Integrated Marketing Communications

Strategy and Plan

Oregon State University is in the process of working with Lipman Hearne on an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Strategy and Plan that will take OSU’s branding to a new level. This plan, a presidential initiative developed under the guidance of President Ed Ray, will streamline our messaging and build targeted campaigns for delivering those messages to our key external audiences.

At this site, we will keep you updated on the progress of the planning, let you know of opportunities to contribute, and share the schedule of activities.

It is anticipated that this plan will be written by November 2008. Any inquiries or questions throughout the next several months can be addressed to Luanne Lawrence, vice president, University Advancement.

IMC Core Team

Leading the process for OSU, is a core team charged with:

• Working with Lipman Hearne to clarify objectives and expectations for this initiative;
• Providing input into leadership stances on messaging for the University and our various audiences groups (Prospective Students and Their Parents; Corporations/Industry; Media; Alumni and Donors; Legislators and Their Staff; and Federal Funding Agencies);
• Making recommendations on messaging and tactical approaches and implementation plans; and
• Working closely with Luanne Lawrence and University Advancement and serving as advocates for this plan and the process we are about to follow.

The team consists of:

• Sherm Bloomer, dean, College of Science
  
• Tammy Bray, dean, College of Health and Human Science
  
• John Cassady, vice president, Research
  
• Mike Goodwin, President, OSU Foundation
  
• Luanne Lawrence, vice president, University Advancement
  
• Ann McLaughlin, special assistant to the President
  
• Jock Mills, director, government relations
  
• Kate Peterson, assistant provost, Enrollment Management
  
• Larry Roper, vice provost, Student Affairs
• Todd Stansbury, senior executive athletic director
• Jeff Todd, executive director, OSU Alumni Association
  
• Alice Tucker (staff), executive assistant, vice president, University Advancement

Schedule of Activities

June

Lipman Hearne's kick-off meeting occurred on campus June 17-18. Their PowerPoint presentation to the core team can be viewed here.

July - August

Lipman Hearne returned to campus July 29-30 to review the results of their June meetings and interviews with 20 different groups and discussions that included current students, faculty and staff, alumni, donors and friends. This recent visit, the Leadership Strategy Forum, brought the IMC committee together with the Lipman Hearne team. President Ed Ray and Provost Sabah Randhawa reviewed the results and talked about proposed directions. A message platform has been introduced and OSU will spend an extensive amount of time validating the strategy over the next several months. Planned are focus groups with prospective students and further conversations with internal and external audiences, including a series of online and Web-based surveys.

September - October

The campus community will be asked broadly to review the new approach to marketing our institution in the months of September and October. We hope that many will respond to the surveys and provide input into the way that OSU will package itself over the next many years.