Larry D. Lauer

In preparation for a presentation I will be making in Australia, I have been reviewing some current university marketing materials. I was reminded that not too long ago, we could not even utter the word “marketing” on some campuses. Now, it can be quite striking to see how far some institutions have come.  In fact, I actually found myself asking: Have some of my professional colleagues gone too far?

Cute tag-lines with little content or substance abound. My contention all along has been that no tag-line is better than just a cute one. Cute gets old fast, every time! Tag-lines must connect so well to an institution’s mission that they cleverly sum-up the true essence of the place. Otherwise, they serve no real purpose. Some institutions are using athletic mascots in their advertising to symbolically stand for the entire institution. But here I found myself asking: Is this the best symbol for the institution’s long-term academic reputation building?  Others are using design so trendy that it’s difficult to see how their materials accurately represent their institution’s mission and vision.

Dont get me wrong. Especially in this digital world, I do believe we need to “look” innovative. In order to connect with our audiences we must be able to demonstrate a state-of-the-art understanding of technology, and of our constituents’ needs and interests. But the question for the academy remains:  How do we do that and still represent the traditions and substance and what academic work is really all about?

We are advancing an industry with significant historical relevance. There is nothing else in society quite like the academy. It’s traditions of academic freedom and constructive debate require continuing explanation. It remains the custodian of the lessons of history and the best thinking of mankind. Indeed, reminding each generation of the very definition of  a fully “educated person,” is also our ongoing challenge. 

All of this today certainly does require a measure of  innovation. The first chancellor I would work  with on meeting this challenge would often say to me:  OK, Lauer, we will try this idea, but not that one!”  I often felt I was being held back. But now I appreciate what I learned from that struggle to fully explain what I was trying to do.

Maintaining the heritage of this entire academic enterprise will require a certain amount of elegance. We must find a way to “look” imaginative and creative without  going over-the-top. This is why I now argue that we must adapt the profession of marketing to the academy. We are not selling an academic shopping center.  What we do must begin as a “way of thinking.” and not end up as a road to commercialization.

We need to connect with our constituents where they are, no doubt about it. But, then we must go on to take them to a better understanding of this wonderful world of ideas, and the unique role our institution intends to play in it. Honest communication that is more imaginative than cute should be the rule of the day.  Simply put, to be true to our heritage our marketing must be “appropriate.”