So much of higher ed marketing looks and sounds the same. Groups of smiling students. Picturesque study spots. Campus beauty shots.

To stand out, we need to do something diffferent. Be different.

Enter brand positioning

Positioning is all about understanding our audience’s existing perceptions of IU, and working to evolve them.

Right now, people don’t believe that IU is producing groundbreaking research, or that we’re crucial to Indiana’s economy.

To successfully re-position IU so that it’s known for its quality academic programs, research, and creative activity, we must create new messaging that is simple, consistent, and focused on what makes us special.

Here’s what we stand for

From a global perspective, we want IU to be known for health and business. After conducting nearly two years of research—which included an audit of IU’s graduation outcomes, an assessment of its programs, a review of internal and external research funding, and an analysis of the higher ed landscape—we are confident that this is a space that we can proudly own and declare as uniquely IU.

At a campus level, we want campuses to be known not just for their health and business impact, but also for their Differentiated Value Propositions—or, DVPs, for short.

Focus on health and business Leverage campus DVPs

Our focus: telling the right stories

There’s room for all kinds of storytelling within this new strategy. The trick is to make sure the stories we tell help solidify our brand positioning—and that they get put in front of the right audience.

There’s plenty more to say about this. As new resources become available in the coming months, and until more is said at the July 21–22 Storyteller’s Summit, don’t hesitate to reach out to IU Studios with any questions.

Learn more about storytelling