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Brand Measurement

The ability to measure your brand is not just important; it's essential for your institution's success. Watch Managing What You Measure for our latest insights on brand measurement.

Brand measurement goes beyond perception.

In the dynamic landscape of brand measurement, perception often takes center stage. However, as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving. Beyond the surface lies a complex interplay of data, insights, and organizational dynamics that shape the true essence of a brand's strength.

So, how can higher ed institutions achieve a holistic view of their brand’s health beyond perception?

Collaboration is important, but integration drives the health of your brand.

8 in 10 institutions report that their marketing communication efforts are coordinated on their campus, however, only 6 in 10 institutions agree that their marketing efforts are integrated across campus units.

The image consists of two horizontal bar charts presenting data related to marketing communication efforts and integration across university units. The left chart shows the level of coordination in marketing communication efforts on a scale of 1 to 10, with the x-axis representing the scale and the y-axis showing the percentage of responses. The distribution has a single peak at 7 (31%), suggesting moderate perceived coordination overall, with smaller percentages for the lower and higher ends of the scale. The right chart displays the level of agreement with the statement "Our marketing efforts are integrated across units." The responses are divided into "Strongly Disagree" (7%), "Disagree" (30%), "Agree" (50%), and "Strongly Agree" (12%). The majority (62%) agree or strongly agree with the statement, indicating a perceived integration of marketing efforts across different university units such as undergraduate recruiting, graduate recruiting, retention, fundraising, and alumni affairs.

Institutions struggle to consistently measure and track their brand perception over time.

Less than half of CMOs agree that they have measures in place to track their institution's brand strength over time.

The image shows a horizontal bar chart displaying responses to the statement "We have measures in place to track our institution's brand strength over time." The responses are categorized as "Strongly Agree" (6%), "Agree" (41%), "Disagree" (38%), "Strongly Disagree" (14%), and "Don't Know" (2%). The chart indicates that while a combined 47% of respondents agree or strongly agree with the statement, a significant portion (38%) disagree, and 14% strongly disagree, suggesting a lack of consensus on whether measures are in place to track the institution's brand strength over time. A small percentage (2%) selected the "Don't Know" option. The visual representation allows for an assessment of the distribution of responses, highlighting the divided opinions on this particular aspect of brand management within the institution.

Many institutions grapple with the challenge of showcasing the impact of their branding efforts.

The image presents a pie chart that shows 61% of institutions don't have a reporting system or consolidated analytics dashboard for reporting, according to the text provided. The remaining 39% is represented by the blue slice, implying that those institutions do have such a reporting system or dashboard in place.

Higher ed CMOs must lead efforts for achieving integration and stronger institutional brand measurement.

Higher ed faces a unique challenge: institutions must balance academic excellence with market competitiveness and stakeholder expectations. To address this challenge, CMOs must spearhead efforts to foster greater integration across departments, ensuring that branding strategies are aligned with institutional priorities while retaining the distinct identity and values of each academic institution. They can position their institutions as leaders in academic excellence, student success, and societal impact by championing a culture of collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking.

Download the full report

Download the brand measurement chapter to see more data, learn why this matters, and read strategies for measuring your brand beyond perception.