Agenda

Key Issues Communication Industry Competitive Landscape Target Audience Strategy Brand Key Insight

External Competition
Local competitor programs These are programs that students commonly ask about, in terms of how UTA differs and why they should come to UTA Dept. of Comm. instead of going to these larger, well known schools. Students are drawn to older programs at universities with established brands in both public and private venues The differentiating factors need to be clarified and communicated to target audiences.
Faculty consider UNT and TCU as our main competitors based on programs Students consider UT and Baylor main competitors based on reputation

Internal competition
Local competitor programs Dept. of Comm. as backup major After trying other majors Communication considered common and easy because of broad nature University primarily focuses on hard sciences in branding and reputationrelated communications We need to promote the department in a way that shows our great factors to the target audience.

UTAs new Yes campaign does not mention Communication or have visuals including communication

Target Audience Confusion

What is communication? In terms of definitions In terms of and what job prospects, careers, and salary are available What is communication? What do I do with it? What can UTA offer compared to other programs?
Communication messages must be developed to address this confusion.

Several schools have information describing Communication and the career possibilities in the field. Alumni pages also help define career possibilities.

Goal
Recruit quality students into the department Declare Communication as intended major as freshmen Enter high schools to recruit high quality students Brand:

Key story (message): Convince students to be a Communication major from the very start of their time in college This should include the departments differentiating factors Many Brand identification (logo/slogan development) communication departments have a Target audience profiles brand identity
Measures: increased freshman intended communication
outside of the universitys main branding

Communication
Changing industry Trend for convergence in the the field and communication departments Communication is presented as a burgeoning field for social students Enrollment is down across the country, especially at a freshman level1 The majority of administrators say they have made curricular changes in the past two years in response to changes in the Comm. Landscape1 Faculty must have skills in the digital arena1 Ethnic diversity is increasing 1

1. 2011 Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Enrollments. Journalism and Mass Communication Educator

~80% of programs have made major curriculum changes in the last 2 years due to changes in the Comm. Industry. This includes changes in track names to reflect changes in the media landscape such as those to the left.

Ad/PR

AD&PR

Strat. Comm. Media Technolog y

Broadcast/Digital Media

Broadcast and Tech

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UTA Dept. of Communication

Founded in 1972 ~950 majors 6 sequences: AD, BC, CS, CT, JR, PR Students gain a liberal arts background Top five media market Knowledgeable and dedicated faculty Student commonly earn internships Students gain hands-on client experience by working with community clients Students win awards in their fields, such as the Radio Mercury Awards (see notes)

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UTAs Communication Program is quite a few years younger then many competing programs

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External Competitors

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Sequences
Most programs: Journalism Advertising Public Relations Communication Studies

Other names: Multimedia Broadcast Texas Techs new multi-media lab Electronic Media Health Communication Organizational Communication Media Film Radio TV Film Media Strategy Strategic Communication Emerging Media and Communication

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Communication Program Messages

Creative Community (SMU) Leadership (Texas Tech) Academic & Professional (UNT) Knowledge & Skill (A&M) 5 Units. One Direction (Texas State) Effective Communicators (University of Houston) Convergence (TCU) Theory + Practice (UT Austin Adv.) Skills and Theory (Baylor)

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UT Ad Dept. home page is branded Theory + Practice and lists current places people are interning with scrolling text plus current job openings. This emphasizes practice.

Advertising Competitors
SMU-Temerlin Advertising Institute Texas State-School of Journalism and Mass Communication Texas Tech-College of Media and Communication University of Houston-Jack J. Valenti School of Communication UNT-Mayborn School of Journalism UT-College of Communication

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Broadcast Competitors
Baylor-College of Arts and Sciences UNT-Radio, Television and Film, Mayborn School of Journalism TCU-College of Communication UT-College of Communication

TCU Radio

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Communication Studies Competitors

Baylor-College of Communication SMU-Meadows School of the Arts TCU-College of Communication Texas State-Department of Communication UNT-Department of Communication Studies UT-College of Communication

Texas Tech Comm. Studies Program has clearly distinct tracks. While UTA has similar tracks, differences are unclear in the communication online

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Communication technology
SMU Creative Computation UT Dallas Emerging Media and Communication Texas A&M-Department of Communication (Telecommunication Media Studies) UNT-College of Visual Arts and Design (Communication Design) Texas State-School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Electronic Media) Texas Tech College of Media and Communication (Electronic Media Communications)

UTD Logo for Comm. Tech

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Journalism Competitors
Baylor-Department of Communication SMU-Meadows School of the Arts TCU-Schieffer School of Journalism Texas State-School of Journalism and Mass Communication Texas Tech-College of Media & Communication University of Houston-Jack J. Valenti School of Communication UNT-Mayborn School of Journalism UT-College of Communication

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Public Relations Competitors

Baylor-Department of Communication Texas State-School of Journalism and Mass Communication Texas Tech-College of Media and Communication University of Houston-Jack J. Valenti School of Communication UNT-Mayborn School of Journalism UT-College of Communication

UH PR

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Differentiating Factors
In our favor: Student point of view: Advisors Lower Cost (living) Location Accessible instructors Hands on opportunity Internship possibilities If you want to learn more, you can submerse yourself in any field Courses prepare students for industry jobs Important to have broad base of knowledge in liberal arts, given magnitude of Comm. Faculty are involved and there, but not necessarily known before entering department Faculty point of view Many schools emphasize their Service Learning differences above the fold. Our dept. has many merits toorganizations do the same. Active student Integrated nature exposes students to other faculty and students in other disciplines

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Differentiating Factors
Not in our favor: Student point of view: Reputation of the department is not well-known or large Classes have limited availability No summer courses Too many unmotivated students Some courses are poorly structured
Faculty point of view: Smaller than other programs Inability to offer as much variety Not as many dedicated faculty for a particular sequence Not as integrated between sequences Specializations within sequences not possible Not as prestigious a reputation at university level

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We have the material to dispel several of these notions

Internal Competitors
UTA does not advertise the social sciences as much as the hard sciences When UTA does cover Liberal Arts, Arts, Theatre, and Music tend to take the spotlight Other departments have specific branding that increases reputation as well Other programs compete from a student perspective: Art: Web and Film vs. Comm. Tech and Broadcast Business: Marketing vs. Advertising Business: UTA Management vs. Comm Studies English: Creative Writing vs. Journalism However, these programs are very different

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Perceptions: Undergraduates
Reputation
Worried about reputation of UTA and our Communication program in the communication industry not being as well known as other larger universities, such as UT Austin

Schools with better funding are considered to have more valuable degrees
Prestige of older programs translates to better education and greater opportunity after graduation

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Perceptions: Matriculated Graduates

Location
Close enough for commuters Far enough for those who want to leave home Education Graduates are confident in ability to perform industry jobs Graduates feel equally if not better equipped than students from other universities Curriculum builds skills in teamwork and fosters individual growth
Many schools emphasize their alumni to enhance their reputation and attract donations

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Perceptions: Students VS Faculty

Courses Students appreciate sequence-specific classes Faculty thinks programs can be more integrated Faculty want to offer more variety Instructors Students regard professors as knowledgeable and accessible Faculty want dedicated instructors for each sequence Facilities Students want more hours of access Faculty would like an overall improvement Reputation and Size Students think a large amount of their peers are unmotivated Faculty consider the program small Students are more concerned with university reputation

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Target Audience Confusion

UT Almost UTA is a small school, commuter school UTA has a small program in comparison to others Other misconceptions Sequences are the equivalent of degrees in the chosen field of study Marketing and business degrees are of greater value/higher demand Students do not know what communication is before entering as freshmen. They figure it out after trying other majors Students do not know the sheer magnitude or influence of communication Students are unaware of what they can do with communication

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UTA Competitive Positioning

Niche
Given the number of schools in the area Given overlapping programs Given differences in size of programs. We need to focus on our positive differences and specialties Accessible instructors Hands on opportunity (radio, news, digital media) If you want to learn more, you can: environment allows students to submerse themselves in their desired field, e.g., central location between two contrasting markets Courses prepare students for industry jobs (faculty experience) Newer than competitor programs Panoramic Thinkers Department for panoramic thinkers, visionaries, pioneers, mavericks, seekers, trailblazers, detectives/investigators, innovators, revolutionaries, renaissance men and women (see target audience descriptions)

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Positioning Model
Flexible

Classic

Contemporary

Rigi d
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Demographics for the quality student

15-19 males, females High school graduates, transfer students All ethnicities English and Spanish speakers HH income variable Mainly from TX and surrounding region GPA: A or B average 2.7 minimum

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Psychographics for the quality student

Interested in a dynamic, changing field Not interested in the typical 9-5 job Self-starters, leaders Our students want it more Go getters Set yourself apart Excels at left and right brain thinking Students have worked on unconventional projects Diversity not just ethnic diversity, but diversity in thinking

We are looking for Panoramic Thinkers who are able to develop ideas from a wider perspective; communication practitioners must have this same perspective. This allows their thoughts to adapt to unique circumstances. Their strengths include problem-solving, brainstorming, critical analysis, and pattern recognition.

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Geographics
Cities with constant media exposure, sub and counter culture influences Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Portland, Seattle Rural areas in Texas and the region East/West Texas Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi International scope Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, UK, China, India

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Target Archetype
Herman Courier is a high school student. He has a large circle of friends and constantly finds himself interacting with people from all circles. Accordingly, he has learned how to conduct himself in any social situation. He is friendly and adaptive. He knows how to tell a good story to his friends as well. In school, he does pretty well. He gets As and Bs, possibly a C here and there, but he blames that on the outside projects and hobbies he enjoys, such as developing a Facebook page for his moms local business. These projects have allowed Herman to begin to understand the importance of problem solving. His ultimate goal is to draw upon his experiences to do unconventional things in whatever career he chooses; maybe computer engineering or website development. What he does not know is that a career in communication could do just that for him. Herman is not conventional. He is not the straight A or C student. He is somewhere in-between, because he thinks differently.

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Model: Learn Do Feel

Learn - Definition, magnitude, and potential for communication - UTA Comm. Departments role in developing communication practitioners

Do - Inquire with the department - Visit department, attend tours and open houses - Research sequences - Soul search

Feel - Exclusive - Esoteric - Inspired - Contemporary

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Brand Message/Key Insight

Submerse yourself in the unconventional.
Communication as a degree is unconventional. Unlike any other major on campus, communication is the only field of study that will touch every single industry and field out there. No matter what field someone is in, they will need communication. You can submerse yourself through communication in any field you want, and the magnitude of influence you can have is as big as you can think; a perfect degree for a panoramic thinker. UTAs Department of Communication is a congenial entity with a desire to share its knowledge and experience. It is younger than its competitors, therefore, it is newer as well. And as we know, younger brands have the ability to do unconventional things. We offer a program that is less rigid and more accommodating than the competition. Students of the Communication Department are immersed in a college filled with diverse minds and possibilities. The structure and flexibility of the program enables an unconventional approach toward higher learning. The possibilities are endless as faculty continually encourage pupils to go deeper.

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Geographics
Cities with constant media exposure, sub and counter culture influences Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Portland, Seattle Rural areas in Texas and the region East/West Texas Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi International scope Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, UK, China, India

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Brand Personality
The contemporary Hermes, the bike messenger, is known for Their unconventional behavior There are no straight lines anymore in sending messages. Therefore, they see different perspectives on the routes to achieve a desired communication goal. Protector of storytellers, one of the most important skills for communication practitioners. Always changing to meet a new challenge They ultimately serve to educate and improve society. When they speak to possible apprentices, they tell them to be panoramic thinkers so

From

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Creative Brief Summary

1.Problem/Results: Internal/External Competition & Target Audience Confusion. Brand should encourage quality students to come to UTA to major in Communication 2.Tgt. Aud.: Herman Courier is not conventional. He is not the straight A or C student. He is somewhere in-between, because he thinks differently. He is in high school and at the age where he is trying to decide what to do in college as he is applying. He is a go-getter who does not want the typical 9-5 job. He is both left and right brained, a panoramic thinker. 3.Brand Results: Increased visits to web, tours/PD, inquiries, freshmen intended majors 4.Information Needed: Clear definition of communication: importance of it, what it is, omnipresence/magnitude, influence on every aspect of life, possible careers in the field, incentives, connection to other fields, differences that UTA Comm. Dept. provides to enter the industry 5. Brand Personality: unconventional, sees different perspectives, a good storyteller, always changing , serves to educate and improve society 6. Key Insight: Submerse yourself in the unconventional.

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Current Students
Advising Course Schedules Degree Requirements Study Abroad Internship & Employment Info Student Organizations Service Learning

Prospective Students
Admissions Sequences Scholarships & Financial Aid Upcoming Orientations & Tours

About Us
Mission Statement Message from the Dean Department History Faculty/Staff Advisors

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Web Communication

News and Events

Events Calendar Department News

Alumni
Profile Pages Awards/Achievem ents Support Page

Research
Student Spotlight Faculty Spotlight

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Web Communication

Media Kit
Letter from the Department Chair Information on visiting and contacting the department Latest editions of Shorthorn Newspaper and/or COLA Handouts for each sequence UTA Communication promotional items (pens, pencils, stickers, etc.)

Texas Tech Media Kit

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