Marketing myths need to be dispelled

By Christopher Simpson
Vice President
Public Affairs and Government Relations

Nine months after launching a university-wide effort to bring aggressive marketing to Indiana University's public relations efforts, it is time to take stock of a litany of pleasant surprises.
More than a few of my colleagues warned last spring of the perils of marketing any college or university, IU included. Initially, they referred to it politely as "the M word." "Call what you're doing anything, but not the 'M word,'" they advised.
"We're not a bar of soap," some suggested, "and few will favor selling the university that way." Others warned of "turf battles with the regionals," and more than one faculty member reminded me to fully integrate the academic community.
Today, after unveiling our first comprehensive marketing campaign through statewide television, radio and newspaper ads‹as well as a bevy of other strategies, not nearly as visible but equally important‹let me explode some myths:
€ "Faculty will not embrace marketing." Not true.
Our first step in building a university-wide marketing campaign was to convene a committee of faculty to advise us on qualitative and quantitative research we should conduct. Professors Ron Anderson, Tom Hustad and Jack Wentworth of the School of Business and Ritch Eich of the School of Medicine joined Brian Vargus and Gene Tempel at IUPUI in designing the research and collecting and analyzing the data. Had we turned to an agency to conduct this work, the research alone would have cost well in excess of $100,000.
Our faculty were generous in contributing their time and expertise, and not shy in their suggestions. We later tested the campaign in 16 focus groups that included faculty, staff and administrators on all IU campuses. They, too, were supportive and constructive in their suggestions and recommendations.
€ "The regional campuses and others will back away from a Bloomington-developed campaign." Nothing could have been farther from the truth.
Step two in our efforts was to form a University-wide Marketing Committee with representation from all campuses, Athletics, Alumni and the IU Foundation. Their mission was to take the research findings, then build and implement a plan.
And did they. Bob Magee, admissions; John Laskowski, alumni; Bryan Rives, IU Auditorium; and Dave Brown, athletics, were early participants, as were Doug Hartford, IU South Bend; Kay Rogers, IU Kokomo; and Jim Stammerman, IU Southeast. Many others joined the team‹Pam Perry of the Medical School, Margaret Garrison of the School of Business, Dean of Journalism Trevor Brown and Bloomington Assistant Vice President Perry Metz, plus many more.
Their well-rooted expertise, diverse backgrounds and unanimous desires to advance Indiana University combined to offer us tremendous help and advice.
€ "Administration will not support marketing." Wrong again. From day one President Brand has mandated that we build a comprehensive marketing plan. Chancellors Ken Gros Louis and Jerry Bepko were early and aggressive supporters, while the regional chancellors quickly signed on. Faculty leaders and deans in Bloomington and Indianapolis also were consulted and were quick to offer constructive suggestions.
€ "Students will be of no help." Again, untrue. We tested our messages with a variety of student groups. Bottom line‹they were critical that we hadn't done enough to tell the success story of IU. They demanded more, and offered any help to reach that goal.
In short, IU is a community. In looking inward, we found cooperation, spirit and pride as well as extraordinary expertise and native intelligence on how to tell the IU story.
I look forward to continuing to tap everyone's expertise as we move ahead.

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