Branding & Positioning

State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome

State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome (SUNYIT)

Client Challenge: Originally established as SUNY’s only upper division college and facing increasing competition from four-year institutions for community college transfers, SUNYIT signed an agreement with the State University of New York to begin enrolling lower-division students. Having no previous experience with recruiting and enrolling freshmen, the campus sought help to develop marketing strategies and plans to achieve daunting enrollment goals set by the SUNY System.

Our Approach:Art & Science was retained to conduct a market research study and develop a marketing recruitment plan for enrolling freshman students and establishing a stronger market position for the instituion as it transitioned from an Upper Division school to a four-year institution. As part of this assignment, we:

  • Evaluated market demand and potential enrollment for each proposed lower-division academic program and program overlap with other SUNY campuses.
  • Conducted market research with propsective SUNY freshmen, testing brand ideas and positioning strategies and exploring students’ aspirations, plans, and preferences for new programs at an institution with a technology focus.
  • Developed a brand, supporting messages, and other marketing recommendations that would have the strongest impact on applications and enrollment.

What We Accomplished Together: The research provided compelling evidence that SUNYIT had the strongest market appeal to students who were very goal directed and focused about their education and career path. Based on the findings of our research and market assessment, we supported the campus’ intent to change its short-form name from SUNY Utica-Rome to SUNYIT. We also developed together a brand/positioning strategy around the idea, "A Focused Education for Focused Students."

In the first year, SUNYIT exceeded its enrollment target and enrolled a freshman class with academic credentials that placed the campus in the top three among SUNY institutions. In the fall of 2007, the institution’s incoming class of freshmen was the largest first-year class since SUNYIT began admitting four-year undergraduates in 2003.