Insights

Nice to knows and need to knows.

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

a woman sitting in an orange chair with her laptop on her lap.
Brand Ex Machina: Can AI Help Build Authentic Brands?

In October 2021, I wrote an article about AI copywriting software. After testing several programs, I concluded the bots posed neither a threat nor seemed particularly useful to writers at that point...

Thought leadership, Branding
Harvard University. Photo by Somesh Kesarla Suresh courtesy of Unsplash.
Universities are Big Brands (So Why Don't We Treat Them as Such?)

What qualifies an entity as a big brand? Is it sheer size? Market cap or total revenues? Market share in their particular category? Societal impact? Large fan bases? Use or interaction in our...

Thought leadership
2023 written in lights. Photo by Moritz Knoringer, courtesy of Unsplash
Higher Ed's 2023 Resolution: Brand Management

Airplane flights are usually a time of reflection for me. Nothing like 4-6 hours tightly packed with a bunch of strangers to clear my head. 

Thought leadership
Breaking Brand

On August 15, Better Call Saul aired its final episode, concluding a seven-year and six-season run as one of television’s most compelling and complex dramas. Over 2.7 million viewers tuned in for the...

Branding, SimpScar Culture
Hands on a table. Photo courtesy of Unsplash, credit to Clay Banks.
We Need to Talk about Diversity in Higher Ed Marketing

We have a few sayings that have stuck over the past several years as we've evolved our agency, added services and talent, and participated in a lot of self-reflection. Among those frequently repeated...

Thought leadership
a woman holding a sparkler. Image by Brynden, courtesy of Unsplash
Sparkle > Flash

During a recent visit to my neighborhood barber, I overheard a conversation between a new customer and his stylist about his previous profession. Upon learning her customer was a former jewelry...

Thought leadership, National Prospective Student Survey
dark blue background with a group of students in the foreground.
2022 National Prospective Student Survey Webinar

We are proud to announce the release of SimpsonScarborough's 2022 National Prospective Student Survey!

The 2022 National Prospective Student Survey is a departure from our previous studies of the...

Events, National Prospective Student Survey
Temple University Bell Tower
What Does it Mean to "Leave" Higher Education?

We held the party in B100, a small room at the end of a hallway that led directly into the admissions office. This room was usually a place to meet faculty members during admitted student days, or...

Thought leadership, Salary & Professional Development Study
An aerial shot of Redlands University, with the admissions building in the front, and the mountains in the back.
The Transformative Power of Higher Education

We recently sat down with Kinnari “Kin” Sejpal to talk about the transformational higher ed experiences in India and the United States that helped make her a dynamic leader in today's higher ed...

Guest Post
A picture of a room with a couch and coffee table in the foreground, and two women working at a table in the background. Photo by Jason Goodman courtesy of Unsplash
Is Higher Ed Built for Women?
Thought leadership, Professional Development & Salary Study
individuals meeting around a table, looking at a women putting colorful stick notes on a board. Photo by Jason Goodman, courtesy of Unsplash
A Tale of Two Funnels
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times as universities stare down the 2025 enrollment cliff. In preparation, some institutions are beginning to see the importance of integrating systems...
Thought leadership, Professional Development & Salary Study
a photo of a MacBook keyboard with illuminated letters. photo courtesy of Phillip Katzenberger and Unsplash.
Chatbots in Higher Ed Shouldn’t Replace Your Admissions Team
Chatbots are here and they’re on many of your favorite websites. You’ll see them pop up to assist you with online shopping or research, welcoming you with such openers as: “Hi, I’m a helper bot! Do...
Thought leadership, Guest Post
SimpsonScarborough employees on a tour of Loyola Marymount University
Growing Gains: Announcing New Partners
In early June, SimpsonScarborough came together for our first in-person retreat since 2019. While some of us have worked together before, many of our colleagues met each other for the first time in...
Announcements, SimpScar Culture