I just found this. Interesting, particularly the home away from home. That's not the same as home.
Renea Morris, executive director of UCM, explained the concept behind the “It’s You” branding campaign, a culmination of more than three years of comprehensive research and collaboration with University stakeholders, students and alumni.
“Throughout the process, we kept hearing the same thing over and over – from current students, from prospective students, from alumni – ‘There’s something about OHIO. It shapes me into the person I want to be. Here you are an important person. It seems like no matter who I want to be, I can fit in here,’” Morris said. “So when developing the creative concepts, we wanted to convey the idea of being able to see oneself at OHIO.”
A UCM team tasked with developing creative concepts for the branding initiative pulled together interviews with 31 students who talked about their OHIO experiences. After transcribing those interviews, four themes that capture the essence of Ohio University emerged: Love at First Sight, Home Away from Home, Supportive Professors and Bobcat Pride.
http://www.ohio.edu/ucm/media/archive/12-13/brandingpremiere2013.cfm
Certainly sounds like they went though their due diligence and came to some of the same points we are. Without seeing the research, I would have liked to have seen them roll up to something with more focus and emotion than, "It's You." I'm not sure what the take away is (the place for you? The place where you become you?). Based on their findings and our thoughts,
"Your Home" could have worked well (and is more inviting and less lonely than "you"). Interesting, if you watch all of the videos -
http://www.ohio.edu/you/ - OHIO becoming your "Home" is actually the sentiment that is coming across in many of them (it's actually the words that are spoken in the Home Away From Home video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJfPSIABpwQ)
Given the undercurrent of the "home" emotion, I would be willing to bet that Renea and her team looked seriously at such a direction, but probably had (at least) one person say, "We can't be their "home," we risk offending parents and scaring them that their babies are gone forever" - and she appreciated that a compromising "Home away from home" is a support point at best. I can only imagine the politics (and "veto-ers") Renea must deal with. God help her!
Now the key is to not just provide the brand message (?) on the web site but to pound it home in everything/everywhere Ohio. Communications, promotions, events, etc. (Boy, "Your Home" kind of thing would have worked great on so many fronts - Sibs Weekend, game promotions after the teams been away, high school recruitment/admissions, and, obviously, alumni marketing). And could have worked will as a logotype - imagine this graphically tighter (starts to drive home that we are OHIO's University as well!)
OHIO
Your Home
But, it is "It's You" --- put it everywhere, keep it consistent, keep pounding and "OHIO" as a brand can gain some traction and meaning. PS - I'd expect the "home" element to remain an undercurrent.
Last Edited: 1/11/2014 3:29:57 PM by cc-cat