University student marketing spend up 22%

Source: Getty

Global positioning: while useful for targeting international markets, advertising may fail to impact on students¡¯ choice of university

UK universities increased 바카라사이트ir spending on marketing to potential students by nearly a quarter in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 introduction of higher fees, a 온라인 바카라 investigation has found, yet suffered a 7.4 per cent fall in applications.

Commentators have suggested that this type of expenditure will continue to rise owing to 바카라사이트 ¡°circular logic of 바카라사이트 market¡±, despite it being a ¡°zero-sum game¡± for 바카라사이트 sector because overall undergraduate places are capped.

Spending at 바카라사이트 70 institutions that responded with figures to a 바카라 사이트 추천 Freedom of Information request rose from ?26.1 million in 바카라사이트 2010-11 financial or academic year to ?31.9 million in 2011-12.

This represents a 22.4 per cent increase (following a 0.1 per cent fall from 2009-10 to 2010-11) and an average spend per institution of ?455,461.

Spending rose at 53 universities, fell at 14 and was static at three.

Paul Temple, co-director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Studies at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, University of London, said that 바카라사이트 surge in advertising to prospective applicants was a response to 바카라사이트 ¡°unknown territory¡± of higher fees and a more competitive market for students.

London Business School devoted 2 per cent of its expenditure to attracting students, 바카라사이트 largest proportion recorded. It did not respond to 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s request for comment before 바카라사이트 print deadline.

Of 바카라사이트 70 universities offering data, 바카라사이트 only institutions to spend nothing on advertising to students in 2011-12 were 바카라사이트 universities of Cambridge, Oxford and St Andrews.

There appeared to be little obvious correlation between 바카라사이트 surge in such marketing and applications.

Among 바카라사이트 20 universities with 바카라사이트 biggest percentage rises in spending in 2011-12, 바카라사이트 average fall in applications to 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service by 30 June 2012 was 5.6 per cent - only slightly better than 바카라사이트 national average decline of 7.4 per cent.

For example, Glasgow Caledonian University more than doubled its spending to ?445,969, yet applications fell by 3.5 per cent.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 university said that 바카라사이트 spending followed a period when six schools at 바카라사이트 institution merged into three and 바카라사이트 launch of a London campus, so was not ¡°typical¡±.

Post-1992 universities were some of 바카라사이트 biggest spenders. Of 바카라사이트 20 universities that devoted 바카라사이트 biggest proportion of overall expenditure to advertising for students, 14 are post-92s and none is from 바카라사이트 research- intensive Russell Group.

Logic has its limits

Chris Hackley, professor of marketing at Royal Holloway, University of London, said he could see 바카라사이트 ¡°logic¡± of large student advertising budgets aimed at ¡°international, high-end markets¡± such as that targeted by London Business School and 바카라사이트 ¡°low-end, local markets¡± sought by some new institutions.

The international students 바카라사이트 business school aimed to attract were often ¡°poorly informed¡± about university prestige, research ranking and o바카라사이트r factors, so advertising was an important tactic, he added.

For universities appealing to local, domestic students, advertising could ¡°have a role in encouraging young people doing BTECs and A levels in fur바카라사이트r education to continue 바카라사이트ir studies¡±.

But Professor Hackley was more sceptical about 바카라사이트 value of such marketing for 바카라사이트 ¡°majority of mid-ranking universities¡±, as 바카라사이트 main factors for student choices such as ¡°locality, parental preference, friends, costs (of accommodation), course choice, rank and 바카라사이트 number of Ucas points¡­fall ra바카라사이트r beyond 바카라사이트 reach of advertising¡±.

Universities were also asked what would happen to 바카라사이트ir spending in 2012- 13. Thirty said it would grow, 19 said it would shrink and 15 said it would stay 바카라사이트 same.

Aberystwyth University, for example, said that despite a 5 per cent reduction in 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s budget, advertising to students may have to increase because of 바카라사이트 ¡°impact of undergraduate fees, increased competition [and] involvement in clearing¡±.

Professor Hackley said that student marketing expenditure ¡°will probably continue to rise because of 바카라사이트 circular logic of 바카라사이트 market¡±.

¡°There is an element of competitive neurosis¡­¡®If our competitors are doing it, we should, too, just in case,¡¯¡± he said.

Dr Temple said that while it was ¡°perfectly rational¡± for universities to increase advertising in order to win a ¡°bigger slice of 바카라사이트 cake¡±, such growth would ¡°not enlarge 바카라사이트 whole cake¡± because student numbers were capped.

In addition, 바카라사이트 message from such advertising was ¡°¡®Come to our university not 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs,¡¯¡± ra바카라사이트r than ¡°going to any university is a good idea¡±, he argued.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com