In March 2007, I found out I had been accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It was about 8 a.m., and I was sitting at a computer in my high school newspaper office in suburban Detroit.
I announced the news to the room. The first response?
“Wes-con-sin? That’s randommmm.”
Now, admittedly, that comment came from someone who didn’t have the grades or test scores to get into Wisconsin. But she hit on an interesting point – this university suffers from a bit of an image problem.
You start to notice it from the moment you drive into the state. There are these hideous brown wooden signs proclaiming “Wisconsin Welcomes You” with dozens of markings like “JRA WUZ HERE” etched into it. Then there are those ridiculous license plates that declare the state is “America’s Dairyland,” complete with a sailboat against a sunset and a red barn.
It was interesting to see Gov. Scott Walker attempt to address this by bringing back an old slogan – “Escape to Wisconsin” – and creating a new one: “Wisconsin is Open for Business.” It’s a legitimate attempt to re-brand Wisconsin as a place to start or relocate business and as a tourist destination in hopes of bringing more jobs here. It may not work, but it’s a start.
Beyond the state, UW itself has a hard time branding itself. It was nice to see the news over winter break that our university is the most “buzzed” about in the nation, and the university’s use of the “Teach Me How to Bucky” video was a refreshing way to delve more into modern media.
Still, there are certain classical forms of marketing and branding the university has a difficult time figuring out. Take, for example, any one of the commercials UW puts on during football games.
Most feature a very uninspired rendition of “On, Wisconsin” by a single trumpet, spitting some facts at you about the Peace Corps and corporate CEOs, followed by a motto of “Forward. Thinking.” that makes conservatives cringe.
At times, the commercials have some beautiful shots of Bascom Hall or Abe Lincoln or Lake Mendota, but they’re boring and entirely lack production value. When you compare them with commercials produced by Michigan or Minnesota or Nebraska, it makes Wisconsin look cheesy. (Ha!)
This may seem trivial, but improving Wisconsin’s brand nationally is always worthwhile. Take, for example, the Motion “W.” It works fine as a logo for athletics, but it’s a little too cutesy to use on the academic side of the university. So, Wisconsin uses the W shield. Which is nice, but not very recognizable outside of the state. I’m not going to propose we create a totally new logo, but an increased use of the Motion W over the shield could help with recognition.
There’s one more way UW can increase its national image, and it’s something I’ve been harping on in Herald editorials and private conversations for the better part of two years: commencement speakers.
It is huge news when a major political or cultural figure makes a commencement address at a major university. Yet for the past several years, UW has struggled to attract big names, mostly because the school offers no kind of honorarium.
A proposal The Badger Herald Editorial Board put forth last year and Student Services Finance Committee Chair Matt Manes is currently trying to push through would add $1 or $2 to our segregated fees to pay for a fall and spring commencement speaker. It’s an idea that should be embraced.
For now, Wisconsin will continue to be a leader in managing its online brand – but while me move forward with that, our marketing experts in Bascom should refocus on classic forms of branding. If they don’t, expect several high school seniors watching commercials during the Wisconsin-Nebraska game in October to think twice about which school is the better one.
Kevin Bargnes ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism.
