Audiences

Overview

RIT engages with a profoundly diverse collection of audiences and individuals. Though needs vary dramatically across these groups, our brand story should remain consistent. By understanding the objective we’re trying to achieve with each audience segment, we can bring focus and clarity to all of our interactions.

Graphic with radius of audiences in increasingly larger circles

Internal Community

The strongest, most credible brand ambassadors, who experience the brand firsthand.

Alumni, Donors, and Fans

Individuals who have an interest in seeing the university succeed and are willing to help make it happen.

Prospect Market

Individuals who are either navigating or informing the college decision process.

Partners and Employers

External companies, organizations, and individuals that add value to the RIT education and influence opinions of the university.

Higher Education Community

Those who look to us as a leader or challenger in the marketplace.

Internal Community

These people are RIT’s strongest, most credible brand ambassadors, who live the brand every day. They’re responsible for delivering the brand promise through the experiences they create. The strength of our brand relies on the continued creative and innovative thinking and doing that are so alive within this group.

Groups like:
  • Current Students
  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Administration
  • Board
Personality traits to emphasize:
  • Active
  • Imaginative
  • Open-Minded

What the brand needs to do

Align stakeholders around a shared vision

Clear and consistent communication will help pull the university community together, moving everyone confidently in the same direction. The brand must make sure that the university’s vision is clear and that communications reinforce the positioning of RIT’s brand.

Empower the community through education

Brand training goes a long way toward engaging this group — as does access to branded assets, templates, toolkits, and support from marketing. Through socialization and training, internal audiences learn how they can support a successful brand to achieve their respective and collective goals.

Alumni, Donors, and Fans

These individuals have an interest in seeing the university succeed, and they’re willing to help make it happen. They have an existing relationship with and understanding of RIT because they’ve experienced or benefited from the university in some way. Regardless of the depth of the relationship or the level of understanding, they possess a desire for a stronger national and global reputation and greater recognition of RIT.

Groups like:
  • Alumni
  • Friends and Fans
  • Volunteers
  • Donors
  • Current Student Parents
Personality traits to emphasize:
  • Active
  • Future-focused
  • Imaginative

What the brand needs to do

Clarify the plan for RIT

The brand needs to remind them that RIT is committed to the co-op experience and to equipping students with a career-oriented skill set. It should help them understand that changes are necessary to deliver on this promise in a relevant way.

Inspire support and advocacy

Give them a compelling reason to believe in the future direction of the university. Once they’re on board, asking for their support will be much easier.

Engage younger alumni now

With such a young alumni population, maintaining a strong emotional connection is critical to our future fundraising efforts. The RIT brand must keep them engaged and involved.

Prospect Market

These individuals are either navigating or informing the college search process. They’re examining our peer and competitor institutions to identify the most ideal and rewarding experience. A large part of this group carries an influential voice in a student’s decision, so it’s critical that they understand the uniqueness of what we offer.

Groups like:
  • Prospective Students
  • Prospective Student Families
  • School counselors
  • College Advisors
Personality traits to emphasize:
  • Active
  • Imaginative
  • Open-Minded
  • Unusual

What the brand needs to do

Differentiate RIT in the marketplace

The brand must clearly articulate the heavy influence of art, design, and creativity at RIT. It’s what makes us different from our STEM-focused peers.

Appeal to the right kind of student

Marketing materials should intentionally showcase RIT’s unusual collection of programs, perspectives, and people.

Demonstrate results and relevance

Story and content selection should focus on the incredible work that goes on at RIT. Collectively, these stories will convey the quality and ROI of an RIT education.

Partners and Employers

This segment includes external companies, organizations, and individuals that add value to the RIT education and influence opinions of the university. They may hire our graduates, shape our curriculum, collaborate with our experts to address challenges, or fund a research endeavor. They create a mutually beneficial relationship with RIT through a valuable exchange of talent, value, opportunity, and information.

Groups like:
  • Co-op Partners
  • Research Funders
  • Businesses
  • Greater Rochester Community
  • Local Government
  • Elected Officials
Personality traits to emphasize:
  • Active
  • Imaginative
  • Open-Minded

What the brand needs to do

Strengthen existing relationships

The brand needs to establish and maintain strong avenues of communication with these stakeholders. Their relationships with RIT create a cyclical exchange of information, talent, and opportunity that’s mutually beneficial.

Educate and evolve the story

Careers of today demand that professionals think creatively and pull solutions out of cross-disciplinary teams. RIT develops this type of job candidate, so the brand must build on a favorable reputation of skilled STEM graduates to include the more creative dimensions of preparing a skilled workforce.

Uphold the brand promise

Accountability is important to external partnership. We need to ensure that, at every turn, RIT is delivering on the promise of creativity and innovation. It should be a lived experience for this audience group — a beneficiary of our creativity and innovation.

Higher Education Community

This group consists of those who look to us as a leader or a challenger in the marketplace. They’re most likely other colleges and universities that emphasize STEM or creativity in their programming. They keep a close eye on what we’re doing as an institution, because they may aspire to be like us, or they’re striving to stay one step ahead. Additionally, this group includes third-party organizations that offer review and critique of higher education.

Groups like:
  • Other Colleges and Universities
  • Prospective Faculty, Researchers, and Staff
  • Faculty Networks
  • Community Colleges
  • Higher Education Thought Leaders
Personality traits to emphasize:
  • Future-Focused
  • Open-Minded
  • Unusual

What the brand needs to do

Adopt the posture of a leader

RIT contributes tremendous value to the regional economy and society. It’s time to scale that story to one of a national leader. The brand should continue to demonstrate impact through regional contributions, but also work to create a prominent place for showcasing global reach and national impact.