Jan. 4, 2022

How To Win The Loyalty of Your Students w/ Exceptional University Offerings

How To Win The Loyalty of Your Students w/ Exceptional University Offerings

With all universities vying for students, creating value through exceptional experiences and differentiated offerings is the only way to stand out. And our guest is here to share exactly how his university has achieved this time and time again.

Ethan Braden, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Purdue University, provides insights on what’s made Purdue so successful as a brand.

Join us as we discuss:

- Fast Company’s brands that matter & the first class marketing engine

- Scaling through the COVID-19 pandemic

- What’s next for the Purdue team

Resources mentioned during the podcast:

- Contact Ethan: Linkedin

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The Higher Ed Marketer podcast is brought to you by Caylor Solutions, an Education Marketing, and Branding Agency.

    

 

Transcript
WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:07.190 You were listening to the Higher Ed Marketer, a podcast geared towards marketing professionals 2 00:00:07.230 --> 00:00:11.910 in higher education. This show will tackle all sorts of questions related to student 3 00:00:11.949 --> 00:00:16.230 recruitment, don'tor relations, marketing trends, new technologies and so much more. 4 00:00:16.989 --> 00:00:20.789 If you are looking for conversations centered around where the industry is going, this 5 00:00:20.989 --> 00:00:31.019 podcast is for you. Let's get into the show. Welcome to the Higher 6 00:00:31.019 --> 00:00:35.299 Ed Marketer podcast. I'm troy singer and along with my cohost and Kevin Heart 7 00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:40.810 joke rider, Art Taylor, and today together we're going to interview Ethan Braden, 8 00:00:41.009 --> 00:00:44.929 who was the senior vice president of marketing and communications at Purdue University, 9 00:00:45.329 --> 00:00:50.119 and he is someone that I feel that is very wellknown within the Higher Ed 10 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:57.960 Marketing Community itself as being recognized as a dynamic marketer himself, but also leading 11 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:02.280 an award winning team. Yeah, troy, that's great. It's a pleasure 12 00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:04.549 to have him back on the show. He was our inaugural guest back on 13 00:01:04.750 --> 00:01:10.069 episode one. We talked with him about his you know, he was awarded 14 00:01:10.109 --> 00:01:12.829 the American Market Association High Ed Marketer of the year last year in two thousand 15 00:01:12.870 --> 00:01:15.430 and twenty, as well as his team. So they kind of swept that 16 00:01:15.909 --> 00:01:19.379 with the AMA, but he comes back on today. We wanted to talk 17 00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:26.219 to him a little bit about the recognition that Purdue University garnered in Fast Company 18 00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:29.620 magazine. They were one of the only they were the only university that was 19 00:01:29.700 --> 00:01:33.650 recognized as one of the brands that matter, and so we talked with him 20 00:01:33.650 --> 00:01:38.489 about that, how that's impacted perdue and then how his marketing team is helping 21 00:01:38.530 --> 00:01:42.010 to tell those story. So it's a really good conversation. He is so 22 00:01:42.209 --> 00:01:47.519 inspiring, full of wonderful appropriate quotes and I'm excited to pick the brain of 23 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:52.040 the person who is leading one of the country's leading higher ED marketing teams. 24 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:59.640 So here's our conversation with Ethan Brayden. It's our pleasure again to welcome Ethan 25 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:04.390 Braden, Senior Vice President of marketing and communications at Produce University, to the 26 00:02:04.469 --> 00:02:08.430 High Red Marketer podcast. Ethan, it's great to see you again and would 27 00:02:08.509 --> 00:02:12.629 love for the people who may not know who you are to give us a 28 00:02:12.669 --> 00:02:16.500 little bit about perdue and a little bit about your role there. Sure, 29 00:02:16.659 --> 00:02:20.780 what's great to be back, guys. Thank you for the opportunity. Terms 30 00:02:20.819 --> 00:02:23.860 of produe, you know, or a world class research institution here in West 31 00:02:23.900 --> 00:02:29.060 Loffiat, Indiana, of about fifty fivezero people. Right now, currently we 32 00:02:29.139 --> 00:02:32.009 got the number one basketball team in the nations, a fantastic and a sweet 33 00:02:32.050 --> 00:02:36.090 sixteen volleyball team and a bullbound football team. So it's a good time to 34 00:02:36.090 --> 00:02:38.090 be a boiler maker. But yeah, I serve as the Senior Vice President 35 00:02:38.210 --> 00:02:43.610 of marketing communications here, the chief marketing officer for President Daniels, and look 36 00:02:43.610 --> 00:02:47.919 after a Central Marketing Organization of about seventy individuals and then a marketing community that 37 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:51.840 spans the campus of about three hundred. So it's a pleasure of been here 38 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:53.680 three years. I've got my dream job. I have a get to job, 39 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:57.960 not a guy to job, and couldn't be happier. Well, Ethan, 40 00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:00.189 it's great to have you back and really appreciate it. We've got a 41 00:03:00.270 --> 00:03:04.229 chance to talk a little bit about a kind of another topic. We talked 42 00:03:04.229 --> 00:03:07.430 a little bit about brand the last time. It was an episode one and 43 00:03:07.150 --> 00:03:10.150 appreciate you being our inaugural episode, but I think that one of the things 44 00:03:10.189 --> 00:03:15.180 that we wanted to bring you back on was recently produe university has been named 45 00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:19.860 one of fast companies brands that matter, and I saw that come across in 46 00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:23.740 my issue of the magazine was really excited. So that recognitions honors organizations that 47 00:03:23.819 --> 00:03:28.930 give people compelling reasons to care about them, off for inspiration for others and 48 00:03:29.009 --> 00:03:31.449 authentically communicate their missions in their ideals. So tell me a bit about what 49 00:03:31.650 --> 00:03:37.530 that is all about and and how that came about. Yeah, we're tremendously 50 00:03:37.610 --> 00:03:39.569 honored to be named that list. You know, Fest Company Magazines A, 51 00:03:39.930 --> 00:03:44.080 I think, a tremendous, innovative, progressive publication. It has been for 52 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:47.840 twenty years now and we've really aspired to break free and not necessarily, when 53 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:52.879 you know, local market addeas, or necessarily even appear in hot you know, 54 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.909 inside hier et etc. But we believe we've got an iconic brand. 55 00:03:55.110 --> 00:03:59.069 You know, six Hundredzero, a lum's and our students on this campus, 56 00:03:59.110 --> 00:04:00.909 I think, validate this and it's a brand that matters, especially today. 57 00:04:01.509 --> 00:04:04.310 So to be, you know, chosen as the only University of the ninety 58 00:04:04.349 --> 00:04:09.509 five on our he's there with Nike, Threem for General Motors, Sonos, 59 00:04:09.550 --> 00:04:13.939 zoom yet e, etc. Was a real honor. We're thrilled in many 60 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:17.819 respects to have that affiliation and I think it's been very validating for our product, 61 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:21.660 but also our marketers who can see the the fruits of their labors and 62 00:04:21.819 --> 00:04:27.009 telling a powerful story and and mattering in this day and age. So we've 63 00:04:27.490 --> 00:04:30.810 couldn't be happier. That's great and I can speak and I've been pretty transparent 64 00:04:30.889 --> 00:04:35.930 before as a as a boiler maker parent. My son's a sophomore. In 65 00:04:36.009 --> 00:04:40.920 all transparency for everyone at a produe and so I think I can join that 66 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:44.120 community at I've just been so excited to be a part of the of the 67 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:46.680 produce community. Even as a parent. It's been exciting and and even in 68 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:51.600 our first episode we talked about how impressed I was with the protect produced campaign, 69 00:04:51.870 --> 00:04:55.430 you know, when my son was entering his freshman year in the middle 70 00:04:55.430 --> 00:04:59.629 of the pandemic. It was just refreshing to see that and I know in 71 00:04:59.670 --> 00:05:01.230 the article you kind of talked about one of your quotes was the fact that 72 00:05:01.990 --> 00:05:06.300 you've got thousands communicating on the behalf of purdue daily. No one can whistle 73 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:10.459 a symphony alone. You know, it's got to operate like an orchestra and 74 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:14.019 I I just applaud you and I think that's exactly right and and tell me 75 00:05:14.060 --> 00:05:16.100 a little bit about how does that? How does that then evolve into this 76 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:19.899 first class marketing engine that you also talked about, into that? Well, 77 00:05:20.019 --> 00:05:23.329 you know, I think you know. Number one is we've got a tremendous 78 00:05:23.329 --> 00:05:26.769 product. And so, as Jack Butcher says, right, he's like, 79 00:05:26.850 --> 00:05:29.730 Hey, it's a really busy, noisy world. So what we need, 80 00:05:29.769 --> 00:05:31.529 or a thousand people say, you know, sharing the entire in the same 81 00:05:31.649 --> 00:05:35.560 story with the world over and over for some sort of saturation. So we 82 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.160 do? We start with an amazing product with amazing support from our board of 83 00:05:39.160 --> 00:05:42.920 Trustees, Mitch Daniels on down, and our group of seventy, you know, 84 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.720 has really pivoted, I think, from being the driven on campus, 85 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.040 you know, of local needs, of posters, flyers, things we talked 86 00:05:48.040 --> 00:05:53.230 about last time, to the driver and and what that meant and what that's 87 00:05:53.230 --> 00:05:56.189 meant in two thousand and twenty. Two Thousand and twenty one is really pivoting 88 00:05:56.269 --> 00:06:00.589 to the chief storyteller, really feeling that we're a driver of inspiration, of 89 00:06:00.629 --> 00:06:05.180 prosperity and growth at Perdu University by deliberty, deliberately positioning our brand, promoting 90 00:06:05.180 --> 00:06:10.100 our brand and protecting our brand and then that spreads beyond the Central Marketing Organization 91 00:06:10.139 --> 00:06:13.180 but to our thirteen colleges and the thirteen, excuse me, the three hundred 92 00:06:13.220 --> 00:06:17.420 other marketers, communicators and graphic designers that we see a cross campus again in 93 00:06:17.540 --> 00:06:23.170 the Adam grant spirit of not necessarily on brand but in character. And how 94 00:06:23.209 --> 00:06:28.529 do we share those stories in a unified fashion, localizing to the college but 95 00:06:28.689 --> 00:06:31.329 still under the umbrella of Perdue University, being the very best version of ourselves 96 00:06:31.370 --> 00:06:34.360 at Pretty University, with the world and parents and students like you know of 97 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:38.720 our so it's been tremendous. But again it starts the product, right. 98 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:42.959 They talked about the reasons we won. It's it's living our brand. Yeah, 99 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:46.000 persistent innovation together. It's the date of mine right. That's taking students 100 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:49.829 from all of our thirteen colleges and bringing them into a learning, living community, 101 00:06:50.670 --> 00:06:54.790 no matter they're major, and making them data experts, date of fluent 102 00:06:55.110 --> 00:06:58.430 for the days that they're after the data science is working together, from fashion 103 00:06:58.550 --> 00:07:02.220 to pharmacy and everything in between. Its initiatives like the the polytechnic high school, 104 00:07:02.540 --> 00:07:06.060 right when we weren't seeing the underserved, the urm student, coming to 105 00:07:06.139 --> 00:07:10.139 produe with the fervor and the frequency that we wanted. We went out and 106 00:07:10.180 --> 00:07:12.420 built our own high schools, three of them now in the state of Indiana, 107 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:15.930 and so there are a pathway for students that were usually underserved by traditional 108 00:07:15.930 --> 00:07:19.569 high school and, I'll underrepresented in higher education. And we just had forty 109 00:07:19.610 --> 00:07:24.129 students, you're Om students, come to us from that first graduating class. 110 00:07:24.170 --> 00:07:28.410 Right. That's x what we were getting from the entire Indianapolis Public School System 111 00:07:28.449 --> 00:07:30.879 previously. So it's that commitment to persistently running in when others run out, 112 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:34.120 a you know, a commitment to innovation, a commitment to value and doing 113 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:38.199 it together. But again, when we tell that story we want to be 114 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:41.319 on the same song sheet. Everyone gets their verse, but we're going to 115 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:46.389 sing the chorus together and thankfully that's been well embraced. That's great. That's 116 00:07:46.430 --> 00:07:49.350 great. Appreciate your sharing that and I appreciate you kind of talking about living 117 00:07:49.430 --> 00:07:54.069 the brand. That was it in my notes here on the article. You 118 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:56.870 know, when you have the quote, it gave us a playbook to continue 119 00:07:56.910 --> 00:08:00.980 to show the world that we are and the persistent innovation that we stand for, 120 00:08:01.139 --> 00:08:03.819 even in the most discert certain of times. Note they're living out the 121 00:08:03.899 --> 00:08:07.060 brand and I think that's really one of the things that I think fast company 122 00:08:07.139 --> 00:08:11.019 was recognizing in you and put you to put you in the Panthem of those 123 00:08:11.019 --> 00:08:13.490 other kind of companies that they have. So I'm try. I know you 124 00:08:13.529 --> 00:08:18.649 had a question, yeah, and it was about the growing freshman classes that 125 00:08:18.810 --> 00:08:22.689 produce is experiencing. I know for the second year in a row you are 126 00:08:22.850 --> 00:08:28.040 welcoming your largest freshman class ever, I believe. Yeah, I think there's 127 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:33.200 three things that really shine through in this last year or two. Their the 128 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.039 students and their parents are telling us. You know, this is why we're 129 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.840 choosing you and we're choosing even more often than we did in the past. 130 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.549 Right, we've grown twenty percent in the last five years. We essentially added 131 00:08:41.590 --> 00:08:46.909 an additional class of tenzero students to the exit per university of the last five 132 00:08:46.909 --> 00:08:48.950 years. It's incredible, I think in the state of High Education in the 133 00:08:48.950 --> 00:08:52.269 state of Indiana and public universities, etceter it's it's bucking the trend that we're 134 00:08:52.269 --> 00:08:56.259 seeing nationally otherwise. And so you know, in state students are voting with 135 00:08:56.299 --> 00:08:58.700 their feet to come here, but put out of state, students are two 136 00:08:58.100 --> 00:09:01.779 and that's what made the big difference this past year and they've told us three 137 00:09:01.779 --> 00:09:05.379 things. They've said number one, your reputation. I know coming into Prett 138 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:09.700 University I'm going to get a rigorous education that will pay off, as the 139 00:09:09.779 --> 00:09:13.009 NBC noted last year, when I graduate. So I have that great brand, 140 00:09:13.090 --> 00:09:16.129 I have that great alumni network, I have that great training to live 141 00:09:16.169 --> 00:09:20.090 out the future that I'm that I'm aspiring to have the ambitions that I want 142 00:09:20.129 --> 00:09:24.169 to achieve. Number One. Number two value. Right, we just announced 143 00:09:24.210 --> 00:09:28.480 our eleventh straight year of a tuition freeze. Sixtyzero students now are going to 144 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:31.799 graduate having never seen the price increase while they were a pre university. Families 145 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:35.799 across those ten years, now eleven are going to save a collective one billion 146 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.429 dollars versus had we just raised our rates at the average of the big ten. 147 00:09:41.269 --> 00:09:43.950 And now sixty percent of our students are graduating debt free, which we've 148 00:09:43.950 --> 00:09:46.070 seen with generation Z, is a huge piece right there, dead averse, 149 00:09:46.590 --> 00:09:50.710 and that's versus a national average of about thirty nine percent. So they're saying 150 00:09:50.710 --> 00:09:54.340 hey, I can come and not only get this incredible product. The numerator 151 00:09:54.419 --> 00:09:58.419 is really good, but the denominator sings to and it creates an equation of 152 00:09:58.460 --> 00:10:01.899 value that's really powerful, whether we cross state lines or we stay in state. 153 00:10:01.379 --> 00:10:05.539 And then the last again, right speaking to the segment of students that 154 00:10:05.620 --> 00:10:07.250 Produn A, your verse, the Appeals To, and I get that we're 155 00:10:07.250 --> 00:10:11.850 not for everybody. The produce student and the POMONA student are likely not the 156 00:10:11.889 --> 00:10:13.769 same student, and that's why we have to segment and that's why there's four 157 00:10:13.850 --> 00:10:18.690 thousand, you know, Greek degree granting institutions across North America. You spent 158 00:10:18.769 --> 00:10:24.320 fifty million to prepare to have the vulnerable protected, to get de densified a 159 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:28.440 campus and bring us back and give us the most normal, open and active 160 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.440 undergraduate experience you could imagine. We appreciated that and we want to do that 161 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:35.519 in twenty one and twenty two and beyond, and so our response to covid 162 00:10:35.350 --> 00:10:39.389 really shines through in our surveys right now of why students, both in State 163 00:10:39.429 --> 00:10:43.230 Nawt a state, are are picking Pretty University to come with their four years. 164 00:10:43.789 --> 00:10:45.909 I think that's great night. I want to add to that that I 165 00:10:45.950 --> 00:10:48.750 think that you go go back, going back to what you said earlier, 166 00:10:48.789 --> 00:10:52.179 Ethan, it's it's having a product that you can kind of get behind and 167 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:56.019 actually do something with. As marketers. I think sometimes we were kind of 168 00:10:56.139 --> 00:11:01.179 given you so unfortunately, some highered marketers are given this this monumental task of 169 00:11:01.220 --> 00:11:05.769 selling something that's really not a product that can be sold, and I think 170 00:11:05.809 --> 00:11:07.929 that that's a challenge sometimes. And it gets back to, I've quoted you 171 00:11:09.049 --> 00:11:11.330 off in the idea of being a short order cook versus a chef, and 172 00:11:11.409 --> 00:11:15.929 I think that you have to really have that the proper ingredients to really be 173 00:11:15.970 --> 00:11:18.000 a chef and I think that that's one thing that I've noticed that produe having 174 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:22.919 a good product having, you know, commitment beyond you know it throughout the 175 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:26.080 entire organization, like you said, from the Board to the administration to President 176 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:30.919 Daniels, who are committed to doing the things that are kind of bucking the 177 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:33.429 system, whether it's freezing tuition, whether it's, you know, saying in 178 00:11:33.549 --> 00:11:37.710 April of two thousand and twenty, we are going to come back and we're 179 00:11:37.710 --> 00:11:39.389 going to figure out how to do that to give our you know, to 180 00:11:39.669 --> 00:11:43.870 give our students a real college experience, because that's what they invested in, 181 00:11:43.990 --> 00:11:48.059 that's will create and lead through that branding, create and lead through that marketing. 182 00:11:48.659 --> 00:11:50.620 You know, it's one thing to have a great product, is another 183 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:54.659 thing to have a great support system. But then I think that as marketers, 184 00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:56.460 we actually have to do the work to get that to happen. Would 185 00:11:56.460 --> 00:12:00.740 you agree with that? Oh, absolutely. I mean, again, as 186 00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:03.490 you move from the short or to cook to the things that really matter, 187 00:12:03.529 --> 00:12:07.649 right, we want to be critical and material to the collective contribution that realizes 188 00:12:07.730 --> 00:12:11.450 our goals at PT University, those being the board's goals, Mitch Daniels goals, 189 00:12:11.490 --> 00:12:15.289 are probos goals, etc. Right, we're not here for marketing dust. 190 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:18.000 I'm not here for logos and colors and pamphlets and hey, can you 191 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:22.200 know on Friday, can you make this prettier for Monday? I want to 192 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:26.840 tell amazing stories that captivate audiences, that inspire audiences and create action. Right, 193 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:30.950 whether that means you apply, you come work for us, you move, 194 00:12:31.389 --> 00:12:33.230 whatever it may be. You know, marketing supposed to create actions, 195 00:12:33.269 --> 00:12:37.909 supposed to create change. We're supposed to be the catalyst to, you know, 196 00:12:37.990 --> 00:12:41.509 exceptional experiences with our brands. And so that's the that's the perspective, 197 00:12:41.950 --> 00:12:46.100 that's the orientation, that's the empowerment that are set. You know, team 198 00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:48.460 of seventy really needs and wants to have and the culture that we want to 199 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:50.980 have in terms of the contribution that we're going to give people on a daily 200 00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:54.659 basis. Right, John Gordon says, Hey, driving a positive, high 201 00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:58.009 performing culture requires more than words. After you know, everyone's got a mission, 202 00:12:58.129 --> 00:13:01.490 but what you really need or people who are on a mission, and 203 00:13:01.769 --> 00:13:05.370 it's I'm what I'm seeing in marketing here in a lot of other places across 204 00:13:05.409 --> 00:13:09.090 higher education, are people on a mission to do great work, represent their 205 00:13:09.169 --> 00:13:15.000 brand, create change, create action ultimately inspire folks with these iconic brands that 206 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:18.200 we have, these iconic brands that people gravitate to believe in are defined by 207 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.679 advertise across their chest, put on their bumper stickers, put on their license 208 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.000 plates. Right. That's the kind of marketing I think that the Higher Ed 209 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:28.710 needs and, thankfully, many organizations these days are embracing and I think we're 210 00:13:28.710 --> 00:13:31.110 seeing the, you know, the fruit of that. Yeah, and I 211 00:13:31.230 --> 00:13:35.909 know that we talked to you know before we got on the on the recording 212 00:13:35.950 --> 00:13:37.789 here today. is about the idea of you, since you arrived at produe, 213 00:13:37.789 --> 00:13:41.340 kind of transforming that marketing communications from kind of being driven, you know, 214 00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:45.340 that shorter to cooked, to being the driver of the chef. Tell 215 00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:46.700 us a little bit about, you know, how that transformation has been going. 216 00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:50.259 I mean it's been going through covid nineteen. You know, I think 217 00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:52.860 you've been doing some pretty impressive things in the middle of that. Maybe you 218 00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:56.730 can give us a little bit of an update on that. Yeah, happy 219 00:13:56.769 --> 00:13:58.809 to so. You're right. You know, we had to earn that bully 220 00:13:58.889 --> 00:14:03.850 pulpit. So it really came from one having the orientation and the charge from 221 00:14:03.850 --> 00:14:07.250 the board and the president on down to say we are committed to having a 222 00:14:07.330 --> 00:14:09.600 high powered marketing engine and we're blessed to have that. Not everyone has that 223 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:13.919 and I want has that orientation and that has to be a tailwind, I 224 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:16.120 think, to a team success. You know, number two. I got 225 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:22.240 here in November of eighteen and of the fifty four individuals that were here at 226 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:26.149 that time, thirty three have gone to different pastors at this point, where 227 00:14:26.149 --> 00:14:30.149 they retired, whether we move them along, where they took promotions, etc. 228 00:14:30.350 --> 00:14:33.389 And we've added thirty three back during that period of time as well. 229 00:14:33.429 --> 00:14:37.470 We've added twenty five individuals since the beginning a covid and the quality and the 230 00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:41.299 profile of those individuals is incredible. We're getting people, you know, out 231 00:14:41.340 --> 00:14:46.179 of Borshoff, out of matchbook. We just got the associate director of creative 232 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:48.419 services out of Vera Bradley two weeks ago. You know, she's on a 233 00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:52.690 Friday shooting the holiday spot, the commercial for Vera Bradley and Sun Valley Idaho, 234 00:14:52.730 --> 00:14:56.169 and she starts with us on a Monday there after because of her affinity 235 00:14:56.250 --> 00:15:00.889 for Pretty University and her ability now to remotely work. So we've had that 236 00:15:00.929 --> 00:15:03.889 transformation. But the big one is let's pivot. Let's pivot again from the 237 00:15:03.929 --> 00:15:07.159 posters, the flyers, let's pivot from the random acts of marketing, let's 238 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:11.960 pivot from the requests of the colleges and instead let's create a movement. Let's 239 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:18.200 create a movement that that's really aligned and impactful and emotional and inspired by our 240 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:20.840 brand, and let's get those three hundred, you know, swimming with us, 241 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:22.149 rowing with us, and that's what we've been able to do over the 242 00:15:22.190 --> 00:15:26.070 last couple of years. Thank you, Ethan. Would love to know what 243 00:15:26.350 --> 00:15:31.789 you think is nixt for both you and your team at Perdue. Yeah, 244 00:15:31.870 --> 00:15:35.059 what's next? I mean it's it's always the pursuit of greatness. Right now. 245 00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:37.340 We're never done. I was asking our day. Will you have some 246 00:15:37.419 --> 00:15:41.659 time around the holidays when you're busy, seasons etc. That I think hired 247 00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:43.500 market is these days. Get it. It's it's never done. Right. 248 00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:48.460 There's the next story, the next opportunity to tell the next for A. 249 00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:52.649 There's postulating into the future and seeing what's coming, especially with demographic decline and 250 00:15:52.049 --> 00:15:56.769 the diversification of Gen Z etc. So lots right, but I'd say probably 251 00:15:56.809 --> 00:16:02.169 the most exciting thing that we're looking at is really moving from the the mirror, 252 00:16:02.289 --> 00:16:04.480 which is still very power. Are Full produe university and Westlafayette, to 253 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:08.519 becoming, you know that, a juggernaut portfolio in higher education. Now we 254 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:12.440 have our high schools and we're producing students that are coming to university. We've 255 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.120 got our west off yet campus of fifty five thousand, the top ten most 256 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.710 innovative come, you know, innovative campus in America four times in a row 257 00:16:18.750 --> 00:16:22.350 now, top ten value, top ten public, etc. We got an 258 00:16:22.389 --> 00:16:26.590 amazing thing going in West offayette. We are two regionals in Fort Wayne and 259 00:16:26.909 --> 00:16:30.509 in produce north northwest and the northwest side of our state, but here at 260 00:16:30.549 --> 00:16:33.340 pretty in west off yet as well. We've got our online offering, which 261 00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:37.580 was just ranked by news week is the number three online education in America right 262 00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:41.820 now too. And as we build that to say you can have that, 263 00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:45.460 that fully branded Perdu University degree, whether you're in west off yet or your 264 00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:48.289 albuquerque. That's the next right and bringing that under the portfolio and the sixty 265 00:16:48.370 --> 00:16:52.610 percent over the age of thirty going back to school for Philpis and the stories 266 00:16:52.610 --> 00:16:56.529 are amazing. So hopefully, as we build out that portfolio and the way 267 00:16:56.529 --> 00:17:00.330 you would with Hilton, the way you wild with beat BMW, whatever it 268 00:17:00.409 --> 00:17:03.080 may be, within there, no matter where you're coming in your journey, 269 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:07.759 there's a high quality perdue university offering for you, again, whether you're albuquerque 270 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.440 or you're here, and then all of that spits out into an incredible product 271 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:15.119 which is produced for life. This notion of lifelong learning, this life, 272 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:17.430 you know, this notion that we're going to continue to be associated with those 273 00:17:17.430 --> 00:17:21.150 six hundred eight hundred thousand alumni, no matter where you graduated, moving forward, 274 00:17:21.670 --> 00:17:25.309 boiler makers, Peru University brand, etc. So we're really focused on 275 00:17:25.390 --> 00:17:29.589 a portfolio that matters now and being really good, no matter where you enter 276 00:17:29.789 --> 00:17:32.779 in that segment the it's great and I just a note that I wanted to 277 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:36.420 say about that. I've been really impressed and to hear you talk about it 278 00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:38.700 and to hear where it's going. The story of produe global. I mean, 279 00:17:38.859 --> 00:17:42.099 you know President Daniel's vision, in the board's vision, to be able 280 00:17:42.140 --> 00:17:48.450 to see how to take a for profit company, purchase that and pull it 281 00:17:48.490 --> 00:17:52.410 under the produe brand and then to see you guys kind of merge that all 282 00:17:52.490 --> 00:17:56.769 together into the produe brand. I think is is a is a great story. 283 00:17:56.170 --> 00:18:00.319 I'm curious to kind of continue to see that play out. But I 284 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:03.799 think again, that goes back to that business leaning that I think Mitch Daniels 285 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:07.480 has, and I mean he's did. He did a lot of very creative 286 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:11.400 things as governor here in the State of Indiana and I just I'm so excited 287 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:14.430 to see him continuing to do that and hire at as well. Yeah, 288 00:18:14.750 --> 00:18:17.710 you know, it's the twenty one century land grant mission. I mean that's 289 00:18:17.750 --> 00:18:18.869 the way we're articulating at this point in time. We were, we're a 290 00:18:18.869 --> 00:18:23.029 land grant university. We re formed and created for that reason to take education 291 00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:26.500 to the masses, to take practical application to the masses, and now we 292 00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:30.299 can transcend state lines using technology. I mean that's incredible. We talked about 293 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:36.500 one of the attributes of our brand being accessible prestige, prestige through sustained excellence, 294 00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:38.940 not scarcity, and that's the idea of being able to take the produ 295 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:45.369 brand wherever we need to with produce global on students terms, right in ways 296 00:18:45.490 --> 00:18:48.809 that that allow them to continue their student their schooling, when life gotten away, 297 00:18:49.289 --> 00:18:52.690 and what they're telling is us, US is challenge accepted, I'll do 298 00:18:52.730 --> 00:18:55.210 it. And so we had two amazing speakers on Friday. Or A board. 299 00:18:55.289 --> 00:18:59.480 That's great individuals who have persevered to their first and to their third degrees 300 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:03.119 using pretty global again, adult learners on their terms, getting valuable produe degrees, 301 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:07.960 advancing the careers, advancing their families. It's the it's the twenty one 302 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:14.309 century Land Grant Mission for us and we're committed. Think you even you're such 303 00:19:14.309 --> 00:19:18.150 an innovative and inspiring leaders. So as we come to a close, we 304 00:19:18.349 --> 00:19:22.470 like to ask you to share at least one takeaway that other marketing leaders could 305 00:19:22.470 --> 00:19:27.460 benefit from. And Higher Education and can be that can implement some time in 306 00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:30.980 the very near future. Yeah, you know, I thought about that question 307 00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:34.299 that you guys posed an advance and I've thought about what we've tried to do 308 00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:38.170 with our culture. We have a culture that's that's founded on four values here 309 00:19:38.210 --> 00:19:41.970 in marketing. Okay, for virtues. We talked about them. Empowerment, 310 00:19:41.369 --> 00:19:45.690 optimism, excellence and care. We want people that are going to come in 311 00:19:45.769 --> 00:19:49.049 the door forward leaning, with a positive attitude, with a very high bar, 312 00:19:49.329 --> 00:19:52.119 who love and care for each other. Right. But we're talking about 313 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:53.880 the other day. What really drives some of that, and I think a 314 00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:57.599 lot of that, is the curiosity that we're finding in the individuals and within 315 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:02.119 the group of our culture, and so we're really committed to lifelong learning. 316 00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:04.200 Right now, we're consuming a lot of books, we're consuming a lot of 317 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:08.589 podcasts, whether it's Tim Ferris, whether it's Shane Parish's knowledge project with it's, 318 00:20:08.630 --> 00:20:11.950 whether it's yours right, whether it's the highed marketer, whether it's barts 319 00:20:11.990 --> 00:20:15.950 emails. What I would encourage people to do is make sure that you're managing 320 00:20:15.990 --> 00:20:22.500 that schedule and allotting the time to lifelong learning, to curiosity, to continuing 321 00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:26.859 to absorb and capture that info and connect the dots, because what I'm seeing 322 00:20:26.859 --> 00:20:30.299 on my staff right now is them take readings, take podcasts, take other 323 00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:33.579 institutions best practices and connect the dots and say how do we do that here? 324 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:36.930 But you know, I think it was well, I got a several. 325 00:20:36.970 --> 00:20:37.849 We got Mark Twain, I think it was said. You know, 326 00:20:37.930 --> 00:20:41.130 the person that can't read in the post person that won't read are equal, 327 00:20:41.490 --> 00:20:45.930 and I think it was hawking that said that the biggest threat to knowledge isn't 328 00:20:45.970 --> 00:20:48.529 ignorance, it's the belief that you know it all. I think our curiosity 329 00:20:48.849 --> 00:20:53.839 and I think our our lack of ego right our humility, combined turns us 330 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:59.319 into really powerful learners and thus marketer. So I just encourage people to a 331 00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:02.839 lot the time to consume, to think, to connect, connect the dots 332 00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:06.670 and then execute. Thank you, Ethan. It's been a wonderful conversation with 333 00:21:06.789 --> 00:21:08.829 you and for anyone that would like to reach out or connect with you, 334 00:21:10.190 --> 00:21:12.470 what would be the best way for them to do so? I'm pretty easy 335 00:21:12.509 --> 00:21:18.269 to find. I'm Ethan braiding at produced Ot et. You are Ethan Braden 336 00:21:18.349 --> 00:21:21.859 on twitter, but pretty married to the phone, so shoot me an email 337 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:25.299 if there's a something we can do to help or a resource we can provide 338 00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:30.180 or an idea we can kick around together as just so appreciate the collaborative nature 339 00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:33.730 of the higher education market and the people have helped me along the way and 340 00:21:33.009 --> 00:21:37.890 those that like to help if possible moving forward. So anyway I can give 341 00:21:37.890 --> 00:21:41.769 it back, happy to thank you, Bart would you have any clues in 342 00:21:41.809 --> 00:21:45.089 comments for us? Yeah, I just wanted to kind of pick up a 343 00:21:45.089 --> 00:21:47.680 little bit on what Ethan said there at the very end, that very last 344 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:52.680 thing about being ongoing, you know, lifelong learners. Another quote that I 345 00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:56.039 was thinking of when he is kind of quoting Hawkins and Twain, was Alvin 346 00:21:56.079 --> 00:22:00.799 Toffler and what Alvin Toffler said. Ways today, where you can't walk in 347 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:03.309 and say, Oh, I know that marketing stuff, to be able to 348 00:22:03.390 --> 00:22:07.750 realize that, okay, it's changing, it's changing rapidly and very fast, 349 00:22:07.829 --> 00:22:11.150 and you've got to be willing to put your ego aside and say, okay, 350 00:22:11.150 --> 00:22:14.509 what I knew yesterday doesn't apply to today. I have to relearn it 351 00:22:14.589 --> 00:22:17.579 for tomorrow, and I think that that's part of what I'm hearing. That's 352 00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:22.099 the success of a lot of what produced doing and I really love always talking 353 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:23.579 to Ethan and Athan. Thank you so much for being on the show and 354 00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:27.619 it's been a pleasure to have you again. The hired market of podcast is 355 00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:33.529 sponsored by Kaylor solution, in education marketing and branding agency specializing in higher read 356 00:22:33.609 --> 00:22:38.930 for over twenty years in by think patent did, a marketing execution company uniquely 357 00:22:38.970 --> 00:22:45.400 combining leading edge print, mail and digital marketing tools for higher yielding campaigns. 358 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:52.599 Thanks everyone for giving us a listen. You've been listening to the Higher Ed 359 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:56.920 Marketer. To ensure that you never miss an episode, subscribe to the show 360 00:22:56.039 --> 00:23:00.829 in your favorite podcast player. If you're listening with apple PODCASTS, we'd love 361 00:23:00.950 --> 00:23:04.309 for you to leave a quick rating of the show. Simply tap the number 362 00:23:04.349 --> 00:23:07.670 of stars you think the podcast deserves. Until next time.