WVU School of Journalism Brand Identity IMC Plan

[ about ]

West Virginia University’s P.I. Reed School of Journalism (now the Reed School of Media and Communications) faced declining enrollment amid the broader journalism industry’s decades-long contraction. Traditional journalism career paths were diminishing, and the school needed to reposition itself to attract prospective students in a transformed media landscape. Rather than engage external consultants, the school leveraged the strategic marketing expertise of its own Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications candidates for their required fall 2012 capstone project. This approach provided graduating students with a high-stakes, real-world client engagement while giving the school access to fresh strategic thinking about its brand positioning, competitive differentiation, and enrollment marketing approach from practitioners who intimately understood both the challenges facing journalism education and contemporary integrated marketing communications strategies.

APPROACH & OUTCOME

Comprehensive research was conducted to understand the school’s competitive position, target audience perceptions, and market opportunities. Primary and secondary research methods were employed, including competitive landscape assessment, job market analysis, and target audience segmentation. Research findings revealed key insights about prospective students’ career concerns, the evolving definition of “journalism” in a digital media environment, and opportunities to position the program’s integrated communications focus as preparation for emerging media careers rather than traditional print journalism roles.

A comprehensive integrated marketing communications plan was developed, featuring brand positioning recommendations, proposed budget allocations, and a strategic mix of digital and traditional marketing tactics organized across the enrollment funnel from awareness through conversion. The plan included projected media flighting schedules and performance metrics frameworks to assess campaign effectiveness. Strategic recommendations encompassed digital presence optimization (website enhancement, social media strategy across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, YouTube video content, paid search, and mobile advertising), traditional awareness tactics (print advertising, event marketing, branded materials), direct engagement channels (email marketing, SMS messaging, live chat, mobile app), and earned media cultivation through public relations efforts.

The strategic narrative connecting situational analysis, audience insights, proposed IMC plan, budgetary recommendations, and measurement frameworks was supported throughout by custom-designed infographics that translated complex data, competitive positioning matrices, budget allocations, media schedules, and enrollment funnel projections into readily digestible visual formats. This approach demonstrated both strategic thinking and the visual communication skills central to integrated marketing communications practice.

The completed integrated marketing communications plan was selected as one of three capstone projects chosen for in-person presentation to the school’s Visiting Committee—the advisory body comprising senior media and communications executives—in New York City in February 2013. The brand overview, proposed refresh, and repositioning strategy received high praise from the school’s leadership and the Committee chair. The plan was subsequently featured on the university’s website and highlighted in the following issue of the school’s alumni magazine, extending its visibility to the broader alumni and donor community.

MY ROLE

Graduate Research, Strategic Planning, Data Visualization & Presentation Design

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & TOOLS

• Strategy: Brand Differentiation | Budget Management | Communications Strategy | Competitive Analysis | Customer-Centric Mindset | Higher Education Marketing | Market Research | Multi-channel Marketing | Strategic Marketing & Planning | Visual Information Design
• Creative & Production: Color Theory | Copyediting | Creative Development | Creative Problem-Solving | Data Visualization | Graphic Design | Infographic Design | Layout & Composition | Presentation Design | Print Production | Typography
• Tools: Adobe Acrobat Pro | Adobe Illustrator | Adobe InDesign | Adobe Photoshop | Calameo | MarTech Stack Proficiency | Microsoft Excel | Microsoft PowerPoint | Microsoft Word

KUDOS

• One of three IMC plans selected for in-person presentation to the school’s advisory body, its Visiting Committee, in New York City in February 2013.