Emotional connections in higher education marketing

Abstract

PurposeThrough examination of a case study this paper aims to describe a brand re‐positioning exercise and explore how an emotionally driven approach to branding can help create meaningful connections with potential undergraduate students and can positively influence choice.Design/methodology/approachThe paper's approach is a case study description with quantitative analysis in support.FindingsThe use of an emotionally driven branding concept has positively impacted business development and brand likeability within a UK university.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is specific to one case study and evaluation of success remains relatively early. Initial implications relate to the potential use of emotion in higher education marketing communications and how the use of emotion acted as an enabler of more rational decision‐making processes within the case university context.Originality/valueAn exploration of issues related to the marketing of higher education services is of great importance at this time. The case study described offers value and learning for readers of the journal from both a theoretical and practical perspective.

Como a instituição de ensino superior comunica e vende serviços de educação a distância?

“…Tais estratégias de marketing podem também contribuir para a promoção de vendas, estímulo à experimentação e para o desenvolvimento da imagem institucional. Podem ainda auxiliar no relacionamento com o público desejado, tanto em mercados de massa como específicos/diferenciados (Bennett & AliChoudhury, 2009;Durkin et al, 2012;.…”

“…Há vários estudos que confirmam a importância do marketing de serviços no contexto da instituição de ensino superior, especialmente nos processos de venda/conquista e relacionamento com estudantes (Judson & Taylor, 2014;Bélan-ger, Bali & Longden, 2014;Durkin, McKenna & Cummins, 2012). As estratégias de comunicação e vendas promovem a apresentação de serviços ao mercado, o posicionamento da marca, a prospecção de novos estudantes e o relacionamento com os estudantes, por exemplo.…”

Factors influencing choice of a university by students in Zimbabwe

“…Durkin et al (2012) have observed that as competition increases, the use of marketing theories and concepts which have been effective in the business world is being gradually applied to many universities in the world. In studies done in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and the UK, Mazzarol (1998) has observed that image and resources as well as coalition and integration are the major sources of competitive advantage in corporate branding of universities.…”

Factors Influencing the Choice of Higher Education Establishment for Marketing Strategies of Higher Education

“…There has been an extensive research on marketers and educators, which often do not have common ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 2015 / 27 language and often are considered as different not crossing fields (Gibbs, 2008), with concluding practical recommendations. Emotional connections in higher education marketing, including the contribution to knowledge through graduate employability, international research and interaction with industry as well as the development of marketing concept has grown in importance for universities across the world (Durkin, et al, 2012). Specific approaches in international marketing in the higher education in the UK have been applied on issues in relation to marketing educational programmes to overseas students as well as analysed by the researchers (Kinnel, 2003).…”

“…The research results have proved that the post-graduate business education market is, and increasingly, getting more aggressive in efforts to attract students, the traditional marketing tools historically grouped into 4Ps (product, price, place and promotion), 5Ps (adding people) and 7Ps (adding physical facilities and processes) have to be considered for the higher education market (Ivy, 2007). An exploration of issues related to the marketing of higher education services is of great importance (Durkin, et al, 2012). Higher education quality has a great importance to attract students, aspects on how excellence and diversity are addressed in student recruitment strategies and how these strategies are developed in Norwegian higher education institutions are on the research agenda of several researchers (Frølich and Stensaker, 2010).…”