In the August 5, 2008 story in Business Week, (http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/aug2008/bs2008085_851921.htm ) part 2 in a series on the business of colleges, the author makes a very sound case for institutional branding and how it is being applied. This is something I have always done when I’m photographing on a college campus.

It has become a bit more specific now that taglines are being used in most college and university marketing plans.  I am now hitting the campus with the goal of illustrating an idea which communicates the brand.  Since I have always guided my work by bringing out the uniqueness and personality of an institution, the tagline has become a great aid.  This also has been a tremendous benefit to admissions and communications offices.  They have a more refined view of their needs.  It frees them to conceptualize within the message.

But as the article states:”Colleges and universities will always be sprawling, consensus-building organizations whose very decentralized model is what makes them successful academically.”  Now that is a well said statement and one which addresses the unique challenge of academic marketing.