Building University Brand through Specific Marketing Instruments

In the age of massive competition in every area of human activity, universities are not making any exceptions since they constantly have to deal with competitors aiming for the same potential students or the same funding options. Given this perspective, using marketing as means of innovative approach to the educational market and consumer needs is proving to be a viable solution for alleviating the competitors’ burden. One of the main aims of marketing instruments usage in the higher education institutions is to build a strong university brand with a range of emotional and rational characteristics that define the institution. The educational field with its special features is offering a specific way of building and capitalizing a university brand: the university shop. Testing the impact of this instrument among students for the university brand was possible through a quantitative research based on an online survey. Main findings of this research refer to students’ readiness to visit a university shop and even their interest in buying products displaying the university logo. Additionally, this research revealed that most frequently students identify themselves with university logo, the element that carries most of the university brand values.