Schools are getting the message about messaging.
Elite colleges and universities are still attracting plenty of applicants, but weak job-placement numbers for graduates and heavy student debt loads have put schools on the defensive, forcing them to prove to families and state governments that a degree is worth the investment.
Enter the chief marketing officer. A relatively new academic position, these marketers manage schools’ identities and messaging, a role covering everything from admissions brochures and Twitter feeds to brand management.
Bill Joy coined a very useful phrase years ago: “The quality of a company’s software has an inverse relationship to the amount of money spent on marketing.” I have found this to always be true.