The market promise of authenticity

Amidst the cacophony of frenzied and cynical consumers, the brandscape of higher education can be an overwhelming journey of discovery and decision. Authenticity, however, creates genuine market distinction and is an important brand management tenet for colleges and universities to implement with organizational intent and institutional purpose. I was recently going through my proverbial pile of magazine reading and came across the subject of authenticity in an outstanding article by Bill Breen in the May 2007 issue of Fast Company magazine. Titled "Who Do You Love?", Breen discusses the importance of institutions' developing their own primary source codes for being authentic. Noting that "authentic" is derived from the Greek authentikos, which means original, he says colleges constantly struggle with trying to be original or finding a way to communicate their own originality. Breen cites John Grant's comment in his book The New Marketing Manifesto: "Authenticity is the benchmark against which all brands are now judged."

As we all move forward with our marketing efforts, the promise of being heard and recognized will increase significantly if we speak with originality and authenticity.