Business Programs Smith School MBA Essay

Color choice, however, is highly consistent across all marketing materials, creating at least some sense of cohesion. Positioning of the course is focused on the flexibility of the program's scheduling and course offerings as well as the diversity of the professional backgrounds that students in the program possess; the actual offerings of the course are described only in vague detail in most marketing materials, with encouragement for students to contact the school and preferably to attend regular information sessions. Marketing activities include multiple small ads placed in business-relevant media that present the school's name and logo, again with consistent color-coding, but that do not offer in-depth presentations of program offerings or extensive detail about the school.

Analysis

The color coding and scant use of school name and logo appears to be consistent across programs, and most marketing efforts are not program specific but rather simply advertise the school itself, which leads to limited detail but a great deal of inter-program marketing consistency. There is also a definite logic to this approach, as advertising is presumably more broadly appealing an definitely encourages school contact or visits to the school's website for more in-depth (though only slightly so) information. Though positioning for this program is quite clear, it is not made so through brand elements or marketing activities.

McDonough School of Business Executive Master's in Leadership

Description of Materials

Branding items are quite scant in the marketing materials for this program, with the same color coding being the most obvious brand element and with very little use of the school name or logo employed saving for at the very first (either top or front) viewable part of marketing materials.Program features in terms of the student body provide the most clear positioning; the program does not admit anyone without at least eight years of executive leadership experience in their field, and is an interdisciplinary program that draws on may different fields including medicine, international relations, and communications experience in the design of the program's courses and the progression of its students. Marketing activities again primarily consist of small print ads that are not program specific but rather simply present the school's name and direct traffic to the website or to actual contact with school personnel to receive more extensive published materials.

Analysis

The non-use of brand elements across the programs examined is quite consistent, and the few elements that are used -- primarily the color coding and the appearance at least once of the school's name and logo -- is also consistent. Supporting marketing programs are also quite cohesive, especially given that they do not tend to be program-specific but rather advertise the school itself. There is a great deal of logic in this, as it allows for broader marketing to take place at a more cost-effective level, yet it is also less effective at assisting in positioning the programs. While positioning is rather distinct for the two programs examined, this is not supported through branding and marketing efforts to a high degree......