Lander University Issues Wide-Reaching Marketing RFP

By EPR Editorial TeamFebruary 18, 20173 min read

Lander University Issues Wide-Reaching Marketing RFP

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Lander University is situated on a wooded site of approximately 150 acres in Greenwood, SC. In addition to seven major buildings erected since 1973, campus improvements have included extensive renovations to a number of older facilities, completely new housing complexes, athletics fields and parking lots, a new formal campus entrance, and the latest addition of The Jeff May Athletic Complex to include a new Field House. There are currently nine residence halls. The city of Greenwood has a population of 23,379 with a county population exceeding 69,661. Lander University has issued an advertising, media planning, and media buying services RFP for Lander University with the objective of enhancing the University’s brand footprint, marketing reach, and enrollment efforts. Enrollment is approximately 2,700 with a student body representing 19 states and 27 foreign countries. Minorities make up 32 percent of the student body; 69 percent of the student body is female and 31 percent is male. Campus residence halls accommodate approximately 1,510 students. Lander has a student/faculty ratio of 14:1 with 143 full-time faculty members, the majority of whom hold terminal degrees in their areas. Average class size is 20. The College of Business and Public Affairs enrolls the largest number of undergraduate majors followed by the College of Education. Lander has an exceptionally strong science program, and more than 90 percent of those applying to medical school in recent years have been accepted. Students in Lander’s engineering dual degree program have a 100 percent acceptance rate at Clemson University. A leader in Montessori education in South Carolina, Lander is the only public university in the state offering a program leading to Montessori certification and one of two publicly funded universities in the nation to do so.

Vision Statement:

All Lander graduates are educated, well rounded, and prepared to continue their education or launch their careers.

Mission Statement:

Lander University offers high-demand and market-driven programs to ambitious and talented students in South Carolina and beyond. These programs are delivered in a rich liberal arts environment to produce high qualified and marketable graduates.

Scope of Work

Specifically, Lander University is seeking a full-service agency partner that will focus on helping the University to enhance the university brand through:
- a comprehensive advertising campaign that features fresh, targeted creative for a mix of billboard, radio, digital (online) and targeted print, and,
- strategic planning/productivity measurement
- Starting April 1, 2017, the campaign must be executed and show increased marketing footprint for the Spring 17 and Fall 2017 academic periods that will provide the foundation for increased enrollment for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.
Lander University has defined its geographic marketing territory as the following:
- Primary – GLEAMNS area of South Carolina (Greenwood, Laurens, Edgefield, Abbeville, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda counties)
- Secondary – All other areas of South Carolina not in the GLEAMNS area (predominately Greenville/Spartanburg, Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach areas)
- Tertiary – Targeted out-of state markets:
  - Greater Atlanta Area (Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Walton, Hall, Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth, and Douglas Counties)
  - Florida Target Areas (Nassau, Duval, Clay, Flagler, St. Johns, Volusia, Seminole, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties)
  - North Carolina Target areas (Mecklenburg and Union counties)
To attain this end, Lander University seeks to extend its vision and mission in these efforts. The ultimate goal of this project is to:
- Reinforce the University’s vision and mission to defined constituent areas as a premier residential, public, four-year teaching institution in the region,
- Promote the University throughout its market areas as an institution of choice, and,
- Strengthen the public perception of the academic quality of the institution.