The vendor is required to provide strategic marketing and communication support services for include:
- Research and situation analysis:
• Units may have conducted a variety of internal surveys and discussion groups to inform their strategic plans (please note that not every unit will have a strategic plan).
• The goals and objectives of these plans will be used to inform the brand promise for each unit.
• Additionally, it is extremely important that each unit seeks input from a variety of audiences, including
external audiences such as prospective students and their influencers, alumni, donor, academic peers, industry and more to ensure buy-in.
• The work to gain input may take a variety of formats such as townhalls, listening sessions/tours, focus groups, surveys, etc.
• Goals for this phase may include:
o Establish a new reputation benchmark for the unit with key constituencies
o Assess the unit’s current brand position.
• The unit(s) will provide all past data that they have gathered to the partner selected to do this work.
• They will also supply any relevant secondary sources of information that might provide useful in developing accurate and actionable insights
- Brand architecture
• While each unit fits within the university “branded house” they also have multiple sub-units that include departments, programs, institutes and centers.
• Each unit will likely want to undertake a research-based, audience-centric leadership exercise to better articulate the brand architecture and the relationship of various integral parts of the units.
• Goals for this phase may include:
o A unit-wide leadership endorsement of a strategic structure that demonstrates the clear relationships between the unit and its various entities.
o A forward-looking and audience-centric structure that serves as an organizational roadmap for each unit for future growth
- Brand strategy
• Using research and insights gleaned in the above two categories, develop recommendations for each unit’s brand including position, promise, personality, voice, and key messaging to create a cohesive way to inform storytelling across the unit and its entities.
• Ultimately, this work will include conducting input sessions with leadership and other constituency groups.
• It is imperative that this work aligns with the greater university brand strategy.
- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: April 24, 2025