Macquarie University

Background

The Centre for Emotional Health (CEH) is a centre for research excellence that focuses on the understanding, treatment and prevention of anxiety, depression and related mental health problems. Operating within and supported by the Department of Psychology at Macquarie University, it builds on an existing concentration of researchers at Macquarie who have built international reputations in these areas. The Centre has an international reputation for excellence in its field, but had never done any marketing, and was not well known outside of the psychology field. The drive to engage marketing assistance was due to changes in legislation meaning the centre needed to become self-funding in 2011.

Marketing Objectives

Katrina from Marketing Angels was engaged by Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health to provide them with strategic marketing support with three main objectives:

• Build brand awareness – the centre had never actively marketed their services before.
• Develop a marketing plan that communicates with all key interest groups
• Drive revenues through public donations, corporate sponsorship as well as building brand awareness through public advocacy of the public health issues around anxiety.

Strategy Approach

Marketing Angels undertook an initial research project, including;

• Qualitative interviews with internal stakeholders and external clients
• A thorough review of competitor services
• An analysis of the current brand and offering

The findings were presented as part of a full day brand and positioning workshop, where the foundations of the brand were established moving forward.

The research and workshop outcomes were then compiled into a detailed 16-month marketing plan. The plan was developed and key elements of the marketing activity and implementation dates.

Outcomes

Whilst this project is still underway Marketing Angels have developed the brand foundations, with a clear positioning that resonates with all groups. Katrina has led CEH to the realignment of all sub-brands to relate to a single master-brand to build brand equity.

The further development of new collateral and a communication plan addresses the revenue goals as well as attracting a public and professional community to the brand that will result in greater sponsorship, attendance and grants revenues in the future.

Some specific outcomes that were achieved are;

• Alignment around brand Centre for Emotional Health, Changing Lives
• New brand identity that fits within the Macquarie University guidelines but gives the Centre a fresh look and appeals across its broad spectrum of stakeholders: psychologists, referring health carers, families and individuals as well as corporate and community groups
• Developed a single consumer facing website that meets the needs of generating awareness and providing information and treatment around anxiety of all key interest groups. The website facilitates as an industry hub, sales of training programs and memberships as well as donations.
• New communication messages for training courses that resulted in a 5 times increase in subscriptions to their training course.
• Identified through research the opportunity to increase prices of treatment, resulting in a lift in revenue of approximately 15%
• Established a relationship with public relations firm to create media partnerships and media events to raise the profile of the Centre and awareness for Anxiety
• Established a donation plan to solicit donations from corporates, individuals as well as seeking brand ambassadors.

What the client says:

“Working with Katrina from Marketing Angels has had a dramatic impact on the direction of our Centre. In a short space of time we have observed significant and massive improvements in not only our understanding of marketing but in our overall marketing strategy.

Katrina understood the needs of our Centre and her suggestions completely fitted with our identity and our values. Katrina has worked incredibly hard for us and has not let our overall goals slip from view even for a second. I am continually impressed by Katrina‘s skill and expertise. Katrina has done an incredible job of the development of our promotional materials and has done so under difficult circumstances. The research allowed us a better understanding of why our Centre is valued.

I liked being able to use the interviews, direct quotes, in the text for promotional materials. Understanding the perceptions of all of our stakeholders was also extremely useful. Katrina was very persistent in the face of obstacles thrown in her direction by the university bureaucracy. Her determination and perseverance was unmatched!

I would highly recommend Katrina and Marketing Angels. She is extremely professional and personable. She is very flexible and has always been available to us. She made us feel as though we were very important clients. Her communication skills are exceptional and she is extremely attentive. She managed to understand and capture the heart of what we do in our Centre and then translate this into our strategy.”

Professor Jennifer Hudson – Deputy Director, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University

Find out more about Macquarie University.