A Personal Perspective: Think brand-management consultations can fix what ails higher education? Think again.
, at a January summit of university presidents at Yale University, Harvard University’s branding woes held center stage. Wracked by controversies surrounding anti-Semitism, the perceived coddling of pro-Palestinian groups, a poor Congressional performance, and plagiarism allegations against its president, Harvard saw a drop of 17 percent in early-admission applications, with prominent donors vowing to withhold support until the university gets its house in order.
Branding is an old practice. Ancient Egyptians branded livestock and slaves to establish ownership, an approach more recently reflected in the tattooing ofcamp inmates. Today, however, the term more often refers to a business’s image and values. Among the world’s most valuable brands today are Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
A focus on brand and branding often distracts from an organization’s core product or service. As leaders devote more and more attention to image, the focus on substance tends to wane. Perhaps in the cases of novelty products such as the Pet Rock, the damage is not especially concerning, but when it comes to a field such as higher education, which shapes young adults as citizens, neighbors, and human beings, the stakes are considerably higher.
Too often, what institutions such as Harvard are doing is focusing on how they are seen and would like to be seen instead of what they in fact are. To quote thearticle’s title, the university is attempting to “stop the spiral” of plummeting brand value, with less attention to reestablishing and reconnecting with its core purposes.
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