As Higher Education Market (HEM) move towards a progressively marketized higher education, branding has been increasingly adopted as a strategy to distinguish education institution in HEM. Research suggests that the importance of higher education brand management increases in circumstances, as there is a need to succinctly articulate the essence of the institution in an increasingly competitive market and to communicate signals of quality. At XIME, the development of the brand language and its adaptation in integrated marketing communication was performed to differentiate the institute in the industry for its unique proposition.

MARKETING STRATEGY

An in-depth analysis through Delphi technique method involving key shareholders resulted in the formation of the marketing strategy of the institute. The strategy was oriented towards institutes visibility, penetration into HEM, industry-institute connect and attracting talent.

The brand strategy was derived from the marketing strategy which later translated into brand management of XIME. The institute achieved its targets in key domains such as admission management, placements & internships, alumni engagement and higher participation in its events.

BRAND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Intensifying competition has increased the importance of branding in academia. The strategy of the institute is to increase the number and quality of students, improve student loyalty, improve placements, improve alumni involvement, recruit talented employees, and gain support from the corporate sector as well as further distinguish themselves from other actors in higher education.

Brand language was developed through intense research and user testing to achieve institutions positioning strategies. The brand elements were adapted to all communication channels such as the website, admission brochure, events & conferences, vehicle branding, social media, and collaterals. Blogs and all the marketing communications. The process resulted in developing differentiation of the institute and contributing towards building brand loyalty.

EVENT BRANDING

All Kerala Maria Memorial Philip Debate Competition is the flagship event of XIME to discover the best debater in the state. Bblewrap played a crucial role in the communication design of the event from a holistic perspective. Event stage design, brochure & leaflet design, and collateral design resulted in a grand event.

The experience of the speakers, judges, and audience was unmatched by the past events and other debate competitions. The audience engagement in social media and other digital assets witnessed a sudden increase proving the efforts taken for the communication design of the debate competition.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

One of the most crucial vehicle for marketing communication is the digital assets of XIME. A unique website was developed for the institute integrating blog environment, social media vehicles, and other digital assets to develop an ecosystem for 360-degree marketing strategies. The website strategy involved SEO, higher user engagement, reduced bounce rate of the users, improved user experience design, resonating the brand philosophy and engaging all the shareholders of the institute.

In-depth research was performed to finalize the technology stack, User experience design, content management, visual elements and integrations. An appealing and agile website in line with XIME’s positioning, functionalities and technical capabilities proved to be a digital asset for its upcoming business requirements.