2008 Woodie Awards
Communications prepares new promotion
Elisabeth Ponsot
Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: News & Features
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The modern student is aware that a college education is, at least from an economic perspective, a commodity being sold.
Older tactics for engaging prospective student outreach such as view books, web pages for applicants and promotion videos are thus becoming increasingly outdated as students become more overtly critical of these approaches. Colleges and universities alike are then faced with a question: How can we present the best and most realistic view of our school, without having the disingenuous appearance of an advertisement?
Communications, in conjunction with both current students and other areas of the administration believe to have an answer to this challenging dilemma. "InsideColby," an innovative sector of Communications to be unveiled in about a month, will serve as the College's newest tool of promotion.
As the name suggests, InsideColby is a broad concept designed to give prospective students an idea of what life is like for those who already attend the College. InsideColby will include the already successful Colby Podcast and Student Lens, with some new additions-notably, a student-written magazine entitled "InsideColby," online student blogs and online student profiles. There are also plans to introduce two online web pages, "Ask a Student," and "Ask an Alum," respectively. These web pages will allow prospective students to inquire about life both at Colby and after obtaining a Colby degree. All of these components will be made available at www.InsideColby.com. This website will be unveiled in tandem with the first issue of the magazine.
Director of Integrating Marketing and Design at Colby Brian Speer has been overseeing this project since its conceptual birth. In his words, the purpose of InsideColby will be to "try to communicate what the nature of the institution is... InsideColby is a way to let the personality of the institutions and students speak." InsideColby will cover any stories that involve life as a Colby student. These stories will include everything from daily happenings on campus to insight from abroad. Associate Director of Communications Ruth Jacobs said that "we are especially eager to see students talk about their research"-a component that has been previously neglected.
Older tactics for engaging prospective student outreach such as view books, web pages for applicants and promotion videos are thus becoming increasingly outdated as students become more overtly critical of these approaches. Colleges and universities alike are then faced with a question: How can we present the best and most realistic view of our school, without having the disingenuous appearance of an advertisement?
Communications, in conjunction with both current students and other areas of the administration believe to have an answer to this challenging dilemma. "InsideColby," an innovative sector of Communications to be unveiled in about a month, will serve as the College's newest tool of promotion.
As the name suggests, InsideColby is a broad concept designed to give prospective students an idea of what life is like for those who already attend the College. InsideColby will include the already successful Colby Podcast and Student Lens, with some new additions-notably, a student-written magazine entitled "InsideColby," online student blogs and online student profiles. There are also plans to introduce two online web pages, "Ask a Student," and "Ask an Alum," respectively. These web pages will allow prospective students to inquire about life both at Colby and after obtaining a Colby degree. All of these components will be made available at www.InsideColby.com. This website will be unveiled in tandem with the first issue of the magazine.
Director of Integrating Marketing and Design at Colby Brian Speer has been overseeing this project since its conceptual birth. In his words, the purpose of InsideColby will be to "try to communicate what the nature of the institution is... InsideColby is a way to let the personality of the institutions and students speak." InsideColby will cover any stories that involve life as a Colby student. These stories will include everything from daily happenings on campus to insight from abroad. Associate Director of Communications Ruth Jacobs said that "we are especially eager to see students talk about their research"-a component that has been previously neglected.
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