U91��ɫ Marketing team wins American Marketing Association award

Nov. 14, 2018

U91��ɫ Marketing team wins American Marketing Association award

First-ever Canadian university named Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year

Anju Visen-Singh, senior director of marketing and digital experience, and Mona Csada, associate director of marketing, accept the AMA Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year award on behalf of the 91��ɫ.

Anju Visen-Singh and Mona Csada.

Krista Larsen

Above: Anju Visen-Singh, senior director of marketing and digital experience, and Mona Csada, associate director of marketing, accept the AMA Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year award on behalf of the 91��ɫ.

On the first day of the annual American Marketing Association (AMA) Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education in Orlando, Fla., if you’d asked just about anyone where 91��ɫ was, you would have likely been met with confusion.

By the end of Day 2, however, the 1,200 conference attendees had voted the 91��ɫ in as 2018 AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year — the first-ever Canadian team to earn the honour.

The Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year award recognizes extraordinary leadership and achievement in the field of higher education marketing. This year, U91��ɫ was shortlisted as one of three contender universities and invited to attend the symposium for the final selection. There, attendees representing university marketing teams from across North America and around the world were asked to select the winner. Results were announced live on Nov. 6, 2018.

“There is no doubt that higher education faces unique marketing hurdles,” says AMA CEO Russ Klein. “The team at U91��ɫ is an inspiration to the entire industry, showing that meaningful collaboration mixed with future-focused thinking can help create a brand experience that positively impacts future generations.”

The purpose of marketing at U91��ɫ

The purpose of marketing at U91��ɫ is to enhance the university’s reputation, strengthen and amplify the university’s brand, influence enrolment and purchasing decisions, extend outreach and engagement, and reinforce the university’s relevance in the lives of key target audiences — including current and future students, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, academic peers, government, industry and friends. Between 2013 and 2017, public likelihood to recommend U91��ɫ increased measurably across the country and throughout Alberta.

“I am proud of what this exceptional team has accomplished, working collaboratively with so many across the university,” says Diane Kenyon, vice-president (university relations). “To be singled out and recognized by such a broad group of international peers — including those who steward the most successful university brands in the world — is a testament to the team’s important work in positioning U91��ɫ and increasing our brand and reputation provincially, nationally, and internationally.”

Over the period of 2012-18, the team has marked multiple advancements, including establishing a robust market research agenda; developing and executing a structured visual identity; building a fully functioning digital experience team; rolling out an award-winning user-driven web experience, a common platform for email marketing, and a core social media centre of excellence; and developing a core creative studio that proactively advances university design and brand work.

“Our submission outlined the incredible journey this team has been on over the past six years,” says Kim Lawrence, associate vice-president (marketing). “We started modestly but with an undaunted passion for our work and this special place. With the support of our entrepreneurially minded leadership, a campus culture that encourages cross-functional collaboration, a thriving network of marketing ambassadors across campus, and a strong institutional commitment to growing a distinct U91��ɫ brand, we have been able to make significant progress in a relatively short period of time.”

The two other finalists this year were in Florida and in Texas. Previous winners include (NYU), , and the .

As the largest community-based marketing association in the world, the (AMA) is trusted by marketing and sales professionals to help them discover what’s coming next in the industry. The AMA has a community of local chapters in more than 70 cities and 350 college campuses throughout North America. The AMA is home to award-winning content, PCM professional certification, premiere academic journals, and industry-leading training events and conferences. The AMA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the association that works to elevate marketing visionaries and inspire future generations to make their mark through a comprehensive awards program.

The AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year award is sponsored by — a Chicago-based marketing and communications firm focused on the non-profit and government sector.