“Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”
In the early 1950’s, M&M’s was one of a dozen candycoated chocolate brands on the market. However, in 1954, M&M’s announced itself as the confection that “melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” While any of its competitors probably could have made the same claim, M&M’s was the very first brand in its category to explicitly state, and thus own, this promise. As they say, the rest is history—can you even name another candy-coated chocolate brand?
The main takeaway from this story for higher education institutions is that being the first in a category is important. Being the first one sets you apart because, at least for a while, it means you are also the only one. And this gives you a big edge in attracting students who want that unique quality, experience, reputation or program that you offer. The following is a series of several high-level suggestions to at least guide your thinking when branding your school. It’s not a road map or a detailed process, but a series of ideas to keep in mind when your college or university is looking for that one thing it can own that’s special and appealing to prospective students.
To read more, please download our free Branding for Colleges and Universities eBook.
