Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, CP Health

Fostering Growth and Connection

In January, we were thrilled to host our second women’s networking event, attended by over 60 women from various industries, ages, and career stages across Boston. Our Empowering Women Network event series aims to create an environment that encourages genuine connections and conversations, acknowledging that women and men network differently [1]. Our focus aligns with the broader trend of women’s networking events, which provide a safe space for women to share experiences and challenges [2]. 

Why Does an Advertising Agency Host Networking Events?

Networking is crucial for women in the workplace – any workplace – as it helps them identify role models, find mentors and sponsors, and expand their business relationships. The way we see it, though, it goes beyond just connecting with people; it’s about building a community to share ideas, solve problems, and create opportunities for one another. And since so many of our clients and employees are women, it’s a logical way for us to support them.

When I approached our President, Steve Connelly, about starting the series, he threw his support behind the idea. As he said recently, “I don’t know what you all talk about or do since you won’t let me in, but I know this is important for us to support.” In fact, so many of our people see the importance of this effort that we have a whole army – women and men – who work behind the scenes to make sure the events go off without a hitch. 

As I explained to Steve and to everyone who attends or asks, our goal isn’t exclusion. There are well-researched gender differences in forming networks and discrepancies in access to and use of networks, making it more important for women to have psychosocial and social support [3]. 

Among our goals for forming the series, along with enjoying food, beverages and fellowship in our really cool and inviting space, is to use the event to share helpful information that our guests and our employees can implement in their personal and professional lives. 

During our first event, we focused on networking 101 basics – name tag placement, handshakes, and using QR codes instead of business cards. This time, we broke into smaller groups and discussed imposter syndrome, exploring whether it’s an intrinsic or a workplace issue and discussing strategies to combat it [4].

More Events on Tap

The Empowering Women Network series will continue, sponsored by our agency. Future events will continue to focus on topics relevant to women in the workforce, providing a platform for discussion, connection, and empowerment. The goal is to support women in their professional journeys, helping them navigate challenges and celebrate successes in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Our next gathering is slated for this coming spring and we’d love to have more women join us! If you’d like to be on our mailing list for that event, or if you’d like to learn more about our network, email me at MHartHenry@ConnellyPartners.com.

Sources

1. Why Women Need A Professional Network – Forbes
2. The benefits of women’s networking groups – Fast Company
3. Networking: The Most Important Thing Women Should Do for … – Entrepreneur
4. End Imposter Syndrome in Your Workplace – Harvard Business Review

At CP, we are always asking “why?” We’re fascinated and ever curious about customer mood and mindset. Here’s a few observations and constructive fodder for discussion from our anthropology and strategic planning teams from this past quarter.

1. Israel-Hamas War’s Crossfire
The effects of taking a political stand.

Observation: Businesses across the corporate world are seeking to find a balance in their responses to the war that don’t offend users, partners and their own employees. Many corporate leaders are feeling the pressure to make public statements. The COO of the software company Asana, for example, was guided by a major principle: “What problem are we trying to solve?” 

What brands can do: Brands should act cautiously, aligning their responses with their core values. It’s crucial to assess the relevance and implications of their position on the war, aiming to foster respect for diverse viewpoints.

Sources: The New York Times & The Wall Street Journal

2. Identity 180°
The power of complete reversal.

Observation: Snoop Dogg broke the internet with his news: “I’ve decided to give up smoke.” Days later he revealed it was a stunt for Solo Stove, a company that makes smokeless fire pits. The out-of-category jump made the impact all the more unexpected. By reversing a core identity, Solo Stove created shock value and instability. When the campaign is revealed, they simultaneously soothe anxieties and reassert the Snoop brand.

What brands can do: Embrace what’s unexpected. Take a core element and invert it to see what you could or couldn’t be without it. Seeing the absence of something can bring about a new perspective.

Sources: AdAge & LA Magazine

3. Specialized AI
Racing to rule the changing space.

Observation: The future of AI will change the landscape from general to hyper-specialized, as OpenAI’s recent support for custom ChatGPTs proves. Companies will create AI tools and assistance for specific roles and industries like consumer goods, financial services, insurance and pharmaceuticals. We’re already seeing real-world examples of specific professions using generative AI for law and education.

What brands can do: Assign the right early adopter staff, giving them specific business topics and/or challenges to explore & demo. Prioritize what to implement in realistic timeframes.

Sources: LinkedIn, Forbes, CNN & The Messenger

4. ‘Authentic’ Named Word of the Year
Experiencing a ‘crisis of authenticity.’

Observation: In an era increasingly dominated by deepfakes and post-truth narratives, people grapple with distinguishing the real from the artificial, and the value of authenticity seems to have heightened. 

This year’s focus on artificial intelligence, highlighted by significant events involving OpenAI and its ChatGPT, adds another layer to the discourse on authenticity.

What brands can do: Focus on transparent communication, ensuring that marketing messages and brand narratives are rooted in truth and leveraging storytelling techniques to convey their values and mission.

Sources: Time & Merriam-Webster

All good things expire. Look out for more reports coming soon.

In the realm of PR, Social Media and Influencer Marketing, Alyssa Stevens foresees a dynamic landscape in 2024. Here’s a glimpse of what’s on the horizon in the year ahead:

Increased Adoption of AI for Social Content and Influencer Marketing

We anticipate a surge in AI-driven tools for content creation, optimization, and influencer sourcing. Brands will leverage AI to enhance targeting, personalization, and overall effectiveness in their social media and influencer campaigns. 

Rise of Live Shopping

Live shopping experiences, particularly influenced by the success of features like TikTok Shop, are expected to become more prevalent. Brands will explore interactive, real-time engagement with consumers, providing seamless in-app shopping experiences directly within social platforms. Social commerce will continue to revolutionize social behavior and benefit brands by shortening the purchase journey for consumers.

Redefining the Role of Influencer

Influencers’ influence will expand beyond social and we’ll see more brands feature influencers as talent in traditional ad campaigns as well as lean into collaborations on capsule collections. Influencers are today’s celebrity, editor, and advertising platform rolled into one, and marketers should capitalize on their power to reach audiences. 

Decrease of Overly Branded Influencer Content

Marketers will continue to shift away from overly branded influencer content to drive better engagement and audience reception. We’ll also see a more widespread adoption of low-fi social content used on organic and paid social. Authenticity will remain key, and influencers who seamlessly integrate brand messages into their content, maintaining a genuine audience connection, will see better results over overtly promotional approaches with heavy branding and scripted voiceovers.

Lee Junkin, Platform Media Supervisor
Katie Coughlin, Media Supervisor  

In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and an ever-evolving landscape, the importance of conferences in fostering innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange cannot be overstated. 

Recently we had the opportunity to attend the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana, where marketing leaders dove into the pain points and solutions facing the market. 

In this blog, we’ll shed light on some collaborative discussions that addressed the complexities within the programmatic landscape, from removing the bias in programmatic, to invalid traffic, and how new technologies are helping to solve old problems. 

Removing the Bias in Programmatic

Bias may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of programmatic media, but Kerel Cooper, President of Advertising at Group Black, made it clear that it’s been a lingering issue in the space.

Programmatic media platforms are automated to push spend to buy ad space on websites, podcasts, CTV channels, etc., but only the developers know exactly how these systems optimize. Cooper explained how certain minority-owned sites and publishers face “legacy barriers” that prevent ads from being shown on crucial ad space and, in turn, limit the profits of said publishers. These sites may have been mischaracterized as gossip or political sites when they should have been characterized as entertainment, which affects the formulas that drive potential ad revenue. 

AI, a hot topic from the conference, is one potential solution to explore. Rather than relying on traditional keywords to determine the site relevance, AI is able to scan and determine what the content on the page actually is. 

This discussion allowed us to reflect on where our media dollars are going during a programmatic buy. We pride ourselves on getting our client’s media onto the most premium and relevant content in the programmatic space, but we must also make sure we are not missing out on prime inventory that has been excluded through historical bias.  

Safeguarding Programmatic Against “Made for Advertising” (MFA) Sites 

Throughout the conference, MFA sites were another hot topic of conversation. MFA’s are websites specifically created for the purpose of generating revenue through advertising, often using fraudulent methods. While we are integrated with multiple ad quality partners, we heard from many speakers who have turned to AI technologies to crawl inventory reports to find, and block, MFA sites. These discussions served as a reminder to always be looking into new technologies and strategies to ensure we are maximizing the efficiencies of programmatic buys.

In conclusion, the discussions we were a part of during last week’s summit have heightened our awareness and further fueled our commitment to leveraging innovative solutions to navigate this ever-evolving landscape. It’s clear that ongoing collaboration and exploration of cutting-edge technologies are essential to safeguarding programmatic investments and ensuring they align with our commitment to delivering premium, relevant content to our clients.

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

I recently attended the 2023 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education. It is one of my favorite higher education conferences and one that I have found is a must-attend for college and university marketing leaders. This year’s conference was its largest, with more than 1,500 attendees. While I unfortunately missed Day 1 sessions due to travel issues that I will not burden you with, there was still so much connection and content to take away from the last two days of the conference. From change management to Generations Z and Alpha to the importance of relationships, here are some insights that I gleaned from the sessions and conversations that I was a part of. 

Managing Change

It is no secret that higher education has been seeing a lot of transformation lately and change management was certainly a prevalent topic at the conference. First and foremost, it needs to be acknowledged that in addition to the industry, we as individuals have also gone through change. Secondly, many marketing teams have experienced turnover, whether from employees within the team or in connection with leadership at the institution. Presidential, executive and departmental leadership turnover has been more frequent than ever before.

To help navigate this change, two concepts really resonated with me on this topic: rugged flexibility and intentional redundancy.

Rugged flexibility was a framework discussed in Brad Stulberg’s keynote, “How to Excel when Everything is Changing.” He defines it as a gritty endurance, an anti-fragility that not only withstands change but thrives in its midst. To thrive, you need to understand the “inescapability trigger.” This thought is that once we come to the realization change is inevitable, cognitive and creative capability increases. 

While in a room of marketers, Brad shared a different set of 4 P’s to manage change: pause, process, plan, proceed. If you think about change as a conversation you are involved in, rather than something that is happening to you, you naturally become more active rather than reactive. And when practiced over time, you actually start to become proactive.

Another session that helped prepare leaders for change was “Lessons for Leadership” with two marketing leaders from Skidmore College, Julia Marco and Sara Miga. Any partners who have worked with me recently know how much I adore Skidmore College, with their institutional brand statement and shared belief that Creative Thought Matters. They communicated that belief for decades and have stuck with it. That is a brand.

While a shared belief is important for any team to rally around, this session walked through a very relatable story of MarComms departmental change, starting with multiple instances of leadership turnover over a short period of time. These two leaders grew within the organization and multiple times experienced taking on responsibilities they weren’t prepared for and weren’t originally expected to do. 

Two pieces of advice they shared that need to be amplified:

1. If you’re taking on more work, document it. You deserve more. Capability does not equal responsibility.
2. Intentional redundancy is crucial for succession planning.

The latter is crucially necessary not only for departures, which can sometimes be exacerbated by crises like a pandemic in their case but also for coverage when people are out of the office for any reason. Work/life balance has become life/work balance. Be intentionally redundant to accommodate for your team’s needed time away from work.

Talkin’ ‘Bout New Generations

There were multiple sessions on generations, in particular Gen Z and Generation Alpha. To level set what ages we are referring to, Gen Z is typically defined as individuals born between 1997 and 2010 (ages 13-26) and Gen Alpha being born after 2010 (i.e. 12 and younger).

In the session about Gen Z, Morning Consult shared some insights from their most recent “Most Trusted Universities survey.” As is typically the case, recommendations from family and friends were most influential in the college search process for prospective students and their families. In terms of trust, students trusted online/social influencers twice as much as their parents, who trusted guidance counselors twice as much. For both audiences, student and alumni perspectives were more important than those of academic influencers and faculty.

For both Generation Z and Generation Alpha, authenticity matters. They want to hear from students first and foremost. In the keynote panel on Generation Alpha, it was discussed how social content managers have essentially become social influencer managers. This could not be more true. When I was most recently at Wheaton College in Massachusetts, our social media lead’s management of our paid student ambassadors and organic student-first stories really WAS the content strategy. While some intentional feature and benefit promotion was always mixed in gently, shining a light on student stories and experiences was the authentic content prospective audiences engaged with.

While there are differences between both generations as well, it’s important to market these similarities, as they can shape your content strategy to appeal to a wider audience. I personally think it’s still too early to tell exactly how Gen Alpha’s beliefs, interests, and purpose are going to be defined. Yet, we can likely predict how their decision-making as consumers is going to be shaped. As has been the case for most generations, word-of-mouth will build trust, and in today’s environment, that advocacy is shaped by influencer marketing. 

Relationships Matter

Whether an individual session, a takeaway from an entire day, or a theme from the conference as a whole, one thing stood out above all: relationships matter. Relationships matter personally, they matter professionally, and they matter in marketing. 

Building a relationship with your consumer – no matter the industry – is the thread that links you together. It could be an emotional connection. It could be an impactful experience. It could be a referral from a trusted contact. This post’s previous section about influencer marketing and advocacy within Generations Z and Alpha certainly speaks to relationships with brands beginning with a recommendation. There is an unspoken trust living within that referral and trust is the foundation of any relationship.

This was my first AMA in five years and my first in-person conference since pre-COVID times. It had been a long time coming and despite my delayed travel in getting there, it was well worth the wait. I was able to connect with so many past colleagues, current partners and friends, while also meeting future ones. As a lifelong learner, there is an energy and momentum that comes with learning from and with colleagues.

But what matters most from a conference such as this are the relationships that are formed and furthered. The relationships I have made in higher education have been long-lasting and invaluable. They have led to personal friendships, professional partnerships, and the sharing of memorable life moments. Relationships matter.

Steve Connelly, President & Copywriter

Connelly Partners is about to embark on a big anniversary – 25 years in this business. Not many make it this long. And while one can never discount the roles both luck and hard work have played in our success and longevity, I am convinced that our mission and mandate from day one to stay moving, to keep reinventing/reinvesting, to never be a sitting duck, have been a major factor in our success. While we’re not reckless, we do embrace calculated risks and move with purpose. 

As we set our sights on our 25th year, we find ourselves competing in a different world, working in different ways, and standing on a different platform. A global platform. Today, Connelly Partners is an independent global agency with 150 employees across three locations in Boston, Dublin & Vancouver. That’s certainly impressive and allows us to compete for opportunities we might not have been able to in earlier years, but what makes us stand apart is not just that we have 150 people. It’s how we are actively investing in bringing those 150 people together. While we are not perfect, and we have much left to do, our intent is to create something that our business has never seen – a truly integrated group of people who live all over the globe, but know each other, respect each other, listen and learn from each other and can come together in ways that benefit both client and employee. Simply put, we believe our clients get bigger ideas when we shrink the world.

I just used a derivative of a word you’ve probably heard tossed about quite a bit in the last few years – integration. I’m going to ruffle some feathers here – but it’s total B.S. Simply having different skill sets available does not guarantee an agency will not still work in silos. Sounds really cool when an agency says they have an integrated offering, but I’m willing to bet they do little to nothing to create a culture and atmosphere that encourages people globally to actually work together. To build one culture together. To worry not about whose P&L client revenue goes to, but rather worry about the client challenge and inviting a wide range of people to the table to sit and solve that challenge.

Let the other agencies talk about integration. It’s a cold, mechanical word anyway. Let’s talk about how we at CP are devotees of convergence. Integration might be people sitting together. Convergence is ideas coming together. Actively, aggressively, relentlessly.

Now creating convergence requires two things holding companies don’t want to spend – time and money. Convergence does not come cheaply or quickly.

At CP, we’re committed to investing our time and money in ways that bring our people closer, to create the familiarity, honesty and respect needed to create bigger ideas. We’ve made strategic acquisitions, invested in new verticals and leadership, filled gaps within our offering, reinvented employee experience and converged skillsets & mindsets for a stronger CP. 

Again, we are not perfect. But we are not standing still either. Never have, never will.

To that end, we have a whole lot going on right now that we are going to start shouting from the rooftops. We’re launching CP West, our new West Coast office, born from CP’s acquisition of VRX Studios. We’re strengthening CP’s position as a global digital leader. ZOO Digital – a Dublin-based, digitally-driven creative agency that joined the CP family a few years back – will be expanding into North America – and will serve as CP’s Digital offering globally. We’re bringing CP Education, a new dedicated education practice to market as part of our integrated offering. And this follows our launch of CP Health in 2021. 

Lots of news converging at once. See what I did there?

CP never sits still. And we hope that 25 years from now we’re still the restless industry agitators we are today.

Rock on.

Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, CP Health
Alyssa Stevens, Director of PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing
Maya Menon Freeman, Strategy Intern

With over one billion global monthly active users, TikTok has amassed a captive audience for everything. From face creams to MRIs, native Gen Z seeks out online information on any and all subjects, including medical advice. Fifty percent of digital natives, aged 18 to 25, turn to social media platforms for health-related purposes either all the time (22%) or often (28%), according to Insider Intelligence’s US Digital Health Survey 2022. With a wealth of information that they’re used to at their fingertips, younger consumers tend to rely on digital resources for their well-being more than their older counterparts.

With the shifting dynamics of social media gaining more influence and legitimacy as a news source comes the risk of abusing this power. Experts warn that user-generated content on social media platforms, often shared by social influencers, can easily provide disinformation, creating a confusing and misleading mix of fact and fiction. 

The most recent example of this is when Kim Kardashian received backlash for promoting an elective MRI scan that can cost up to $2.5k to her 364 million Instagram followers, claiming that the procedure “has really saved some of my friends’ lives.” The New York Times deemed the endorsement a signal of The New Status Symbol. Prenuvo, the company offering the imaging session, claims to search for early signs of cancer, aneurysms, liver diseases and even multiple sclerosis. The impulse to discover illnesses as early as possible is understandable, however, the American College of Radiology has stated that there is “no documented evidence that total body screening is effective in prolonging life,” and warns that scans could lead to “nonspecific findings” that require expensive follow-ups. 

Avoiding Pitfalls of Influence

Unfortunately, a case like Kim K’s is not out of the ordinary. When non-professionals become leading health voices without any background or training, power shifts away from highly trained individuals, leading to ripple effects throughout the industry. For influencers promoting products or services with supposed medical benefits, these spotlights are often motivated by personal gain, whether financial or to expand influence and followers, as opposed to proven science. Influencers sharing recommendations may create an oversimplification of medicine at best, and create misinformation at worst. Influencers may even cause consumers or followers to self-diagnose and seek out treatments or shortcuts that may not be in their best interest. 

As N. Adam Brown, MD, MBA explains, “we simply cannot treat healthcare innovations as trends. We must demand greater responsibility and accountability by platforms and companies using influencers to drive healthcare businesses.”

Authenticity in Healthcare 

As true as the pitfalls may be when using influencers in the healthcare space, there is expansive potential for positive, authentic content that can improve health. Raising awareness is one of the simplest and most effective benefits derived from an influencer presence, leading to earlier detection, better management, and reduced stigma associated with some conditions. 

The most successful example is the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which began as an Instagram trend and resulted in more than 17 million people participating in the Challenge and raising $115 million for The ALS Association. The culmination of that campaign was the Steve Gleason Act, which guarantees ALS patients access to much-needed speech-generating devices.

Influencers sharing their own health experiences can also lead to greater personal advocacy, where individuals feel empowered to seek out more personalized, high-quality care from their providers. In this same vein, platforms like TikTok create a lower barrier of entry for those afraid of asking personal or potentially embarrassing questions to their own medical teams. 

Accounts like @avgdiabetic and @shaneburcaw share daily experiences of their chronic conditions as well as their lives outside of their medical care. They build an authentic connection with their viewers and speak truthfully to their own individual experiences, instead of plugging a new trend or product.

 @nursehadley and @doctor.mike are excellent examples of healthcare professionals who are also influencers, using their experience to educate viewers in a way that is backed by science, years of medical school, and research. Credibility is the core of their persona, and rightfully so. They reach their followers through expertise with a personal touch. For healthcare professionals in particular, these platforms can be utilized as a social listening tool where users discuss frustrations or opportunities to respond to consumer needs. 

Prioritize Experience

Whether personal or professional, experience is the key. Speaking from a more personal place for non-HCPs enables authentic connections and greater empathy among followers. The greatest potential for positive effects comes directly from transparency and de-stigmatization of sharing one’s story. But leave the medical advice to the professionals, who are the most qualified to provide actual advice, knowledge, and best practices to counterbalance misinformation that can permeate social media. 

TikTok and other social media platforms are here to stay. Deploying the reach of influencers to help consumers make good health choices is a continuing balancing act. While the supplanting of healthcare practitioners for the likes of Kim Kardashian is concerning, there is still an opportunity for impactful, empowering content to create broad awareness and move people in healthy directions.

Learn more about Connelly Partners Health.

Jane Amendolara, Assistant PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing Manager

As a young female professional, I have quickly learned the importance of building relationships, fostering connections, and seeking mentorship. While essential, this can also be a daunting experience.

Various studies have shown that in comparison to their male counterparts, women struggle in networking environments. It comes down to the fact that women and men simply network differently. While men tend to focus on short-term needs, women succeed by building more long-term, personal relationships and friendships. Women often form connections through people they already know and develop smaller, tighter-knit networks that are built on trust. It’s been shown that women actually wind up in a worse position when they attempt to network like men with hopes of getting ahead. Not because they aren’t qualified or lack the necessary skills, but because they are missing the crucial need for a close inner circle of women. That female connection helps to provide critical information on job opportunities and challenges, and ultimately serves a deeper purpose than just a “way in.”

In a world where making meaningful connections in professional settings can be difficult, I feel extremely grateful that Connelly Partners recognizes this and helps provide me and my female colleagues with the warmth, support, and empowerment needed to successfully network. 

Last month, Connelly Partners hosted its first Empowering Women Networking Event. We were joined by nearly 30 females from across a wide range of ages and industries, including former clients, prospective clients, friends, and job seekers. Together, we curated the welcoming environment that women need to build new relationships, both professionally and personally. 

Not only was I given the privilege of being surrounded by a room full of driven females from all different backgrounds, but this became an opportunity for us to get to know one another in a safe space for authentic connection. Whether it was talking business or simply forming friendships, the women in attendance were eager to share their experiences, advice, insights, and wisdom. It was uplifting to see genuine connections forming rather than just mere business transactions. 

Not to mention, how else would I have learned that there is in fact a correct way to wear a nametag? 

This event wasn’t just about networking. It was about creating an inclusive space for empowerment and served as a reminder that the support of like-minded individuals is invaluable. As I continue my career, I’m eager to witness the impact of Connelly Partners’ continued initiative for women and their networks…and I feel grateful to be a part of the journey.

Interested in joining us for our next women’s networking event? Sign up here!

Travel Weekly, a leading provider of news, research, opinion, and analysis to the North American travel trade marketplace, has announced the results of the 2023 Magellan Awards. This year saw a record-breaking number of entries submitted from across the globe.

The awards honor excellence in design, marketing and services across various industry segments, including Hospitality, Airlines, Airports, Travel Destinations, Cruise Lines, and more. Entries are judged against Travel Weekly’s standard of excellence.

We are thrilled to share that our client, the Williamsburg Tourism Council, has secured one Silver and two Gold Magellan Awards.

Check out the full list of winners here and the official press release here. 

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

Higher education has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, whether it’s the ongoing demographic shift, the change in student and family expectations on the value of a degree, or the shifts in modality, exacerbated by the pandemic and advancements in technology. As colleges deal with this evolving landscape, and many simultaneously strive to find stable financial footing, they often find themselves evaluating their portfolio of programs. And while higher ed loves to call them “programs” to steer away from marketing language, let’s be clear. Programs are the “product,” the forgotten element of higher education marketing’s Four P’s.

Constituents on campus and beyond typically look to the marketing team for “promotion,” but let’s remind ourselves that there are Four P’s of marketing, with “place” and “price” being additions to the aforementioned “product” and “promotion.” Marketing leadership typically has expertise in market analysis, strategic planning and communication, always thinking about the audience first. Institutions build programs with two primary audiences in mind, students and employers, so who better to help strategize on programs than a leader who puts the consumer first in everything they do?

Today, we’ll leave thoughts on “place” and “price” for another time, so let’s focus on the benefits marketing leadership can provide in program development:

Identifying Student Demand by Conducting Market Research

Understanding the demand for a particular program can significantly impact enrollment expectations. The shifts in demographics and the shifts in interests of different generations can help you identify emerging program ideas. Students and families expect programs to deliver tangible outcomes such as employability and career advancement, so understanding the needs of employers is table stakes. Additionally, evaluating industry data as well as institutional insights, such as enroll and non-admit information on your applicants’ majors that went to other institutions, could provide an understanding of new program potential.

Most marketing teams conduct primary market research at least every three to four years in addition to any ongoing brand studies. This research can be a starting point for program managers, but market research can also be conducted to determine which topics, subjects and programs are likely to attract prospective students and their families and meet the needs of today’s employers. Identifying trends and assessing demand can limit the risk of investing in programs with limited market potential.

Benchmarking Competition to Craft Compelling Messaging

In a crowded higher education marketplace that has turned into a commodity in the eyes of many consumers, it is very difficult to be distinctive. Not many colleges or universities can say they are distinct, but every college and university can differentiate from their top competitors. Marketing leaders can help assess how a program compares to its competitors and recommend potential variations or niche elements of the program vision that may generate a higher level of interest. 

Successful programs require more than talented faculty and a well-intentioned curriculum. They need a compelling value proposition that resonates with prospective audiences and current students and communicates the key features and benefits provided by the new program. In fact, identifying a message that may differentiate from competitors is critical to help stand out. The positioning of the program from the competitive benchmarking will help institutions develop that primary message.

Integrating Targeted Program Marketing Into Brand Strategy

Programs are often created without integrated marketing and brand strategy in mind and that can be a serious detriment when the program is ready for the old reliable “P,” which is “promotion.” A new program is typically provided with a “marketing” allocation as part of its draft budget to help get “butts in seats.” First of all, it is likely not enough budget to build the brand of a new program on its own. 

Secondly, there may be other budgets to leverage. Marketing leadership is often planning for the fiscal year far in advance to ensure that an integrated marketing campaign can holistically impact the institution and maximize visibility for its multiple programs. A new program can be an energizer to an integrated campaign, but its effectiveness can be exponentially more impactful if coordinated as part of a two-pronged brand marketing and enrollment strategy. The right marketing strategies reaching the right audience at the right time to inspire the right action can only be done through coordination, communication and collaboration. The analogy, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” is over-used for a reason; because it is accurate.

Change isn’t easy but product evaluation and evolution are critical to shaping the future of any institution. In fact, the evaluation of program offerings is an exercise that higher education institutions have been doing since their inception. But too often marketing leaders do not have a seat at the table early enough to help with program development. Rather than pulling our chief marketing and communications officers in to communicate and help community-manage stakeholder feedback after the announcement of the program evolution, let’s proactively plan to maximize program visibility and positively impact enrollment. I mean, those were the original objectives for the new program development anyway, weren’t they?