NAU unveils marketing initiative to promote university's excellence

nau identity
Northern Arizona University today launched a marketing initiative to solidify an image that reflects the distinctiveness of the university.

This effort will help the university recruit and retain students, faculty and staff as well as promote the university's excellence in teaching, research and service.

NAU President John Haeger unveiled the plan after nearly two years of research and development with help from Lipman Hearne, a Chicago- and Washington, D.C.-based marketing firm that has worked with universities throughout the United States, Europe and Africa.

"Our marketing plan and image send a strong message of who we are and what we represent as we move into the future," Haeger said. "We were a great university yesterday and we are a great university today, but this plan will help us inform everyone about what makes NAU special. Our students, faculty and staff deserve this recognition."

The initiative includes development of an overall marketing plan, new messaging and a new visual identity. Carla Andrews-O'Hara, NAU's director of marketing, said increased competition in higher education, shrinking budgets and a nine-year period of declining enrollments necessitate changes in NAU's marketing and messages. "The university's identity has been lost in inconsistent messages as units across campus have developed independent messages and identities that include more than 40 different logos," Andrews-O'Hara said.

The key to promoting the university, according to Lipman Hearne's plan, is to reinforce NAU's distinctive strengths and benefits. Some of the differences that make NAU distinctive and that need to be incorporated in NAU's communication include:

* NAU balances teaching, research and service
* NAU provides an alternative to mega-campuses elsewhere
* NAU provides access to education and career preparation for students from all walks of life
* NAU carefully integrates on-campus education and distance learning
* NAU takes pride in our faculty and staff who have always risen to meet the challenges we have faced
* NAU is in a community that values our presence

The research conducted over the last year and a half resulted in a verbal identity, or positioning platform, for the university. While not intended to be used verbatim, the verbal identity provides a foundation for creating NAU messages.

President Haeger photo
The verbal identity states: "Northern Arizona University fully prepares students for meaningful life and work through its commitment to learning and teaching in an unparalleled environment."

The encapsulated version is "The difference that matters." It's not a tag line, but a way of thinking, according to Andrews-O'Hara.

The most visible parts of NAU's new marketing plan may be the new logo—or mark—and the NAU colors. The new mark has an Ivy League feel, featuring a shield, reflecting a traditional academic sense. The mark maintains its southwestern appeal with a stylized pine tree and mountain, reminiscent of the San Francisco Peaks. The words "Northern Arizona University" appear above or on the side, depending on the use.

NAU's current "mountain logo" will be retired after a run of more than 20 years as will the numerous other logos and marks that have been created over the last two decades.

"The new mark will have a strong presence in the marketplace and will promote NAU's image as a high quality and forward thinking educational institution," said Tom Knights, director of the School of Communication and professor of visual communication. "It is an academically oriented design that reflects who we are and what we aspire to become."

The university will retain its "NAU blue" but has chosen a darker shade that is easier to replicate. "Gold" for the most part has been replaced by a sage green to suggest NAU's location and its commitment to environmental education. Gold may still be used as an accent color, but not in the logo.

NAU's budget for the 2002-2005 initiative is $600,000, drawn from university investment accounts. The cost includes Lipman Hearne's research, development of a marketing plan as well as some advertising, printed materials, including a standards manual, and other items associated with the launch and implementation of the new identity. Marketing at NAU will be an ongoing effort. For details on the plans, see www4.nau.edu/marketing/marketingplan.asp.