Author - Elizma WANNENBURG

Universities need to seek alternative ways to differentiate themselves from others. Connecting with their target market, in a personal manner is not always easy but vital for survival. Universities present themselves to the world through their corporate brand personality. The personal traits assigned to the brand are priceless and valuable for both the user and the company. Understanding the importance of brand personality in higher education is vital, and what better way to portray the brand, than through the strategic plan of the university. Using words that a target audience can identify and relate to can assist in creating brand awareness and loyalty. Using content analysis, the strategic plans of seven Universities of Technology in South Africa were analysed. Five broad dimensions of brand personality were used as the units of analysis. The main purpose of the analysis was to determine how brand personality was reflected within the strategic plans of the universities. The...