A True & Delightful Short Story That Will Make You Rethink Your School's Branding
When talking to our clients about school branding, I sometimes feel a faint skepticism in the air.
The unspoken reaction is this, "we are not THAT unique... How can a [small parochial, typical public, medium-sized independent, ... 'fill in the blank'] school create its own brand?"
Instead of answering the question head-on, I share this insightful story from David Trott's "Predatory Thinking':
In 1900 the Michelin brothers owned a tire company in France. They wanted to sell more tires. To do that, they needed to get drivers to wear
down the ones they had.
So in 1900, they issued the first Michelin Guide.
It showed all the great things to see and do around France.
It encouraged people to get out in their cars and drive to all
these places.
It featured a list of sights to see, places to buy gas, places to
stay.
The locations of garages, mechanics; and being French, good places to eat.
There are two learnings here:
- If a tire company can associate itself with one of the most tasteful brands out there (Michelin Guide), I'm sure we can glaze your school with the right touch of charm and elegance.
- Creating high-value content for your community often leads to unintended benefits of perception. Focus on creating quality content, and it will usually lead you to where your school's brand should go.