Change Proposal: Communications and Marketing

The goals of the communications and marketing initiative are to recommend changes that will allow the campus to create a unified positive image for UMass Amherst; position itself more effectively in the marketplace and thus attract more resources; and maximize its return on resources invested in communications and marketing efforts.

The initiative will occur in two phases: the vision phase and the reengineering phase. In March of 1999, the Communications and Marketing project team completed its phase one report.

During phase one, the team completed a review of current communications and marketing practices. It also developed a positioning statement, a series of key University themes, and a plan for communication strategies for key target markets. Another focus of phase one was the campus's visual identity. It was found that many different logos for the University were in use without coordination. In 1998, a new visual identity was adopted.

Based on the team's review of best practices and an environmental scan, further recommendations for improving the image of the University and for enhancing the return on investment in marketing include:

· Incorporating a marketing approach into the next round of strategic planning;
· Developing a system for enhancing on-campus communications;
· Prioritizing target audiences and further clarifying distinctive academic strengths;
· Developing integrated marketing communications on campus.

If you wish to comment on this proposal, please send e-mail to sfe@chancellor.umass.edu

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