Insights

Nice to knows and need to knows.

The hottest trends and latest insights from around the world of higher education.

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How to Assemble Your Team of Brand Co-Conspirators

New and prospective clients often ask us for advice regarding the process and management of an institutional market research and branding effort. At this point in the initiative, they typically have...

Resources, Thought leadership
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Breaking Brand: Challenging the Status Quo to Stand Out from the Pack

There’s no doubt that higher education is in the midst of challenging times. Moody’s recently rated the sector’s outlook to “negative,” a downgrade from 2015’s “stable” rating. Costs are rising....

Resources, Thought leadership
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Higher Ed’s Existence is Not a Marketing Strategy

Recently, SimpsonScarborough’s Elizabeth Johnson was a panelist at Inside Higher Ed’s conference on “Higher Ed in an Era of Heightened Skepticism.” Along with Brandon Busteed of Gallup and Zakiya...

Resources, Thought leadership
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Protecting Your Institution’s Brand During Times of Crisis

From sexual assault to conflicts of interest, from controversial speakers to fraternity hazing, every day seems to bring a new scandal to the pages of the Chronicle and Inside Higher Ed. As marketing...

Resources, Thought leadership
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You Heard It Here First

Higher ed marketing is a complex and growing industry with its own unique set of needs and challenges. Recognizing the need to shape new leaders in the field, the University of Texas has launched the...

Announcements, Resources
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Social (Media) Cues, Part II: Give Instagram More Love in 2018

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Resources, Thought leadership
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The Impact of Mobile Devices in Survey Responses

Back in August 2015, we started a blog series about our attempts to better monitor mobile device usage for online surveys and its impact on data quality, response time, and respondent experience. Not...

Resources, Thought leadership
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Market Research: Where Does the Money Come From?

Almost every college/university President and CMO I talk with tells me they need and want to develop a more data-driven marketing and communications function. But most laugh nervously when I ask...

Resources, Thought leadership
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Make it Your 2018 Resolution to Avoid These Common Research Mistakes

We’re gearing up for another year of brand research and creative, and it seemed like the perfect time to review some market research best practices. Sometimes, knowing what doesn’t work is just as...

Resources, Thought leadership
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Is Your Brand Working? A Checklist for Assessing Its Endurance

How do you know if you have a strong brand strategy? When you achieve your marketing goals, of course! But there are other, more subtle ingredients for branding success. If you can give a firm “yes”...

Resources, Thought leadership
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So You’re Not Going to Test Your Creative Concepts? Here Are 5 Reasons to Think Again

“The President knows what she wants.”

Resources, Thought leadership
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Articles from 2017 Worth a (Re)Read

Politics, free speech, diversity, and the narrative of a changing time not only permeated the national conversation, but also dominated discussions, debates, and articles about higher education in...

Resources, Thought leadership
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What Not to Miss at AMA (P.S. You’re going to love our booth!)

As we look ahead to the 2017 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, we have a long list of interesting sessions we want to attend. The topics are timely and innovative, and we already...

Events, Resources