I had the opportunity to visit the University of Oregon in Eugene right after the Thanksgiving holiday with Brian Henley, Ryan Large, Enzo Vernone, Steven Salcido, and Jenni Murphy. My goal was to learn about UO's marketing efforts on how they obtain and retain students, starting with their spectacular campus. Upon entering the their Welcome Center, I couldn't help but notice the details of their building -- from the school colors to the decor on the walls and how everything was meticulously placed. I was so drawn to the architecture and felt like a kid in a candy store, wanting to touch, see, and feel everything in sight! I didn't want to miss anything.
Most often, marketing is associate with traditional marketing such as advertisements, running ads, or writing content ---all with the intent to "sell." UO definitely brought marketing to another level -- through architecture, embodying the "student experience" through our all of our senses the moment you set foot on their campus. I did no research about the campus because I wanted to be pleasantly surprised and experience everything in a new lens. Their marketing felt intentional, fun and created a persona of their school -- they embodied the architect of marketing. It was about creating a student experience and each of our experience that day was unique and memorable to ourselves. I was captivated by the culture and history of UO through their decor and installations. It was an a memorable experience, along with the cold weather and my runny nose.
Special thanks to Brian for putting this tour together and Cora Bennett for hosting us!
