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University of Phoenix... how to spend $614 million in advertising

By Bob on January 11, 2013 11:38 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Apollo Group (parent company for UPhoenix) ranks 62nd in AdAge Top 100 Advertisers

How do you parcel out your higher education advertising budget among various media?

Each year Advertising Age ranks the top 100 U.S. advertising spenders. The report is issued mid-year and repeated in December. This 2011 amount is up from $584.7 million in 2010. 

Here's how the "measured media" spend (almost all of it for University of Phoenix) was divided:
  • Magazines... $3.7 million
  • Newspapers... $400,000
  • Outdoor... $6.7 million
  • TV... $59.3 million
  • Radio... $800,000
  • Internet... $91.5 million
Internet and TV dominate

For a university whose enrollment continues to trend toward online students, this distribution isn't a surprise. Radio and newspapers have about vanished. We suspect other for-profit universities (and some not-for-profits as well) have deep advertising pockets but none made the Top 100 list.

To see on ad from the current TV series, take this trip through a corporate parking lot.

This campaign was developed by a new agency, Arnold Worldwide's Boston office, after Apollo ended a three year relationship with its previous agency in San Francisco. AdAge wrote about the search in a May article last year.

That's all for now.

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Digital marketing strategy... 5 questions from my workshop preparations

By Bob on March 28, 2012 11:32 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Digital marketing... deciding what's "necessary" to know and what's only "nice"

"Digital marketing" is on my mind this week as I continue my search to select the best content for a series of workshops this year on digital marketing strategy. The first edition, so to speak, is set as a half-day tutorial at the J.Boye Web and Intranet Conference in Philadelphia in May.

I still have work to do in separating what's "nice" from what's "necessary" to get the best value for the two to three hour sessions coming up. Finding stuff to review certainly is not a problem. Today I'm going to share a few unconnected quotes and facts that stand out so far.

Is it digital marketing or not?
  • "We don't believe in digital marketing. We believe in marketing in a digital world and there's a huge difference." Clive Sirken, CMO, Kimberly-Clarke, March 2012
Is SXSW conference a "media zoo"?
  • "It's a place where the question is always "what's next" and one has the impression of meandering hordes traipsing the streets of Austin searching for answers to a confusing and ever-evolving media landscape." Jake Coyle, AP reporter
Why do numbers count in social media?
  • Most people "follow" and "like" brands to listen, not to engage in conversation. The folks at Groundswell have known this for years. Too many social media "experts" don't.
  • Numbers are not everything but numbers do count. The more people listening, the better.
Is Facebook a place for sales?
  • Not really. That's why JCPenny, Nordstrom, the Gap and others are abandoning Facebook pages created to sell product.
  • Facebook can be a place for cultivation. Burberry has done fine using a Facebook page to move people along to a regular website.
Are there too many "content strategists"?
  • Most online content campaigns are "terrible." That's the opinion of Kyle Monson, content strategy director at JWT. 
  • He blames that in part on too many self-proclaimed "content strategists" who don't understand marketing.
Those are just 5 of the items that are included in the workshop now. And I rather suspect that answers to the questions will differ more than a bit. But that's what makes these sessions valuable and fun, is it not?

New "Writing Right for the Web" Conference in May

The second 2-day "Writing Right for the Web" conference is happening May 24-25 in Atlanta. We'll explore in depth not only "writing right" on traditional websites, but for social media and mobile sites as well.

Check the conference details and register to join us in May.

That's all for now. 

Join me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HighEdMarketing

Subscribe to "Your Higher Education Marketing Newsletter" and "Link of the Week" emails at http://www.bobjohnsonconsulting.com/newsletter-subscribe.html


Deceptive advertising... is the FTC likely to notice?

By Bob on January 12, 2012 3:00 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Deceptive Advertising: Without injury to consumers, the FTC won't notice

An earlier post on using possible Pell Grant eligibility as a lead generation tool raised the question of whether or not individual schools might be held liable by the Department of Education and/or the Federal Trade Commission for third-party efforts by lead gen firms on their behalf.

After reading an advisory report prepared by the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, I'm inclined to think that liability in the email Pell Grant example I wrote about is not a high probability.

Marketing that bothers the Department of Education

First, download a copy of the APSCU's Student Recruitment Task Force Report: "The Misrepresentation Rule and Third-Party Vendors." My conclusions after reading the report:
  • The Department of Education is most concerned about misleading advertising when it refers to outcomes such as employment promises and income earnings.
  • If advertising didn't cause substantial harm (as in getting people to spend money based on misleading employment claims), deception itself isn't likely to be noticed.
  • No matter the deception, an expectation that schools pre-approve of everything done by lead gen firms if done for a collection of schools is less strong than when an action is taken on behalf of an individual school. (This Pell Grant effort was done on behalf of many institutions who might have later received leads after screening.)
"Unethical or unscrupulous" violates FTC standards

The APSCU report includes an appendix on page 19, "General Marketing and Advertising Law Overview," that links to several useful publications from the Federal Trade Commission. Yes, "unethical or unscrupulous" advertising violates consumer fairness standards. Those are somewhat vague terms, however, and it is unlikely that the FTC would bother itself with an individual case that could not link an unethical campaign with substantial harm to consumers.

The Pell Grant email campaign, and other like it, therefore is not likely to draw attention from either the DOE or the FTC. See the original email in my first blog post and decide for yourself if it was "unethical or unscrupulous."

Reasons why this Pell Grant campaign was unethical and unscrupulous  

In my opinion, this campaign was both unethical and unscrupulous for at least two reasons:
  • I was "prequalified" for a $5,550 award only because I am a U.S. citizen. The firm sending the email had no idea of my income or my education costs at a future school. Technically accurate for some, but quite a stretch overall.
  • The call to action was to "click here" to apply for "this amazing opportunity." But once I clicked, there was never a mention again about Pell Grants or what it took to receive one.
Would you include this Pell Grant campaign in your Annual Report?

Your opinion may differ from mine. But I suspect that few of the schools included at various points beyond the email would include this campaign as an example of their advertising efforts in an Annual Report to alumni and friends.

A resolution for 2012

Make a New Year's resolution: if you participate in collective lead generation efforts, ask your firm to see the advertising in advance. Decide if something is ethical and scrupulous. If you're not proud of it, why are you doing it?

That's all for now.

Pell Grants... the student recruitment quest continues

By Bob on December 14, 2011 11:39 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Pell Grants and Student Recruitment: The $5,550 offer campaign continues

Pell Grant enticement as a recruitment tool was the topic of my blog post last Friday. I had received three notices that I was pre-qualified for one of a limited number of $5,550 Pell Grants in just a few days. Lead generators were hot about their business.

Since then I've received two more notices (dates as included in the email):
  • December 21... similar to the first three.
  • December 23... a "Second Notice" reminder from one of the original senders about "Your $5,550 Pell Grant."
Here's the "second notice effort" (and yes, this is the original font size and spacing):

Re: 2nd Prequalification Notice


Attention Yahoo!Mail User:

 


The US Government gives out MILLIONS of DOLLARS worth of $5,550 


Pell Grants

 each year. The Best Part: You NEVER have to pay them back!


This is an AMAZING opportunity to change your life! Please apply immediately 


as there is a limited number of these $5,550 Grants given out each year.



Easier to Cancel Future Emails


The earlier emails had "unsubscribe" information in small type toward the end of the email. This one did a better job, with a visible link to unsubscribe just after the email message.


Do You Know Where Your Lead Generator is Today?


A thought comes to mind. Do the colleges that use services like this to generate and screen initial responses before sending them on to their clients know about these campaigns in advance?


New Department of Education regulations just might make colleges and universities liable for advertising activities done on their behalf by third party companies. More on that later. For now, see the review of the regulation provided to members by the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities in October in PDF format, "The Misrepresentation Rule and Third-Party Vendors."


That's all for now.



Pell Grants as a recruitment tool... I "prequalify" for $5,550!

By Bob on December 9, 2011 10:22 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Email to generate leads with Pell Grant money

When concern about the cost of a college degree is high and growing, what better way to generate enrollment leads than a series of emails to let people know that they "prequalify" for a $5,550 Pell Grant.

And why worry in advance about whether or not a person's income or level of degree interest makes them likely candidates for a Pell Grant? The important thing? Get a response to the email. Sort the details later.

If at first you don't succeed, send the email again

In the past few days I have received three nearly identical emails from CompareTopSchools with these subject lines:
  • "Deadline Soon: Get a $5,550 Pell Grant. You Prequalify!" (December 14)
  • "Your $5,550 Pell Grant. You Prequalify!" (December 16)
  • "Your $5,550 Pell Grant. You Prequalify!" (December 19)
Two of these were retrieved from the Yahoo spam bucket. One made it to my regular email.

Here is the content in the first email opened:


Dear Yahoo! Mail Usēr:


The US Governmënt gives out MILLIÒNS of Dȯllars worth ǒf $5,550 Pell Grants 

each year. The Ɓest Part: You never have to pay them back!


IF ΫOU ARE A US CITIZEN, YOU PREQUALIFY!


Don't mĭss out on this AMAZING opportunity to ĩmprove your way of life! 

You are urgȩd to apply TOĐAY as there are a limited numbér 

of $5,550 Ğrants giύen out each ȳear.



Follow the link "to apply" and you'll see the names of six schools participating in this lead gen effort:

    • American Intercontinental University
    • Westwood College
    • Colorado Christian University
    • Liberty University
    • ITT Technical Institute
    • Virginia College
10 questions about my plans

What follows are 10 questions (but nothing about income level re probable Pell Grant eligibility) to learn more about me:
    • zip code (49068)
    • academic program interest area (marketing & communications)
    • age (26)
    • year of high school graduation or GED receipt (2006)
    • highest level of education (bachelor's)
    • degree level desired (master's degree)
    • were any of the credits earned outside the U.S. (no)
    • how many months from now do I plan to enroll (4 to 6)
    • am I a U.S. citizen (yes)
    • am I "affiliated" with the U.S. military (no)
    • name, mailing and email addresses, preferred phone number(s)
Having answered those questions, I can now see the promised four institutions that might be good for me:
  • California InterContinental University (Top Ranked for Best Value)
  • Lasell College (Top Ranked for Best Academics)
  • Baker College Online
  • St. Leo University Online
Along with the four school choices comes a can't miss notice that the "editors" recommend California InterContinental as my "best choice."

Is this a legitimate recruiting technique?

Legit lead generation strategy? Well, it isn't illegal. But note that after the initial Pell Grant exhortation to "apply today" for the "limited number" available, that topic vanishes. Will the schools know that I'm interested in that $5,550 of free Pell Grant money to help pay for my master's degree? Are they ready to offer an alternative source of aid?

Very few people get a Pell Grant to study for a master's degree. Nobody gets them if they are not a current undergrad student applying for a master's that leads to teaching as the Student Grants website explains. Details, details. 

That's all for now.



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