Engineering a ‘Classroom Brand’ in Eight Steps

Develop the Student Culture & Climate You WantAndrew Steinman

@steinman

Full Disclosure:I have no background/training in marketing, business, nor advertising. I also seek nothing to gain proprietarily from any ideas regarding branding

The claims I make are based on observations of culture, media, and human behavior; my ideas are informed by a background in psychology, philosophy, and learning theory

I may not be the first person to describe the ideas presented here, but I do not have any sources to cite for my claims on ‘classroom brand’

Aim of PresentationThis presentation is about branding, both as a concept and as it relates to classroom culture; it has three main objectives:

1. To illustrate the power and pervasiveness of brands/branding

2. To define a ‘classroom brand’

3. To enumerate the steps required to create and implement a classroom brand

Order of Operations1) Background, Motivation, &

Inspiration For ‘Classroom Brand’

2) Define ‘Classroom Brand’

3) The Eight Steps to Engineer Your Own ‘Classroom Brand’

4) The Story of #TeamPhysics

BackgroundBrands are an ubiquitous element of culture

Brands pervade nearly every aspect of lifeCommerceEntertainmentIdeologyLocationExperienceBehavior

Brands are relevant to every demographic, by design

Branding relies on cognitive science - brain’s ability to form associations

What is a brand?

Dictionary.com defines a ‘brand’ as a noun, meaning:

A word, name, symbol, etc., used by a manufacturer or merchant to identify its products distinctively from others of the same type and usually prominently displayed on its goods, in advertising, etc.

Background:Brands & Branding Power

Branding is UbiquitousEveryone, especially youth, are exposed to branding

Branding and LearningCognitive science tells us that learning happens through associations our brains form

Associations can have temporal, spatial, physical, or even emotional components

Brand recognition begins early in life and can be easily connected to learning

Are we hard-wired to learn brands?

Do they capitalize on how our brains make associations?

Kids learn brands readily

Test yourself on these ----->

Branding with Young Kids

Children’s toysCandyThe grocery store checkout impulse rack

Do they deliberately take advantage of colors and other sensory/experiential attractions?

Does brand success rely on the brain’s ability to form associations?

Branding to AdolescentsFashionStyleMusicMoviesMagazinesEconomic ClassBehaviorsSocial Stereotypes

Pretty GirlJockNerd

The Challenge Day organization calls this: “fit in the box”

Miss Representation

The Logos Quiz

An app-based game where you try to guess as many logos from popular brands as possible

Very popular game among adolescents

Brand Recognition Survey

Survey of 13-17 y/o asked to rate how well they know brands and brand quality:

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups2. iPod3. Google4. M&Ms5. Oreo’s6. Subway7. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate8. Target9. Sprite10. Microsoft

College BrandingUniversities, colleges, and their sports teamsAcademic majors, fraternities/sororitiesThe type of college: “good” school, ivy league, or “party” schools

Political Branding

In the U.S., we use these labels:

Republican

Democrat

Liberal

Conservative

Green Party

Tea Party

Other Types of Brands

Personal brand

Event brand

Location brand

Sports Branding

Possibly most well-known

Very popular

Appeals to wide audience

Brings people together

Experiential Brand:Olympics

“World togetherness, in sport.”

Social Media & Branding

Product is the experience of connecting & sharing

Anyone can start a brand

Different nature of audience with different perception avenues

Hashtags as brands#EdChat

Motivation:Branding seems to be everywhere BUT the classroom

Inspiration:How #TeamPhysics Was Born

Classroom Brand Defined

Classroom Brand is that which represents all that your classroom stands for:

Ideas, experiences, norms, values, interactions, structure, and connectedness

A classroom brand simply embodies what I want my classroom culture to be

1. Write your classroom experience sentence

2. Design a logo for your classroom brand3. Come up with a hashtag for your

classroom brand4. You need a mantra for your classroom

brand5. Your classroom brand should embody

student-developed norms and values6. Classroom brand paraphernalia7. Make your classroom brand ubiquitous

to students8. Obtain survey-based feedback on your

classroom brand from students from time to time

8 Steps to Create Your Brand

'What's Your Sentence?' ~ Dan Pink

•What you want brand (class) to be remembered for

•Single sentence

•Focuses the branding

•Brand built around sentence

Nike | Just Do It

Classroom Experience Sentence

Design a Brand Logo

✴Every good brand needs a logo

✴Visual recognition is imperative to branding

✴Two choices:

✴Icon✴Word

✴TeamPhysics logo is word made of physics symbols

Create a Hashtag! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! @steinman

First answer this question several times:

What acronym, phrase or word/number(s) could represent your brand in as few characters as possible?

Should be unique (on Twitter)

Research best ideas, then make it official

Hashtags can:

Have subversive/double meanings

Stand for something in another language

Establish a Mantra✤Like the sentences/phrases companies have beneath their logo

✤Short✤Memorable✤Can be easily recited to others

✤Builds the abstract element of what the brand stands for✤TeamPhysics mantra is "Challenge accepted."

✤Tumblr is a good example

Follow the World’s Creators.

Student-Developed Norms & Values

✦Not same as classroom rules★Like tipping a server at a restaurant

✦Norms and values are ideals ✦Students desire to have these

✦Develop together with students ✦Create and promulgate early in year

--Example norm from TeamPhysics:

After a group finishes a whiteboard presentation, everyone claps, and it's a golf clap. Rules sound like this...

ParaphernaliaStart planning early in the yearDetermine best place to get shirts made

Athletic department is a good resourceHave students participate in designChoose colors and styleGet them made early as possibleEncourage everyone to get one

if possible, make it so that everyone gets oneparent club, booster club, grant $$

Have special days where everyone wears the shirtsTest day = game day (support the team!)Field trips

Promotes classroom brandUnifies the group

Make the Brand UbiquitousBrand logo goes on every document students receive in the class

Hard copy or electronically

Assignments, handouts, assessments

Make posters, put the logo on your classroom door, website, etc.

Pronoun test for how you or students talk about the class

Language should be in statements of “we” or “us”

Obtain Feedback About the Brand

Corporate brands obtain feedback from their consumers/clients

See how your brand is doing

Feedback is student-centered and risk free

Anonymous surveys

Safe class discussions

Small group discussions and whiteboard sharing

Final Thought

You already have a classroom brand

Who do you want to define that brand?

Engineering a ‘Classroom Brand’ in Eight Steps

Develop the Student Culture & Climate You WantAndrew Steinman

@steinman