Brand Strategy: Enduring in Changing Times
By Connor Associates Strategic Partners Adrienne DiGiovine of DiGiovine Design and Andrea Lehman
Every school is distinctive, but too often, what school insiders think makes the school distinctive is anything but. They rely on a safe sameness—the kind of generalized, lofty language you see in mission and vision statements, well suited to inspire internal change but poor for differentiating an institution from the competition.
During COVID-19, when schools have had to pivot repeatedly to maintain their educational quality and sense of community, it’s easy to think that the essence of the school itself—its brand—should also change. That, too, is far from true.
In difficult times, it is more important than ever to understand and market—make that shout—your school’s brand: a combination of messaging and graphic identity that, working together, clearly reflect who you are as an institution, how and why what you deliver works, the benefits to those you serve, and how you stand out in the marketplace.
“That means it is also important to understand how the external world sees you, a specialty of Connor Associates’ Image Audits. When you widen the aperture and compare who YOU think you are with who THEY think you are (community influencers, potential referrers, admission funnel, feeder and matriculating schools), your identity comes into sharper focus, making branding efforts even more effective.”
When we work with schools, we do not “come up with” a brand. We uncover the brands they already have. Our goal is to learn about each school community, listen to its varied internal AND external constituents, unearth what is authentic about the organization, frame it in a way that is compelling, and combine it with visuals that work in harmony.
“A successful brand piques the interest of those you wish to serve and reinforces what is special to the existing community. We’ve done our job if in the end, the community says, ‘You absolutely got us.’”
Steps to Successful Branding
Note: These are usually conducted by outside professionals, both to provide a more objective view of your school and to collect more honest responses from those who might hesitate to share negative comments with school staff.
1. Audit what exists. How does the school talk about itself now? How is its visual identity established? Are they consistent? Are they distinctive in the market?
2. Gather intel. As COVID allows, conduct focus groups, surveys, interviews, school visits, etc., to learn what your constituents think are your strengths and weaknesses. Try to unearth perceptions, and misperceptions, in the broader community in order to reinforce or correct them. Look at what your competitors are saying about themselves, too.
3. Connect the dots. As when you focus on the pixels instead of the picture, sometimes you have to step back to see clearly. When you listen to enough varied voices in a school community, common—but distinctive—themes emerge, revealing the features that are so valued by the people the school serves well. If they are important enough to be brought up repeatedly, they undoubtedly should be part of the brand. A new suite of “brand messages,” phrased in compelling language, will illustrate what’s special about a school in a way that resonates with potential audiences. Don’t be afraid to sound different. “Thinking outside the box” is hardly thinking outside the box anymore.
4. Add look to feel. Now assess the whole package. Do your logo, color palette, photography, typography, house style, and other aspects of visual identity support the messages and the vibe? Is it time for a refresh?
5. Market. Rinse. Repeat. Get ready to communicate the brand again and again. Roll it out to your faculty, current families, and alumni. Use it not only in admission and development pieces, on the website, and in social media, but in news stories and HOS speeches, maybe even in email signatures. Show examples of how it’s lived. Embrace it. It’s who you are and who prospective right-fit constituents want to get to know.
When the pandemic recedes, your school will still be there… and so will your effective, authentic brand.
Connor Associates is proud to have Adrienne DiGiovine and Andrea Lehman as Strategic Partners. Though Connor Associates is based in northern California, our 16 associates and strategic partners span the country. Over the past 22 years we have served the market research, planning, and branding needs for hundreds of private, charter, independent, and international K-12 schools in the US, Europe, Africa, and Asia. If you’re interested in discussing a branding project with Connor Associates and our strategic partners, contact us here.