Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC) had a problem. They had a strong association with the national telecom, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT). It didn't help that SLT was one of the shareholders of SLTC, and was used by previous communications as a brand USP. This led to people thinking that SLTC is a state-owned university that offered free tuition. The brand strategy proposed included a full rebrand, renaming SLTC to Innovation & Technology Campus, Sri Lanka.

1. Brand Campaign
for SLTC

2. Yourbrief.
“Tell us where SLTC can
be positioned”

3. So, we explored the higher
education landscape through the
lens of Category, Consumer,
Culture, and Company.
3

4. Through this exploration, we
gathered the information we needed
for our strategy process.
4
Problem Diagnosis:
What is the human
your business challenge.
Strategy:
What is the way in, to
solve the problem?
Solution:
How do we change the
different elements of the
marketing mix, using this
strategy?

5. Research Input
5
Weerasinghe, I.M.S. and Fernando, R.L.S. (2018), "Critical factors affecting students’
satisfaction with higher education in Sri Lanka", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol.
26 No. 1, pp. 115-130.
Wickramasinghe,Vathsala. (2018).Higher education in state universities in Sri Lanka:
Review of higher education since colonial past through internationalfunding for
development. InternationalJournal of Educational Management. 32. 00-00.
10.1108/IJEM-01-2017-0028.
Weerasinghe, I.M.S. and Dedunu, H., 2017. University Staff, Image and Students'
Satisfaction in Selected Regional Universities in Sri Lanka. IOSR Journal of Business
and Management (IOSR-JBM), 19(5), pp.34-37.
Silva, D.S., Moraes, G.H.S.M.d., Makiya, I.K. and Cesar, F.I.G. (2017), "Measurement
of perceived service quality in higher education institutions: A review of HEdPERF
scale use", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 415-
439. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-10-2016-0058
SECONDARYRESEARCH
Aturupane, H., 2018. The evolving landscape of university education in Sri
Lanka. Economic Research, 5, p.2.
Ningrum, N.K., Kusumawardani, R. and Kurniawan, I.S., 2020. University branding:
different roles of brand personality and satisfaction. Jurnal Siasat Bisnis, 24(1), pp.59-
71.
Zagonel, A., Baker, L.M. and King, A.E., 2019. Printing and mailing for the brand: An
exploratory qualitative study seeking to understand internal branding and marketing
within university and Extension communicationservices units. Journal of Applied
Communications, 103(2).
SECONDARYRESEARCH
12 informal calls with university students (in their first year) and their parents from Colombo,
Kandy, Ratnapura and Galle.
PRIMARYRESEARCH

6. Our line of thinking was
inspired by these insights we
dug up.
6

7. 7
There are many rational drivers
that students & parents talk about.
• Faculty credentials
• Quality of facilities
• Awarding university
• Degree programmes available
But most frequently, it is
a decision driven by
status.

8. “Status”
8
Brand Image (highest correlation)
What strong associations does the brand have that indicate quality
education?
Certainty
Level of guaranteethat their futures
will meet their expectations.
Via university ranking, alumni stories,
faculty credentials.
Exclusivity
What’s the perceived effort to get in?
Higher the effort, higher the prestige.
Autonomy
To what level can students make their
own decisions, define their own purpose etc.

9. However, ‘Status’ is an intrinsic value.
i.e, it depends on the person.
9
For a government university student, status is
strongly tied to the fact that they were
‘selected’ through a thorough filtering process.
It is not enough that they know it. It is tied to
the fact that the entire country knows it.
Strong correlation with (Exclusivity)
For someone who is studying abroad, status is
a combination between autonomy and
exclusivity.
A student of a privately owned
local institute may perceive ‘status’ based on
the alumni stories and other factors
communicated by the campus.

10. Around 12% of the student population will
experience a true university life. For the
rest of the students (who has the
capability and opportunity), it is a luxury
they could never have.
10

11. 11
Because they don’t know what they are missing out on,
most students advance to their adult life with just 20%
experience of a university life (just the academics).

12. And because culturally we value only the
result (the degree), a full education is not
a stated need for students nor parents.
12

13. And the category can function without strong
positioning and only sales-driven campaigns
because they all cater to the stated need i.e., a
degree.
13

14. 14
Drivers of status
Most of your peers here, do not have distinctive
brand associations. They purely compete on short-term
sales driven (enrolment) campaigns.
A few institutes here have top-of-mind awareness
because of how long they have operated (i.e. familiarity)
but without clear distinction.
2 – 3 institutes have carved out a strong position over time.
(AOD – fashion education taught by foreign teachers,
NSBM – Green University Town owned by Goverment)

15. In this context, we explored what
unique advantages SLTC can offer
students.
15
1.
They are in
charge.
Because of the true
university experience,
students have full
autonomy to define
themselves in a new
environment.
2.
They meet other brilliant
people.
Because of the strenuous entry process
and the quality of faculty, they will
only meet people of the
same calibre.
3.
They know they will get a
recognized qualification.
Because of the affiliations, quality
assurance.

16. 16
Out of these 03, we see the ‘meeting of exceptional
minds’ as a core distinction. Autonomy is also rarely
discussed in other university comms. We will not talk
about the ‘quality of the degree’ at a positioning level
because everyone else is saying the same thing.

17. Whic h led us to the pos itioning s tatement:
SLTC is a place where
exceptional minds ( s tudents and fac ulty)
meet to create exceptional
futures ( f o r t h e m s e l v e s a n d t h e w o r l d ) .
17

18. SLTC is a place where exceptional minds
meet to create exceptional futures
18
EMOTIONAL ATTRIBUTES
Exclusivity: Only for exceptional minds.
Autonomy: You create your own future, using the
unique resources
SEMIOTIC ATTRIBUTES
(These are values communicatedthrough
imagery/symbolism)
University size + features/facilities
Authentic university life

19. Roadmap
19

20. 20
Short-term (urgent)
requirement: November Intake
We will incorporate the
November communications.
This will not be a full overhaul
messaging.
Long term brand building
officially starts
Full brand/marketing overhaul
based on the positioning.
Will include advertising + non-
advertising activations.

21. 21
After the November enrolment, we propose
that the SLTC brand be officially overhauled.
INNOVATION &
TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS
OF SRI LANKA

22. 22
National Innovation & Technology Campus
National Technology Campus
National Transformation Campus
Name alternatives
A new name, logo, visual identity unveil will give us the
opportunity to retell our story to the nation.
When we re-tell this story, we can do it right.

23. 23
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS OF SRI
LANKA
• Official rebranding + campus crest unveil
• Official campus colours unveil
• Official campus song sung for the first time
• Official website revamp by dignitary
• Official (re)introduction to faculty and programmes
Digital and Legacy PR and Comms to
amplify the message and tell the story.

24. 24
BRAND STORYTELLING
Exceptional Students
Storytelling that revolves
around exceptional
students’ stories.
We will define the
student profile that we
are looking for, through
this approach.
Exceptional Faculty
Storytelling that revolves
around academic and
research faculty
We will highlight the teaching quality,
their contribution to the real world and the
future-centric teaching technique.
Exceptional Futures
Storytelling that revolves
around the output. i.e., prestige of the
awarding university, alumni hightlights
We will show these futures as the result
of a meeting of exceptional minds in a
nurturing environment.

25. Resource allocation
guidelines.
25

26. 26
Historically, share of voice drives share of market

27. 27
60% brand building 40% sales activation drives
highest effectiveness

28. 28
Brand building and sales activation work over
different timescales

29. 29
Difference between brand building and sales
activations

30. Summary
30

31. 31
Marketing Challenge: Bring SLTC among the consideration set, for parents and children
planning their tertiary education.
What’s behind this
marketing challenge? People without the right circumstances (right AL results or money)
(our diagnosis) are doomed to get only part of a true university experience.
Positioning SLTC is a place where exceptional minds meet to create exceptional futures
Storytelling about
exceptional students
Storytelling about
exceptional faculty
Storytelling about
exceptional futures
created
Imagery and symbolism in comms and other interactions to show the size,
location and other aspects of a true university life.
Annual Media Spend 60% on brand building 40% on sales activations
Positioning to be
communicated via;
• Advertising
• PR
• Social Media
Content
• Events
• Staff/faculty
interactions with
students