An Exploration of the Use of Branding to Shape Institutional Image in the Marketing Activities of Faith-Based Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Modern higher education includes student-consumers who shop for educational opportunities and institutions that actively market themselves. This study examined the marketing of faith-based institutions to determine how faith-related missions are reflected in the printed recruitment materials, Web sites, and admissions portals of the 112 member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The study attempted to quantify how strongly a university portrays the faith dimension of its identity in marketing materials and to determine whether that measure is predictive of external perception. A research instrument developed by Pendleton (2008) was used to measure the strength of faith identity in the materials. Although alumni giving rate or peer assessment score could not be predicted based on this collection of variables, the findings indicated that faith-based brand communication may be greater in admissions viewbooks than in online materials. Implications include the recommendation that Christian institutions feature the faith-component of institutional identity through all communication venues.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank my dissertation advisor, Dr. Melinda Clarke, and committee members, Dr. Wilburn Lane, Dr. John Head, and Dr. Linn Stranak, who gave generously of their time to improve this research. I am also grateful for the support of my family, mentor, and colleagues and am eternally grateful for the unmerited love and grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.