Most colleges and universities track brand awareness. Fewer track brand health.
And the difference between the two can make or break your next enrollment cycle, capital campaign, or strategic plan.
Because while awareness tells you if people know your institution, brand health tells you what they think of you, why they think it, and how you stack up in their minds.
It answers the questions you can’t Google.
Brand health is a measure of how your institution is perceived, not just whether it’s known.
It combines both quantitative and qualitative indicators to assess:
In short: It’s the difference between being visible and being valued.
In today’s hyper-competitive higher ed landscape, brand health is no longer a luxury metric. It’s a strategic imperative.
If you’re still making marketing decisions based on gut instinct or dated assumptions, you’re playing a dangerous game.
At Frankel, we approach brand health measurement with a combination of rigor, customization, and strategic application. Here’s what that typically includes:
We design customized surveys for key groups: prospective students and parents, internal stakeholders, alumni, donors, peer influencers, and more. Each one gives us a different lens on your brand — and helps uncover disconnects between how you’re seen internally vs. externally.
We don’t just ask, “Do you know us?”
We ask, “What do you think of us? How do we compare to others? What makes us stand out — or not?”
We use forced-choice exercises, attribute ratings, and narrative prompts to get beyond surface-level insights.
We analyze how you stack up — not just in name recognition, but in relevance and appeal. This is especially critical for regional institutions competing with flagships, privates, and online programs.
You get clear reporting tied to KPIs that matter — awareness trends, perception scores, message resonance, and areas for strategic improvement. No fluff. Just data that drives action.
The results are often eye-opening:
These gaps are not failures. They’re opportunities.
Opportunities to clarify your story. Reframe your messaging. Reconnect with your audiences.
And ultimately, grow stronger.
You can’t build brand equity if you don’t know what equity you currently have.
And in today’s climate — where perception is reality — you can’t afford to operate in the dark.
Brand health isn’t just a marketing tool. It’s an institutional mirror.
And if you use it right, it becomes your competitive advantage.
Need to understand how your institution is truly perceived and what to do next?
Let’s talk about how Frankel can help you measure your brand health, align your messaging, and move forward with confidence.
Reach out to our team today.
Let’s talk about how Frankel can help you launch smarter, move faster, and grow stronger.
Full-service higher education marketing
© 2025 Frankel: Higher Ed. All rights reserved.
