Seven University Branding Ideas Any Business Can Use
When it comes to cultivating a brand, sometimes it pays to go back to school. Universities are embracing a variety of means for reaching out to students and families, and businesses would do well to take a page from their book. Markets are ever changing, and as new generations become consumers, competitive industries need to pay attention to what works. As the doorway that many young adults step through before entering their careers, universities are often on the forefront of learning how to connect with new consumers. Here are seven of our favorite university branding moments so far, and ways that businesses could use a similar approach to growing their own presence.
1. Arizona State University: Celebrate Your Fans
ASU Kicked off football season by sending out swanky season ticket packages to their dedicated fans, alumni and special guests.
Businesses appreciate every customer, but it can pay off to recognize the VIPs. When a client engages with your business in that above-and-beyond way, celebrate them! Little tokens of gratitude thrown in with a purchase, especially in a well-branded box, will drive home that connection between the quality your particular service offers and loyalty to your brand.
2. Ivy Tech: Inspire with Fun
When the Ivy Tech Foundation sent out these custom gabled boxes, special donors found fabulous invitations to the gala event with due fanfare.
Most businesses don’t have donors, but they do have employees who give of themselves on a regular basis. The people who keep your operations going strong deserve a little fanfare, and employees who feel appreciated are more likely to promote your brand. Important conferences, meetings and training success can be lifted up with little gestures like this.
Season-ticket and suite holders received their credentials in style with this sleek and savvy box.
Does your business have a loyalty program, or perhaps a subscription group? Anyone can give out a paper card to receive stamps, but customers who receive a bit more with their memberships will feel special and recognized. Loyalty programs are popping up everywhere, but if you deliver clients’ credentials in a memorable way, they will be far less likely to overlook your services in the future.
4. Ball State University: Party With A Brand
Network ambassadors were given the tools to set up a rally relative ease with the arrival of this “party-in-a box,” so past and future students could connect to that school spirit. It’s amazing how one box can bring together generations of university students.
A box like this is an excellent way to reconnect with past clients or to welcome new ones! Put together a cache of items representative of your brand in a way customers can enjoy alone or with others. Gift packages that are meant to be shared can bring in new people just as they can remind former customers of the good things you offer.
5. USC Sumter: Promotion Begins At Home
The University of South Carolina used a box packed with goodies to reach out to potential new students at an annual event.
Speaking of new clients, this is a classic example of well-executed branding outreach. Of course an idea like this could be effective at conferences and expos, but it’s a perfect way to recruit competitive new hires, as well. Job fairs and marketing pushes receive an unforgettable push when you bring in little extra details that drive your brand home.
6. Indiana State University: Don’t Forget The Kids
This adorable Kids Club box gets the next generation of students and sports fans rolling, setting the early stages of success by reaching out to the young crowd.
It can be fun to involve kids in your brand, especially if you show your employees’ families the love, but an idea like this isn’t just great for the youth. If you have a niche group you’d like to connect with but haven’t quite figured out the way just yet, a custom branded box with appropriate swag might just do the trick.
7. ISU Does it Again: Keep Them Close
Given as a graduation gift, the Blue Box celebrates the time the brand new alumni have spent making memories at Indiana State University, so as they continue to grow in life, they’ll never lose touch with those Sycamore roots.
When you promote an employee or, as life will sometimes have it, lose one, send them forward on the right foot. A gift box celebrating the work they’ve done for your company and supporting their personal ambitions does so much more than make them feel appreciated for a day. It sends a message that you are invested in them and their future, and that your brand is worth sticking around for.
The lesson these universities have taught us is this: the opportunities that come with a branded box are endless and not to be dismissed. Use boxes to thank partners or give awards to high-performing team members. If your business has various departments, you can create custom packages for each separate department that cultivate your overall company community. Welcome new hires during orientation with a package that erases any doubt that they chose the wrong business, and rally company and customer spirits alike as seasons pass with holiday and seasonally-appropriate gift packs.
Whether your business is a startup or a veteran presence among the competition, these university ideas for branding can help propel your brand presence into the future. For clients, every interaction with your company is another chapter of their story with your brand. Send a package, and you may just plant a seed for a new story. After all, the right box at the right time can make unforgettable experience.
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