Branding

University Relations has led MSU and many MSU units in identifying their brand positions.

What is branding?  It is the strategic process of establishing in the minds of our priority audiences a distinctive mental location associated with attributes that resonate with those audiences and define what is different, better, and special about MSU in an engaging, compelling way.

Why do branding?  Today’s media world is filled with clutter and noise. Each day 300 to 3,000 advertising messages—all with calls to action—bombard the average person.  There are now more than 50,000 channels of information vying for our attention if one considers the full range of electronic and print media—network and cable TV, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, Web sites and more.

Branding begins with defining the desired primary perception we want key audiences to identify with us, then communicating a consistent visual and verbal message to build that perception into a focused and powerful  impression of our image and reputation. A successful brand is a summarizing impression—it provides a unifying umbrella that makes sense of all of the diverse messages and stories our audiences receive about us.

A number of steps go into identifying an organization’s brand, including:

• current perception and brand positioning research;
• message development and testing;
• development and application of brand standards and guidelines;
• creation and implementation of communication plans to roll out and introduce the brand;
• ongoing monitoring, testing and measuring of impact.

For more information, please call (517) 355-7505 or e-mail us.  We are located in 302 Olds Hall.