A new marketing plan for USM was released on Friday after a year of development led by a hired firm called the Educational Marketing Group.
The plan, which includes a new tagline-essentially a motto-as well as graphic displays incorporated with a series of phrases meant to describe the essence of our university, was developed to better recruit and retain students.
Although the process for developing the marketing plan began before the information on the current budget crisis was made public, it addresses the central ingredient of that crisis: keeping current and prospective students interested in USM.
The key words expressed throughout the marketing materials presented include ‘connections,’ ‘engaging,’ ‘interactive,’ ‘transforming,’ ‘motivated community,’ and ‘accomplished faculty.’
Two of the more prominent phrases tell of USM as offering ‘connections to cultural, economic and recreational activities in Portland,’ and ‘engaged learning that transforms lives and communities.’
The tagline that will accompany USM’s logo on all future recruitment materials is: ‘world view close up.’ According to Julie Cameron, the executive director of marketing and brand management at USM, these four words were narrowed down from 501 words and ideas.
“It’s right on target, which is important,” said Cameron, explaining that these four words sum up the experiences of our university’s student body, as gathered from interviews with many students during the year of development.
“So many students who come here have their whole world turned upside-down,” she said, but they are provided with the opportunity to get close up with faculty.
The tagline was dreamt up over a two day period during which “representatives from USM and the marketing group shut ourselves in a room to ask ‘What is USM?’ and talk about its culture.”
The group narrowed the 501 words down to two phrases, “and we had a definite favorite,” said Cameron. ‘Learn like you mean it’ was voted down in favor of ‘world view close up.’
Senior physics major Sri Dhyana, one of the “poster children” featured in the new marketing materials, spoke at the Portland unveiling of the marketing plan, describing her experience at USM as transformative. Two other students spoke at the unveiling events in Gorham and Lewiston/Auburn.
“I feel so privileged to have been part of this,” Dhyana said following the event. “It seems so perfect that I was chosen to be a part of this, and that I was asked to speak.”
Graduating in May with 190 credits after changing her major every time she discovered a new interest, she said that the faculty at USM played a profound role in her ten-year college career.
Junior Franklin Kendrick, who is also featured in the marketing materials, was excited that USM had finally developed a plan such as this. “It’s about time,” he said. “It seems like we don’t really have any advertising except for word of mouth.”
His sentiments were echoed across the room.
Beth Round, the assistant director of the Honors Program, said that “this is what USM needs to get momentum. It has been a rough year. When you feel that your resources are going away, but you can see how the community is finding resources to change that, it helps ease the sting.”
Senior Lauren Allen was impressed by the visuals produced by the firm, which were shown on a projector screen throughout the presentation, as well as on posters that were shown afterward.
“The visuals are really great, they really show what USM is all about and how it’s integrated into the community, which is our biggest selling point.”
Interim president Joe Wood spoke at the event, referring to the new marketing plan as “refocusing USM.”
“This will help us to recruit and retain students,” he said, “which are important areas to invest in while we reduce budgets elsewhere.”
Beth Shore, the vice president of university advancement as well as a USM graduate, said that the new marketing plan aims to offer one, consistent voice in the description of this university to new, transferring, and current students.
Not only will the new materials be used in recruitment materials being sent to 35,000 high school students this month, but we will begin to see changes on the university website as early as this week.
The tagline will be added to the site, as well as a blog and the slideshow that was presented at the unveiling. Another important component of the plan is a TV campaign to talk to the community about how student centered and focused our university is.
Student body president AJ Chalifour was positive about the plan, saying that it will be great for recruiting new students. He is still concerned, however, with changing the attitudes of those of us currently on campus.
“People who are here now are upset with budget cuts, and disenchanted by departments who are getting rid of faculty. We need to increase awareness on campus about all the things that we do well. We are the most effective ambassadors for the university. As students go back home and talk about their great experiences, they can help change the image of USM from a last resort school to a first choice.”