Rebranding General

Education at ISU

General Education

General Education at Illinois State lays the foundation for the undergraduate experience. It provides the knowledge and skills that prepare for a major as well as a lifetime that may well include several different career paths.

How it all began....• 2013 State of the University Address• Tom Lamonica and James Munz

o 4 marketing undergraduate students• Elise Cowan• Nick Maggiore• Nicole Poggensee• Ryne Watson

o 4 communication undergraduate students • Bridget Anders• Bobby Bobbitt• JoeyLauren Jiracek • Jessica Perri

Initial Meetings

• December 2013 – April 2014• Shared personal perspectives • Researched students’ perspectives and

other general education programs• Established objectives for campaign• Looked at popular rebranding campaigns

to gain better understanding of process

Client Recommendations • Met with Dr. Rosenthal • Established group objectives

o New nameo New slogan o Rebranding/marketing ideaso Create a buzz about General Education Program

• Target Audienceo Current students o Prospective students

• Researcho Focus groupso Meet with admissions and recruitment staffo No surveys

Admissions Counselors Recommendations

• Nathan Barger and Patrick Walsh• Students Inquiries:

o Most prospective students are unfamiliar with the General Education Program

o Typically ask questions pertaining to AP credits and minimum requirements

• Nathan’s Response:o Importance of organizational and leadership skills

gained from General Education courses• Our takeaways:

o Help show students the variety of experience gained from courses

o Emphasizing the value of the program

Admission Ambassadors Focus Group

• Their outlook on General Educationo Variety, easy, boring, repetitive, tedious,

unnecessary, irrelevant

• Experienceso No relationship with professorso Big lecture hallso Enjoyed sophomore year classes moreo Good exposure, but not challenging

Admission Ambassadors Focus

Group (cont.)• Questions perspective students ask them

o How is the general education program?o What will they be like?o Usually parents ask more questions

• Suggestionso Preview Video o Better explanation of the programo Incorporate general education courses with

major courses

Student Focus Group

• Attendees included: freshmen and junior students• Their outlook on General Education:

o Required, basic, waste of time, become well-roundedo Knew about program, but not much else

• Experiences:o Good relationship with communication and english

professor o Social anxiety with participation in lecture halls

• Suggestions:o Video with interviewso Tailor to interests and major

Namestorming Session

• Attendees included: Carol Jalowiec, Steve Barcus, and team

• Purpose to guide us in a direction, not to actually choose a name

• Spent an hour brainstorming different name ideaso Three timed rounds o Narrowed down ideas after each round

Meetings After the Storm

• Further brainstormed names and slogans• Discussed and chose pairings • Picked final two names and slogans • Began designs for the layouts

And now we present to

you...

Options Moving Forward

• Continue research and testing • Choose a brand• Commission a campaign to roll out the

brand with the new Gen Ed program coming on-line in Fall 2014

Thank YouQuestions? Comments? Suggestions?