Brand Positioning

Immaculata University

Grounded in IHM tradition and charism since 1920, Immaculata University is committed to scholarship, formation of the whole person for leadership and service, and empowerment of all to seek truth, promote justice and engage in dialogue between faith and culture.

The core of Immaculata’s brand is our dedication to being intellectual, personal, professional and spiritual educators and growth agents and to our commitment to our Catholic identity. Our faith and values are integral to our pursuit of knowledge and academic excellence, and we strive to create an environment that fosters the holistic development of our students.

Immaculata is a mighty university, and we take pride in our achievements and look forward to what we will accomplish in the future. By presenting ourselves as a community that is intellectually rigorous, socially responsible and spiritually fulfilling, we continue exemplifying the mission that defines our university: Scientia floret virtute—Knowledge flourishes in virtue.

Voice

Understanding who we are, who we want to be, how our audiences perceive us and how we position ourselves is critical in understanding Immaculata University’s voice. Derived from fundamental concepts outlined in the IU mission statement and from core values and input captured from IU community members, the identity of IU faculty and staff—in response to the question ‘What is our voice?’—is summarized in the following statement:

We are intellectual, personal, professional and spiritual growth agents.

Tone

Descriptive attributes or tone words support IU’s value proposition, brand pillars, mission, core values and identity statement. These words reflect the personality of IU. While these words can be used in promotional and informational materials, they can also be used to influence overall marketing and communications strategies, messaging and imagery. Dedicated/committed, Empowering, Valued, Grounded, Attentive, Supportive, Thoughtful, Transparent, Principled, Motivated, Understanding

Brand Pillars

The three top values or pillars that are derived from our mission, core values and identity statement support our value proposition.

1. Legacy of Commitment to Educational Inclusion
   Based upon our history of originally serving women, our evolution to a co-education model and our core value of community (especially respect for diversity), a key component of our identity is educational inclusion.
2. Placing the Highest Value on Student Outcomes
   Our students are our greatest asset, and the outcomes of their educational journeys are the greatest indicator of success in our mission. Graduation rates, employment and pursuit of advanced education are valued outcomes.
3. Providing Lifelong Pathways toward Self-Realization and Service to Others
   As Immaculata University is committed to “formation of the whole person for leadership and service, and empowerment of all to seek truth, promote justice and engage in dialogue between faith and culture,” we instill in students the powers to fulfill their personal goals and to support others.

Unique Selling Position

As a relatively small, private Catholic institution, IU understands the value of personal interactions with students. As such, our value proposition should reflect our commitment to treating students as individuals with unique needs, goals and paths rather than treating them merely as numbers.

Immaculata’s value proposition is summarized in the following statements:

• Unlike oversized universities that trade lofty enrollment counts for personal interaction, Immaculata University values each student and empowers them to chart their own course without getting lost in the crowd.
• Immaculata University provides attainable education, personal support and meaningful career pathways to tomorrow’s leaders who are focused on intellectual, personal, professional and spiritual growth.

The value proposition can be further distilled to:

• Immaculata University values each student and empowers them to chart their own course without getting lost in the crowd.

Additionally, we know that prospective students are questioning the value of college degrees and that college is out of reach to some students due to cost, admission and geographic limitations. Therefore, it is imperative to position IU as a university that provides affordable, career-focused education that is accessible to most students, regardless of income, location, test scores or academic achievement.