Every Wednesday, our crew carves out some time to shake the hump day slump and exercise our critical eye by quickly evaluating design work that grabbed our attention in the previous week. No formality, no filter. Just reactions. If you love it, you hump it. If you don’t, you bump it. We want to bring you in on the fun. Remember, the goal isn’t to share the “right” opinion, it’s to share one at all.
There are few things that brighten my mood more than the mention of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I love the campus, I adore the town and I live for the basketball team. My passion for my alma mater runs so deep that I even managed to get into a heated debate with a fellow R+Mer about the merits of Dean Smith’s coaching style compared to Mike Krzyzewski while he was interviewing me for my current job. Seriously, I’ve got it bad.
So when said Dook fan pulled me into his office this week to show me an ad found on Mashable.com for the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, I was completely taken aback by the snooty copy: “The Online MBA You Probably Can’t Get Into.”
Believe me when I say it pains me, but this week, I must bump Kenan-Flagler Business School’s ad. Here’s why: in my opinion, brand consistency should trump eye-catching pithiness.
As a premier in-state university, UNC hangs its hat on a reputation of having the best balance of tuition, academics and accessibility for students in North Carolina. Kiplinger Magazine ranked UNC the #1 value in American public higher education the last 11 years in a row. With nearly 30,000 students (roughly 1/3 of whom are post-graduates), the university avoids an exclusionary image, while maintaining its reputation as a rigorous institution of higher learning.
In my opinion, this ad drastically departs from that market position by using a one-liner I assumed was meant to make me smirk, click and apply just to show them how wrong they are.
But my perspective is just one woman’s impression, so I reached out to Kenan-Flagler to better understand the intended strategy.
According to the school, this ad is intended to debunk the myth that an online program must have lower admissions standards than a traditional program. In fact, it’s part of a larger campaign that includes lines such as “All online MBAs are not created equal” and “You want the best? So do we!”
And, from a metrics standpoint, the school indicated that this edgier campaign is one of their most successful yet.
So that brings us to the fundamental question: can an ad still be successful if it makes you stop and take notice, regardless of whether it’s in line with its established brand?
In the case of UNC, I think the whole “best academic value for students of North Carolina” line has been drawn too deeply to begin touting a blatantly exclusive message now. But you tell me. Am I completely overreacting? (It’s okay, I can take it.) Is this advertisement more successful than I’m giving it credit for? There certainly are lots of factors to consider. After all, it’s several days later and we’re still talking about it.
It comes down to what they consider success. If getting “reaction” is their success measure then check that box. But typically that measure of success is very short-sighted. If your communications aren’t working to strengthen your brand, they’re not working. I bump it.
To directly imply superiority with no facade of southern politeness is surely anathema to the overall mission of the University of North Carolina. I don’t know what came over the young man or woman who created this abomination but bless his or her little heart.
It’s an interesting point. KFBS has been a brand apart from the rest of the University since moving from Carroll Hall down to south campus.
In this time when the school’s reputation has been tarnished terribly, I think that the message itself is totally tone deaf.
Have you seen what the Wolfpack and South Carolina message boards have had to say about it?
That’s a point I considered as well. How much does it matter that Kenan-Flagler does try to differentiate itself as its own entity from the university. But, in my opinion, if you carry the UNC name, you carry the UNC brand. I’m not opposed to their strategy. In fact, I think the other ads of this campaign are much more successful because they still speak to the prestige of the MBA program without being so strong that they come across as snobby. This particular execution, though, completely missed the mark in my opinion.
The UNC MBA ads are insulting and show up everywhere. They are not that great! And surely not worth the prices for an on-line MBA.