Category: branding

Liveblogging from CASE: primal branding

Toward the end of his presentation this afternoon, Joe Hice referenced the work of Patrick Hanlon, the author of Primal Branding: Creating Zealots for Your Brand. I’d read a column about Hanlon’s work in a recent issue of Marketing News and was intrigued by the seven points of primal marketing, so I was happy to see someone applying these concepts in higher education. (Actually, a lot of us incorporate some of these concepts but probably not as effectively or as systematically as we could.)

According to Hanlon, great organizations have a “primal code” that creates passion in their customers (followers). (Here’s an interesting review that outlines the elements in detail.)The code consists of these seven elements:

  • A creation story. For Harley-Davidson (Hice’s example), the creation story is all about how H-D was born in a woodshed.
  • A creed. “We fulfill dreams” is H-D’s.
  • Icons. The Fatboy.
  • Rituals. The annual pilgrimage to Sturgis, S.D.
  • Pagans/Unbelievers. Those who ride Japanese motorcycles.
  • Sacred words. “HOG.”
  • A leader. Perhaps the CEO, or the company founder. For H-D, it’s Willie G. Davidson. For Apple, it’s Steve Jobs. For Microsoft, Bill Gates.

I’m curious whether anyone else in higher ed marketing is following the primal branding school of thought?

Liveblogging from CASE: Joe Hice: talk about the passion

Blogging live from the CASE Annual Conference for Senior Communications and Marketing Professionals, which got under way today.

Opening the conference was Joe Hice, associate vice president of marketing and public relations in the Office of University Relations at the University of Florida. A former marketing exec for Harley-Davidson, Segway and Sea-Doo, Hice spoke about a few lessons PR and marketing folks in higher ed could learn from the corporate world.

What it boils down to — whether at Harley or on our campuses — is passion. “It starts with the passion for the product,” Hice said, “and it starts with you.”

A relative newcomer to higher ed (he’s been with Florida for 14 months now), Hice’s biggest culture shock came when he discovered how tiny the marketing budget was compared to the corporate world. “When I was at Sea-Doo,” he said, “I was accustomed to spending $8-$10 million a weekend. At the University of Florida, I won’t spend that much through my retirement.”

But even financially strapped colleges and universities can incorporate some of the ideas companies like Harley-Davidson use to build their brand and brand loyalty — or, in Hice’s words, “disciples” who will carry the message to broader audiences. Harley has its HOGs, and the University of Florida has its Gator Nation. Hice says the Gator Nation launch will begin this weekend. You heard it here first.

More later.