September 11, 1997

Marketing Loyola

Focus group helps recruitment effort

Findings from a six-month study on Loyola admissions programs and materials document that academic reputation and financial aid are the top two reasons students choose Loyola.

In research commissioned by the Office of Admissions, communications professors Teri Henley and Cathy Rogers with student assistants, through the Shawn M. Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications, talked to current students, parents of current freshmen, prospective students, and parents of prospective students.

Ten focus groups and more than 650 telephone surveys provided evidence to help the admissions office and the Division of Institutional Advancement better understand what tools and approaches are most effective in communicating with prospective students and their parents.

Results showed that students generally felt that Loyola was realistically represented during the admissions process, although some found college in general to be quite different from what they envisioned. In terms of recruitment and publications, students in the focus groups tended to rave about Loyola's admissions counselors, and they reported liking Loyola's printed materials when compared with those from other universities they were shown.

Respondents were frank in explaining their positive and negative perceptions about Loyola's academic reputation, the physical campus environment, and the social life on campus and in New Orleans, and they discussed how important those considerations were in their selection process.

One key finding from the survey-conducted in three phases from October 1996 to April 1997-was that all four groups reported that academic reputation is on average the number one factor influencing the decision to attend a college or university. Parents were somewhat more concerned about cost than the students, but were even more concerned about a value-based education than they were about cost.

-Cathy Rogers, Assistant Professor of Communications

Publications and ads win awards

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) recently recognized Loyola in its 1997 Circle of Excellence Awards for its capital campaign advertising program. CASE Region III, which includes 17 southeastern states, also recognized the ad campaign along with three other publications/advertising programs. Winning entries included:

• the capital campaign advertising series which consisted of print ads published in The Times-Picayune, the playbill for the Saenger Theatre of New Orleans, The Baton Rouge Business Report, and a special insert in CityBusiness
• the capital campaign brochure series consisting of the case statement, presentation folder and four full-color brochures, the Loyola New Orleans Magazine reprint of the campaign section (Winter 1996 issue), the invitation and program for the campaign kickoff celebration, the on-campus campaign brochure, and all other print materials designed by the Office of Capital Campaigns, the Office of Publications, and Campbell and Company
• Loyola's graphic identity program
• The City College ad series published in The Times-Picayune.

The New Orleans Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) also recognized Loyola for the following publications:

• Identifying Loyola: A Graphic Identity Guide
• Loyola University Identity: the new logo
• College of Music viewbook
• Undergraduate Prospectus
• College of Arts and Sciences viewbook.

In addition to these, the New Orleans Chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), recently recognized Loyola's new logo and graphic identity guide with an Award of Excellence and Loyola New Orleans Magazine with an Award of Merit.

Ads promote capital campaign

As the university continues to publicize the capital campaign, watch for Loyola's name in the regional editions of the September 1 issue of Newsweek as well as the September 8 issues of Time, Sports Illustrated, and U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges." Other venues this fall include: The Times-Picayune, Arrive!, Arts Quarterly, Baton Rouge Business Report, CityBusiness, playbills for the Louisiana Philharmonic and Jefferson Performing Arts Society, New Orleans Ballet, Saenger Theatre productions of "Smokey Joe's Cafe," "State Fair," and "Phantom of the Opera," and the Southern Repertory Theater season programs. Television public service spots will run on WDSU-TV.

Loyola in the news

Recent news clippings and advertisements, a current university calendar, and recent admissions and capital campaign publications can be viewed in a reference binder "Marketing Loyola" available in the library in the second flow lounge and in the Senior Common Room.

-Julia McSherry, Director of Publications