DDad: 2011

UWSU – Marketing Communications Strategy

February – June 2007

Expanding the UWSU Brand

1. Brand Scope

UWSU – Higher Educations Students, scope to expand internationally to students who graduate and return to countries of origin.

Market – Primary HE students in UK with London City concentration. Continuous cycle of international students, Focus on USA, usually annual. Important segment by value.

Equally divided by sex, across social and cultural segments.

2. Marketing Situation

Currently dependent and limited by existing relationships with NUSSL, and limited number of marketing companies offering student marketing services. UWSU and other Student Unions have not realised potential opportunities, largely due to NUSSL limitations and lack of innovation. NUSSL dependence has restricted direct relationship building with UK’s private sector marketing entities.

The NUS Extra Card has unlimited potential, if supported aggressively. Negatives within the national network limits promotion. NUS need proper brand building within the HE students and marketing community for this card to work. London’s promotion and sales led retail environment further lends to devalued usage or need.

The range of entertainment and social options available in University of Westminster Campuses city locations limit attracting real value customers to our venues.

Value for money equation is not relevant at our venues. Price and location of UWSU venues drive business. Pricing the UWSU advertising and sponsorship opportunities competitively will also be key.

Multiple sources of growth;

- Freshers

- Day Students

- International Students from the West

- International Students from Developing Countries (Emerging Sector)

- International Students from Far East

- UWSU Media – Cost effective: volume vs. value

- UWSU retail & venues

- www.uwsu.com : infinite possibility to add real value to growth

- Graduate and Diploma mature students

- HE Student Marketing Companies

- Local businesses

- London based marketing community – plethora of brands to target but hardest to reach

- ULU relationship

3. Key Marketing Issues

Emerging Trends amongst HE Students

Need to be in contact as people are out and about, Need to be in the know, Cultural melding in daily life, Doing things in a ‘new’ way, Young people embracing innovation, Technology acting as a social facilitator, entertainer, fun lifestyle for HE Students – My Space, You Tube, i Pod, 3G Mobile Telephony, Convergence.

Critical Threats

The Companies who offer HE student-marketing services. They are building potentially invaluable HE student databases. Will be in a position to challenge NUS in all marketing aspects in the next 5 years.

We must create partnership with ULU or won’t be recognised by marketing community.

University of Westminster administration serving needs that could be offered through student union expanding to diminish our role in a student’s life.

University of Westminster must respect UWSU rights within the campus physical environment.

London entertainment environment will continue to improve.

Teamwork within UWSU, cooperation between UWSU commercial and student staff.

Will the Internet take over the role of HE student’s social facilitator vs. UWSU? This is an universal threat to all Student Unions. A virtual HE student’s world?

Key Opportunities

Single point control/identity – www.uwsu.com : ‘The academic and social facilitator’. The opportunity to interact directly with students and staff on a daily basis. Self-reliance for UWSU is the key, this can be best accomplished through building our own uwsu.com database.

Smoke Media – Reaching students and marketing community for sponsorship and promotion.

Venues – Potential to build into one entity (THE ‘PARTY’ DEMOCRACY offering three entertainment CHOICES vs. current three venues offering three different options with no single-mindedness or team work).

Freshers Fayres - Developing Freshers Fayre Footprint as marketing and communications tool for advertising and sponsorship revenue. Providing us with the launch pad for all marketing and communications activity.

UWSU Umbrella branding;

- Westminster Athletic Union

- Westminster Societies and Clubs

- Smoke Media

- NUS Extra Card (Build it as part of our brand internally to students. Increase credibility and value of buying this card through local discounts and discounts at UWSU retail and venues).

4. Audience Dynamics

Key Influencers

- Chancellor & other key administration figures within the University of Westminster

- London’s marketing community

- NUS

- Student trustees

Barriers

- Increased anti-alcohol and smoke lobby. Legal drinking age increased from 18 to 21 years.

- No single-mindedness and teamwork. Strategy yes, execution no.

- Staffing limitations to carry out planned innovation.

5. Marketing Mission

Overall brand opportunity

Convergence is inevitable. We must have one tool that serves to fulfil the democratic and academic needs of the student while also serving as marketing and information tool for entertainment, advertising and sponsorship.

‘uwsu.com - The social and commercial facilitator’.

Key Execution Strategies

- Pricing of media services, bar and retail offer, advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

- Proper brand building for UWSU and umbrella brands; Westminster Athletic Union, Westminster Clubs & Societies, and Smoke Media.

- Developing uwsu.com to meet all student needs and relevance. Strongly recommend building new site from scratch.

- Smoke media to be commercially viable and meet student needs.

- Using marcomms expertise of advertising and sponsorship coordinator to enable developing London City personality – International, Hip, and Urban & Modern innovation.

- Strengthen alliance with ULU.

- Customise UWSU offer in relation and being relevant to student segments; UK Students, Urban Multi-ethnic London Students, International Students from Western World, International Students from Developing Countries, and International Students from the Far East.

- Sponsorship Rights – Inclusive vs. Exclusive. Bigger scope.

Critical Success Factors

- Simplicity of execution to support all innovation. i.e. uwsu.com – A content management system will cost us a maximum of £2500 annually inclusive of design and hosting.

- Creating a partnership with student trustees and full time commercial staff.

- Leadership with incisive decision-making.

- Back up staff and proper utilisation of human resources.

- Staff training.

- Proper budgeting and targets. TEAMWORK, RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP

6. UWSU - Marketing Dynamics

Marketing Drivers	Category Relevance High, Medium, Low	Brand Performance VG, Good, OK, Poor	Marketing Priority 0-10
Brand Awareness	High	OK	2
Emotional Bond	Low	Poor	8
Product News	Low	OK	6
Activation	Medium	OK	6
Loyalty	Low	Poor	8
Product Experience	Low	Poor	8
Buzz	Medium	OK	6

7. UWSU – Marketing Calendar – February to June 2007

Month	Event	Description	Deadline	Action By
January and February	Action of The ‘Party’ Democracy	Fixed calendar of events for venues	End-Jan	Commercial Services
	Marcomms Strategy	Approval for action	End-Jan	Student Trustees, GM, Manager Commercial Services
	Freshers Footprint	Discussion and action of copy and design	End - Feb	UWSU Team
	uwsu.com	Brief new or current supplier	End-Feb for new site to be up.	UWSU designer, and Advertising & Sponsorship
	UWSU Sponsorship Package	Develop new package	End-Feb	Advertising & Sponsorship
	NUS Extra Card Marketing Campaign	Roll-out to neighbourhood business, venues and students	End-Feb	Advertising & Sponsorship
	Refresher Fayres	Mini student fayres for UWSU orientation	23^rd and 25^th Jan	UWSU Team
	Re-branding and development of Westminster Athletic Union, Clubs & Societies	Development of Logo and other Comms material	End-Feb	UWSU Team
March to June 2007	Follow up and execution of Innovations proposed in Marcomms Strategy	Execution and monthly progress meeting to flag need gaps	Ongoing	Advertising & Sponsorship