From Here, but to where?

Finally finished with my midterms, which means it’s time for my next blog post!

If you’ve ever walked around UBC, you must have noticed this flashy promotional posters all across campus.  The question is, what purpose do they serve?  Sure, they look nice, and they portray the school as a prestigious, first-class university, but why are they only found WITHIN the school campus itself?  Wouldn’t it make more sense to advertise abroad, in an effort to attract top students?

The main purpose of these posters is the marketing element known as customer relationship management.  Their primary objective is to reduce post-purchase dissonance, to convince students that they made the right decision in coming to UBC.  This is very important to the school because discontent students may leave the school, and because by building a positive relationship with students, they may choose to return after completing their degree to pursue a second degree – perhaps a Master’s or Doctorate, where the tuition fees, and the school’s profit, are much higher.

The posters also serve several other purposes.  They are very motivational, and instill a sense of school pride and identity in students.  This again builds student – or customer, if you will – loyalty, allowing for potential future transactions such as returning for the aforementioned second degree, or simply donating to the Alma Mater Society.  The posters also have some intangible benefits, such as a more cohesive university environment.

Finally, these posters DO have some effect on those that are not currently students at UBC.  There are many museums, shows and sports events at the UBC, and the UBC has many visitors, and sometimes even television coverage.  These visitors, or viewers on television, may be swayed by these posters, and either one day attend UBC themselves, or recommend the school to others.

It should also be considered that because all universities will proclaim themselves to be the greatest, building positive word-of-mouth about the school may perhaps be even MORE effective than advertising directly to potential students.

Just some food for thought.  From here.