Photo of students with caption saying Mount Allison University, the immersive learning community for independent-minded leaders.
Mount Allison University student playing soccer.

    Phase 1.1) Review Existing Research and Strategic Documents


    Activity:
  • Review and summarize all recent research as well as strategic planning documents.

    • Purpose and Objectives:
    Highlight findings from the research and documents that:
    • - are especially relevant to the branding process;
    • - demonstrate ways in which Mount Allison differs from other universities; and,
    • - show perceptions of Mount Allison within its competitive context.
    The findings are useful for understanding perceptions of Mount Allison (internal and external) over the past several years, and for generating lines of questioning for subsequent phases of primary research

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    Phase 1.2) Competitive Audit

    Activity:
  • Perform audit of several Universities seen as similar in type, at least two considered to employ branding best practices and three key competitors.

    • Purpose and Objectives:
  • The findings are useful for understanding the competitive environment and developing best possible marketing and communication practices/plans.


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    Phase 1.3) In-Depth Interviews

    Activity:
  • Conduct one-on-one interviews with 19 University leaders and 15 external "opinion leaders", who are familiar with Mount Allison and its place within the New Brunswick and/or Canadian university sector.

    Purpose and Objectives:
  • The internal interviews generate an understanding of how Mount Allison is perceived by its leaders – the individuals charged with directing the future course of the university.
  • The external interviews explore how Mount Allison is perceived by leaders who tend to hold informed and active opinions on public affairs generally and on the PSE sector in particular, and who are able to influence public perceptions and attitudes through their statements and activities, as well as through the scope of their professional and personal networks.
  • The interview findings are not intended to be conclusive; rather, the findings are exploratory in nature and are intended to produce a range of existing perceptions of Mount Allison and its place within the Canadian PSE sector, including potential challenges and opportunities.
  • The interviews are also intended to highlight issues to be explored in subsequent phases of the research, including to help inform and shape the lines of questioning for the survey instruments.


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    Phase 1.4) Focus Groups

    Activity:
  • Conduct focus groups on-campus among current Mount Allison students.
  • To obtain a broader perspective of Mount Allison among prospective students in potential markets for the University, conduct focus groups in Halifax, NS and Oakville, ON with Grade 12 students.

    Purpose and Objectives:
  • As with the in-depth interviews among leaders, the focus groups allow an exploration of how Mount Allison is perceived both internally and externally by students.
  • Focus groups allow researchers and the Mount Allison project team to hear current and prospective students share their candid impressions of the university in their own words.
  • Sessions are designed to engage participants in exercises aimed at understanding brand drivers, perceptions of key messages and competitive positioning.
  • The findings will also be used to help inform and shape the lines of questioning for the survey instruments.

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    Phase 1.5) Online Surveys

    Activity:
  • Distribute online surveys to all Mount Allison students, staff, and faculty, and alumni, and externally, to a sample of Grade 12/1st year university students nationally and in the Northeastern United States.


    • Purpose and Objectives:
  • The surveys will be used to examine perceptions of Mount Allison, including (but not limited to) impressions of characteristics that make Mount Allison distinctive and relevant, and associated brand attributes and personality characteristics of Mount Allison that are most important.
  • The survey among students externally will be useful for establishing benchmark levels of awareness and perceptions of reputation that can be tracked over time.
  • The findings will enable the project team to work with Mount Allison to create several different scenarios that will be explored internally to define the most meaningful, relevant and differentiating positioning that supports a clear story of purpose and a brand promise of experience.