Philippine higher education institutions planning to launch their internationalization bid need to strategically position themselves in the global field through differentiation and distinction. According to Ateneo de Manila University’s University Marketing and Communications Office Director Matec Villanueva and ADMU’s UMCO Branding and Creative Services Head Ali Figueroa, the use of differentiation and distinction is the first step HEIs need to take to rise above the clutter and competition both in the local and international scene.

In this issue, Villanueva and Figueroa answer questions to share their thoughts on the principles of differentiation and distinction, explain other core branding concepts, and offer pieces of practical advice drawn mainly from their day-to-day ongoing work in building and maintaining ADMU’s branding.  

(This feature is the second part of a series on higher education institution internationalization and branding. The first part clarified the concept of branding and discussed how branding strategy could help Philippine HEIs cope with the increasingly competitive and cluttered local and international scenes.)

ANTENA: Why do HEIs need differentiation and distinction?

MV: One of the worst things for an organization is to become forgettably generic. For universities, there is such a thing as becoming “too universal.” HEIs, by nature, are broad and open, and so, there is often the temptation to think that “universality” allows us to do and become anything. But in schools, as with many things, those who try to be everything for everyone tend to spread themselves too thin, and end up mastering little.

AF: A vague and generic image will get overwhelmed amidst competition and clutter. Worse, it turns education into a "commodity" whose only fighting chance is to "compete" on the level of price. This is one reason why some HEIs have been more vulnerable to the effect of recent laws mandating free tuition for State Universities and Colleges. Unfocused brands do not communicate value as strongly as focused ones.

MV: This is already a major local concern. The problem is compounded even further when we shift our focus to the international scene, where there are even more competing institutions, and even more cluttered marketplace. Therefore, it is imperative that HEIs focus.

ANTENA: How would HEIs planning to go for internationalization know what to focus on?

AF: There are many bases for brand focus. You may focus on your history. You may focus on the personalities of your founders or leaders. You may focus on your physical assets. But the best way to choose and define brand focus is to zero in on an audience first. You should craft your brand to connect with the people who you want to support and sustain your HEI.

MV: We commonly identify this as the “market.” But we must remember that they are not just buyers and we are not just sellers. Strong brands forge strong bonds with their stakeholders. HEIs, with their long-ranging plans and visions, are especially dependent on these bonds. And the better an institution fulfills the specific wants and needs of its market, the stronger those bonds become.

AF: The process of zeroing in on our audience, and articulating your identity based on that audience’s wants and needs is called positioning. This describes where we stand in the minds of our stakeholders, in the context of a competitive and cluttered marketplace. Ideally it is where what our customers want and what we have to offer intersect, but differentiated from what our competitors offer. Often, we will find that this ideal position also describes what our customers want most, and what we can do best. Once this position is defined, we can begin to draft our positioning statement, which typically has four elements: 1) Who is your specific market? 2) Where do you compete? 3) How can you rise above the competition and clutter? 4) Why should your audience trust you?

Villanueva and Figueroa shared the following process and pieces of advice when crafting HEI positioning statement:  

The first step is to look at your market, and then to zero in on the audience whose support stands to make a big difference for your school. Do not be afraid to really zoom in at this point. If your target is too large, then you might end up with a vague and generic position. Getting  a powerful message and making a strong connection with your first target market puts you in a better position to attract others. For HEIs, this specific target market often consists of the students who we want most to enroll, while for some colleges and for most K-12 schools, this market often consists of parents deciding on where to enroll their children.

Next, define where you compete. Usually, this is determined by the nature and location of your school, and by your direct competitors. Look at whether you are a public or private institution. Look at the programs you offer. Look at the schools you are competing with. Are you a private science university in a particular province? Are you a regional liberal arts college? Are you a global university?

How can you rise above the competition and clutter? Taking your target market and competition into consideration, what is it that sets you apart? What is the best thing you offer? Is there a special way that you do things? Be specific and identify that one thing that you are best at, and that you think will be key to your success. Some refer to this as your “only-ness” statement.

For this point, look outwards, not inwards. Do not just talk about yourself. Talk about how your audience will benefit from you. We often get lost in technical descriptions of our programs, or on short-term perks and benefits, that we do not describe what kind of students we form, and what they are able to achieve long-term because they studied with us.

At this point, do not water down or conceal what makes you unique to cater to more people.

For example, Ateneo de Manila’s origins as a liberal arts college are evident in our extensive college core curriculum, steeped in the humanities and the social sciences. Some past communications efforts and members of the community have tried to de-emphasize or keep silent about this, so as not to alienate potential students looking for deep specialization in the sciences. What happens therefore is that some students were taken by surprise once they got deep into their studies, and would complain about “useless subjects.” Another opportunity lost is the ability to capitalize on the centuries old Jesuit scientific tradition, which is deeply in touch with the arts.

Why should your audience trust you? Taking the previous points into account, find the most compelling reasons why your claims would be credible. This is where credentials, track record, achievements, and history may come into play. But do not give in to the temptation of trying to list everything down. Pick the ones most compelling for your audience.

The following is a simplified positioning statement that we have been working on for Ateneo de Manila. This is a statement for the entire university though. Ideally, there should be a specific one for each school or office that seeks to compete in the marketplace.

As you craft this positioning statement, make sure it is useful and practical.

Do not rely on motherhood statements, unless you are sure that they are able to “give birth” to other ideas and initiatives. So, while the Ateneo positioning statement may sound vague to outsiders, these are loaded terms for our community, and sufficient to guide the individual schools and offices to craft their own positioning statements for their own branding efforts. But this might not have been the case if we just cobbled together things Ateneo is known for, without regard for our audience and our objectives. “Blue Eagles,” “One Big Fight,” “Men and Women for Others” are nice sentiments, but need stronger foundations to become effective.

Be careful too, that you do not spend too much time fine-tuning the phrasing and crafting of your positioning statement. It is something that is meant to be practical, and may be adjusted depending on how things go. Progress, not perfection, is the key.

(Ateneo de Manila University is a partner of ANTENA, a capacity building cooperation project co-funded by the Erasmus + program of the European Commission. Other partners are Benguet State University, Central Luzon State University, De La Salle University, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Saint Louis University, University of the Philippines, the University of San Carlos, Xavier University–Ateneo de Cagayan, and the Commission on Higher Education.)