 benchmark, and recent and
  ongoing qualitative analysis.
• The Cougar/Husky Campaign for Our EconomicFuture
  supports this effort and must be coordinated with
  the Leadership Campaign.
• In order to move even those closest to the
  Universityto be believers and advocates for
  WSUs research enterprise, we need to convince
  their peers simultaneously.

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Conclusions On Strategy

• We need to redefine and re-educate leadersabout
  the profound benefits and sophisticated science
  involved in research at WSU.
• Leaders want to believe in WSU we needto give
  them permission to do so throughconcrete
  examples, used consistently.

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Leadership Campaign Strategy and Tactics

• A Two-Level ApproachImage Marketing
  andRelationship Building

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Recommendations

• WSU needs to build awareness first andinfluence
  second among leadership audiences. The same
  level of awareness building that built the
  ongoing student recruitment campaignis needed
  for leaders.
• WSU should utilize existing student recruitment
  work as a launch point for building the
  leadership campaign crossover strategy.

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Recommendations

• Presentations should be to the point andfocused
  on economic and quality of life impact.
• Presence is visibility. WSUs leaders needto
  make themselves peers with leadersin Seattle and
  Spokane. Nothing speakslouder about our
  reputation than the qualityof our relationships
  with our constituents.

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Leadership Campaign Tactics
Crossover media strategyStatewide television
andprint advertising campaign demonstrating
important workof WSU as a research university.
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Leadership Campaign Tactics
Direct mail campaign to state leaders, focused on
research impacts.
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Leadership Campaign Tactics
UW/WSU Campaign
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Leadership Campaign Tactics

• Media Relations

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Leadership Campaign Tactics
Alumni Advocacy Group for Legislation
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Leadership Campaign Tactics
Leadership Tours
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Leadership Campaign Tactics
Science Magazine and Other National Publications
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Graduate Recruitment Campaign Leveraging Both
Strategies
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Leadership Campaign Tactics
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Leadership Campaign TacticsEnhancing Home
Football Weekends
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Comments from Cougar Conversations

• Fascinating! It's great to see people who think
  outside the boxand can explain it to an artist
  without much science training.(Alum who
  attended P3 Engine dialogue)
• Excellent! Lots of work to make a complicated
  subjectunderstandable.
• I wish they (Cougar Conversations) were more
  frequent.
• "This is a great show of cross-college work. Hats
  off to the deansand professors who worked
  together to make this happen.
• On nanotechnology I found it very interesting
  how it tiedso many fields together.
• "Great event! I hope you do this again next year
  and on more football weekends."

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Leadership Campaign Tactics
Washington State University Week in Seattle
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Leadership Campaign Tactics
World Class. Face to Face. Showcase
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Measures of Our Success
Long-term Brand Goals

• Attract and retain top faculty basedon the
  strength of our reputation
• Attract and retain top students basedon the
  strength of our reputation for workingside-by-sid
  e with top faculty in a research environment
• Establish centers of excellence whose serviceand
  reputations serve as a magnet for public,
  private, and federal support

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Measures of Our Success
Long-term Brand Goals

• See the Washington legislature, state
  opinionleaders, and general public demonstrate
  their beliefin Washington State University
  through their voicesand votes
• Develop an internal shared commitment and
  prideamong faculty, staff, and students to the
  brandconcept of excellence in all we do
• Develop a shared commitment and pride
  amongalumni and friends
• Continue to rise within the top 50 public
  universitiesin America in all rankings

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