Brand Image – The Central Element

of Success for Higher Education

Institutions

Presentation by Group Seven

Table of Content

 Introduction: Definitions of Branding

 Elements of School Branding

 Factors to Consider in School Branding

 Significance of School Branding

 Marketing Approaches for School Branding

 Summary

 References
 INTRODCUTION: Definitions of Branding
 In this era of competition, it has become necessary that organizations adopt a strategy to place
itself appropriately. Branding has become a very important aspect of any organization’s
management strategy.

 The historical meaning of the word “brand” is “burn”. This word comes from an Old Norse
Germanic root for “mark made by hot iron”(Healy 2008,). It means something being burnt in
something, for example customers minds.

 Brand is the sum of all the sensory experiences every person or organization has had in any
aspect of facing the brand. (Hammonds 2008).

 Brand is also the image and all the perceptions of the product or service which a company is
providing (Persuasive Brands, 2013)
INTRODCUTION: Definitions of Branding

The American Marketing Association defines brand as ‘name,

term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies a good
or service as distinct from those of other sellers’ (cited in
Asante, 2019, unpublished)
The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a
product in the customers’ mind mainly through advertisement
and campaigns with a consistent team (Kotler & Armstrong,
2010).
Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated
presence in the market to attract and retain loyal customer
 School Branding
 School branding is any type of term, mark or insignia which identifies
one school from another.

 These marks are intended to indicate affiliation with a particular school.

 School brand is synonymous with how a school is perceived by students

and throughout the community in which the school finds itself.

 It is also what people immediately think and perceive when your school
comes to mind.
ELEMENTS OF SCHOOL BRANDING

Elements of school branding could be considered as the

key components which constitutes the entire process of
branding a school. It could be taken as the basic items
and/or core resources on which the image of the school
is projected to its direct and indirect consumers.
It could also be considered as the vehicle on which a school’s
image is projected.
 ELEMENTS OF SCHOOL BRANDING Cont’d

 School Name: Full or partial name that the school is best known for.

 Mascot or Logo: Visual representation of the school that identifies and projects the school’s

vision and values.

 School Colours: Selected colours by the school as a form of representation or recognition.

 Moto/Catch phrase/Tagline: A simple but interesting statement that when said identifies your

school. It must project the core values of the institution. It promotes school spirit and pride
 ELEMENTS OF SCHOOL BRANDING Cont’d

 Website: The school must have a website accessible to everyone. It must

present the school’s logo, colours and other services offered by the
institution such as programmes of study, examinations taken and extra-
curricular events.
 Vehicle wrap: It is a fantastic opportunity to project your school by
having the school’s logo and colours designed on the bus. Colour
scheme and logo must be eye catching.
 Human resources including staff and students
 Programme and courses offered by school
SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL BRANDING

1. Ensures good school reputation. It increases school and

students’ pride.
2. Loyalty of major stakeholders such as parents, alumni and
current students.
3. Tools for attracting best workforce. Management, teachers
and other non-teaching staff hope to affiliate to the
institution.
SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL BRANDING
Cont’d

4. Easy assistance. Good relationship with partners such as NGO’s, Traditional and
religious leaders, opinion leaders, etc. who readily come to your aid in times of
challenges.

5. Validation. It helps to reaffirm school’s core values and mission.

6. Differentiates school from competitors by creating, sustaining and growing

school brand equity for sustainable competitive advantage.
(Hatch & Schultz, 2000; Uggla, 2006; Aaker, 2004)
Marketing Approaches for School Branding

 Business cards. Faculty members and other staff should have business cards featuring school’s

identifications such as the logo, mascot, etc.

 Letter head. Communication being sent on professionally designed and printed letter head.

 Electronic media platforms. Linking up with the world through social media platforms such as

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc and having an active email and website.

 Catalogue. Creating an online catalogue platform to exhibit school’s achievement and also

showcase prominent individuals affiliated with the school.

Marketing Approaches for School Branding Cont’d

 Calendars. Creating a customized school calendar to get your school brands well displayed.

It could be given out to parents, teachers, other staff, institutions and individuals of interest.

For revenue generation purposes, the calendars could be sold out to parents and alumni.

 Banners. Banners placed at vantage points throughout the community could strongly

communicate the school’s mission. It could also be used to address pertinent societal issues

alongside projecting the school.

Marketing Approaches for School Branding Cont’d
 Customized stickers. Print stickers to stick items such as laptops and
car seats. Produce customized vests and bands to also sell the
school.

 Name badges. Badges having names of staff members and members

of the management team could be made and put on their chest for
easy identification.
Marketing Approaches for School Branding Cont’d

 Memo pad. Giving customized memo pads to staff and students for jotting of
notes. Diaries could also be customized and sold or given out to alumni, parents
and other individuals.

 Social and academic activities such as honours day celebration, debate

competitions, drama and language week, art and craft feast could be organized.
Participating in community based programme could also aid in branding your
school
SUMMARY

The brand image of a school is successfully built if the elements of

branding is built to suit the core mandate, principles and values of the
school.
REFERNCES
 Kotler, P., & Armstrong, P. (2010). Principles of Marketing. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education
Inc.

 Rageviciusa, D. (2014). Branding Elements: A Study of the Largest Latvian Companies. Thesis
submitted to Jamk University of Applied Scinces

 Somma, M. (2014). Brand Positioning Branding Strategy Insider. Retrieved from

http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/brandpositioning

 van Eck, M., Willems, N. & Leenhouts, E. (2009). Stages of Internal Branding. European Institute for
Brand Management.

 Yushchuk, P. & Dzyaba, Y. (2012). Importance of Slogan for Branding. Retrieved from
http://ir.nmu.org.ua/simplesearch?query=THE+IMPORTANCE+OF+SLOGAN+FOR+BRANDING
&submit=%D0%9D% D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82%D0%B8
REFERNCES cont’d

 Aaker, D. A. (2004). Leveraging the Corporate Brand. California Management Review, 46,
3, 6-18
 Hatch, M. J. & Schultz, M. (2001). Are the Strategic Stars Aligned for your Corporate
Brand? Harvard Business Review, 79, 128-134
 Uggla, H. (2006). The Corporate Brand Association Base: A Conceptual Model for the
Creation of Inclusive Brand Architecture. European Journal of Marketing, 40,7, 785-802