Month: April 2010

Building brand ambassadors, the Hokie way

From the ideas worth stealing department: Virginia Tech’s Certified Brand Ambassador Program.

The program is a six-course package, offered in two phases, that appears to provide a comprehensive education on the university’s brand identity, from its history to its usage and application in various media. Once participants complete the program, they become certified brand ambassadors. This looks like a good approach for building internal buy-in for a university brand. Nice work.

According to Elizabeth Scarborough of SimpsonScarborough, Virginia Tech’s Melissa Richards is seeking out similar approaches to internal brand-building. Scarborough isn’t aware of any quite like this, but gives VT kudos for their effort.

“This is a great example of where our profession is headed,” she writes. “Our centralized marketing departments will be responsible for developing a brand strategy and training everyone else on campus how to use it, apply it, live it, and expand on it.”

(Hat tip to Michelle Mierzwa, who pointed this out via Twitter.)

When did ‘secretary’ become a dirty word?

Today is Administrative Professionals Day. (Did I just hear a few “Oh crap!” gasps out there and a mad rush to the local florist’s?)

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Until 2000, this day was known as Secretary’s Day, but according to the International Association of Administrative Professionals, which sponsors the day (I always thought it was Hallmark), the name was changed “to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today’s administrative workforce.”

That makes sense. But it makes me wonder if there are certain connotations associated with the word secretary that tarnishes the image of that occupational title.

What do you think of when you hear the term secretary? Does it conjure up images of the typing pool on Mad Men (shown above)? Or the “girl Friday” of old black-and-white movies who would fetch coffee for her male boss? Or the sexually harassed-turned-vengeful women of 9 to 5? And should titles like “secretary of state” or “secretary general” be changed to reflect their expanding responsibilities? Should Robert Gates’ title be administrative professional of defense?

Does “secretary” need a public relations makeover, or is it too late?

Whatever the case, be sure to let your administrative professionals — whatever their title — know that they are appreciated. Not just today, but always.