I am by nature a curious person — one of those kids in the class who constantly annoyed their teachers with the question “Why?” Why does this mathematical formula apply to triangles? Why did Napoleon invade Russia? Why do I have to rule a line down the left side of the page rather than the right?
We live in an age where all schools tend to look the same. In fact, if you are a prospective parent, choosing a school in a location that offers a range of options is no easy task.
Digital advertising has turned millions of people and organisations into not just the target of ads, but the advertisers as well.
But it doesn’t easily answer the obvious question: Did that ad work?
According to research conducted by Glassdoor — the professional services’ answer to TripAdvisor — 74% of active job seekers are likely to apply for a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand. As many schools and businesses continue to feel the ripples of The Great Resignation era, ensuring that your school is at the top of the proverbial pecking order for the best teaching talent should certainly be a priority. But the question is, a priority for whom?
The purpose of strategy is to position an organisation relative to its competitors, something many independent schools are too afraid to do.
The purpose of strategy is to position an organisation relative to its competitors, something many independent schools are too afraid to do.
Creative people are at a little bit of a disadvantage, weirdly, because we love what we do. We feel lucky to get paid for it and we would probably do it for free.
But there are the realities of life, and while we are privileged to earn a living this way, earn money we must. Sure, we like to make money, but for the most part, we really want to kick ass creatively and yes, making money makes it all better. If we were really focused on making money, we’d probably be doing something else.
We all want to make things simpler and more efficient. And there’s no doubt that going online these days is simpler than dealing with hard copies — both for schools and parents.
Allowing parents to complete an application online is sensible and carries no significant legal risks because you aren’t entering a binding legal relationship at that point.
But can parents accept the offer of a place online?
In some parts of the world, Strategic Plans have an unfortunate tendency of outlasting the school leaders. Meaning, many new Heads are given the tricky task of taking over where the last person left off and implementing a plan that can all too easily feel second-hand and a bit tired around the edges. And then, of course, there is the small issue of a global pandemic that relegated even the best laid Plans to the metaphorical back burner. To the point that, midway through 2023, they have either gone up in smoke or, at best, are difficult to locate.
The wrong question is: “Our project isn’t catching on, how do we promote it better?”
The right question is a little more nuanced and far more important:
“We’re seeking to make a change in part of the world. How do we find the right people and tell them the right (true) story that helps them get to where they’re going – and that they’ll tell to their peers?”
White space is a design term that suggests ‘negative space’ — also known as space where there is no design element.
It can work on a purely aesthetic level, but it also serves to tell the viewer where to look, what the hierarchy is and where to take breaks. It can also help an entire piece be more inviting.
Your taste plays a huge part in marketers work, so you should definitely make an effort to get to know it. Often, when author Bonnie Siegler asks her clients what design work they respond to most strongly, they tell her they’ve never even considered the question. But everyone has personal preferences, and having a sense of what they are will make it easier to judge creative work with confidence.
