T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

Leveraging the Value of Your Institution’s (traditional and new) Media Presence

Part One: UBC’s Year in Headlines ProjectPart Two: Dalhousie University’s Social Media

Strategies

Discussion for CCAE 2009

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The UBC Year in Headlines Project

Randy Schmidt, Associate DirectorUBC Public Affairs

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Background

UBC PA began producing YIH three years ago Explicit strategy to recycle media to build reputation Project has resonated on campus, and beyond

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Purpose

To spark a conversation about how to extend the value of what we do with campus colleagues

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Related questions…

Are traditional media losing their reputational influence?

What is the reputational sway of social media? What are the implications for monitoring and usage

by campus colleagues?

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The reputational context at UBC

The Maclean’s factor: As late as 2003/04, focus on national position

UBC marketing comm. and media reputational strategies

Int’l rankings change the game by 2006

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Perception lags UBC growth

• Michael Smith earns Nobel at UBC in 1993• Between 1997 and 2007 research funding grows from

$137 million to $469 million• UBC consistently ranks in top 40 best in the world

….but doesn’t occupy that position among our audiences

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The conception of YIH

• Can earned media help address the gap?• Typical reports include daily summary, and weekly In the

News snapshots…hard earned coverage quickly lost• Thanks for the annual review idea, Yale

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Developing the YIH idea

• Create a publication to profile position with many international media stories

• A tool in a format that is usable by student recruiters, development, alumni, government relations

• Use strategic mailing to replace national advertising

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Implementation

• Draw on monthly reports• Package int’l stories in a strategic way: research and teaching plus faculty experts, students, alumni, campuses• Editorial strategy: keep editorial to a minimum• Digital version: www.ubc.ca/yih

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Strategy

• Canadian academics – mailing plus ads• US academics – mailing plus ads• Gov’t officials – mailing plus ads• PLUS UBC Executive, Development,

Student Recruitment, Alumni Affairs, G.R.

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More bang for less bucks

YIH strategy

2006

27,000 publications

= $32,000

National Advertising

2005

Ingenious ad campaign = $100,000 plus

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Impact: Canadian / US academics

• Few hard measurements• Several calls each year from counterparts• Some web site hits• Up slightly in Maclean’s reputational survey

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UBC international student recruitment• “We find it is helpful in establishing our reputation with

parents who are skeptical about sending their son or daughter to a Canadian university.”

• “We are including some YIH type highlights in our viewbook this year.”

• “It does work to generate awareness and increased interest in what UBC has to offer. I just wish we could get more of it!”

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Domestic student recruitment

“I think the same issue exists in Canada where our academic excellence and overall reputation are not as well known across the country.”

“Earned media has a huge impact; others saying we’re good is much better that saying it ourselves. It would be great to get more of this messaging into the domestic viewbook.”

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Development and Alumni

“We distribute the YIH each fall in a mailing to members of our President’s Circle, Chancellor’s Circle, Heritage Circle and Wesbrook Society. That’s about 3,500 donors.”

“Instinctively, we think that YIH enhances the university’s reputation with donors, but we don’t know this for a fact.”

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Impact for UBC Public Affairs

A way to translate what we do into something of practical value for campus colleagues

A tool to demonstrate our PA role and success Contributes to our departmental goal for best

practices

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Randy Schmidt, Associate Director, UBC Public Affairs

604.822.1266 or randy.schmidt@ubc.cawww.publicaffairs.ubc.ca