What’s your brand word for 2024? Or maybe you have a few? As a new year begins, it’s a natural time to pause and to take an objective view on your institution’s focus and direction. A summary of your brand’s trajectory can serve as a helpful source of direction for your design, messaging and strategy.

We asked some of the Hybrid team for their insights on what they think should be the pillar of university marketing for 2024 and the advice they’d give for cutting through the noise. 

Q: How long have you worked in education marketing?
A: 17 years

Q: What is your brand word of 2024 and why?
A: Truth

A great brand conveys the core identity of an institution from within, speaking its truth across every touch point and being a real representation of who they are and what they offer. Brands can be created on paper, but the ones that really cut through the noise and competition have their character, purpose and motivations flow through all that they do.

Q: What advice would you give to education brands for 2024?
A: Involve your people in creating your brand narrative and approach. Speak to your students, stakeholders and communities to define what you’re known for and seen as and don’t be afraid to speak differently to other institutions. There’s only one you – and that’s why students choose your university. Be bold, be consistent and build pride across teams to tell your story, after all if it is truly your story it will come across with authenticity and ease.

Account Manager

Q: How long have you worked in education marketing?
A: 3 years

Q: What is your brand word of 2024 and why?
A: Authentic

Each younger generation is placing more and more emphasis on authenticity in their lives, as well as the brands and institutions that make an impact too. If we do not consider how to be transparent, honest, and our true selves in through our marketing – these younger generations will turn away from ads even more than they already are.

Q: What advice would you give to education brands for 2024?
A: Bring broader higher education trends into your planning. By focusing and starting with the issues your school is facing, you will start off on the right track – but it will not prepare you for facing your competition or staying ahead of the curve.

Q: How long have you worked in education marketing?
A: 10 years

Q: What is your brand word of 2024 and why?
A: Impact

This has many meanings within Higher Education marketing.

1) University brands need to have an impact in order to cut through in a busy sector, when students are increasingly pulled towards alternatives to education.

2) The impact that education itself has on people’s lives also needs to be conveyed in university messaging. It’s a liberator in terms of what it teaches you, but it also has the power to teach you about other perspectives and allows you to grow as a person.

3) The impact that a university has on their local communities is also important – across the country and around the world. This impact is rarely told in a compelling way, with so much investment and resources in research and influence on public policy but these stories are often buried deep in a university website and are relying on the academics themselves to spread the word. We have seen how much this impact can change a brand and influence their next marketing campaign but also their ranking, perception and standing in the community.

Q: What advice would you give to education brands for 2024?
A: Put your impact stories and successes front and centre. Use them to show what you do rather than trying to explain what you do. Show how the university is making a difference, even in a small way, and inspire others at the same time.

Director of Study College

Q: How long have you worked in education marketing?
A: 6 years

Q: What is your brand word of 2024 and why?
A: Empowerment

In the US, about three-quarters of our 20 million students aren’t your typical college kids straight out of high school. There’s a growing diverse group of veterans, parents, and full-time working adults who’ve decided to jump back into education through the online or hybrid route. The word “empowerment”, refers to their journey. These students have a lot on their plates but are still pushing forward to grow personally and professionally, so their need for education that fits into their hectic lives needs to be recognized. It’s not just about making learning accessible; it’s about changing lives. Education isn’t just a phase anymore, it’s a lifelong adventure. And through empowerment, we’re helping these students smash through barriers, reach their dreams, and make a real difference.

Q: What advice would you give to education brands for 2024?
A: Education brands should get on board with what non-traditional students are looking for. By crafting learning spaces that are flexible and supportive, offering transparency around costs with both online and hybrid courses available – these students can build education around their lives. Reflect this in your marketing by speaking their language and using their most used platforms – sharing content that aligns with their values and goals. Through your messaging, make them feel like they’re part of a community, not just another face in the crowd. Give them a sense that they’re on a journey to something bigger, something empowering.