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Published by World Advertising Research Center Farm Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1EJ, UK Tel: +44 (0)1491 411000 Fax: +44 (0)1491 571188 |
Vol 2 No 1 (2000) |
The Schools Consortium (henceforth TSC) was established in 1991, to bridge the gap between education and commerce. Today, over 100 schools are members, providing commerce with an efficient and informed consultancy service. In short, these schools are available to help marketers get it right when going back to and through schools.
The membership represents primary and secondary schools, state and independent sectors and come from all areas of the country. In this respect they are representative of all UK schools. However, what sets them apart is their understanding of just what it is commerce is looking for when marketing through schools (i.e., their empathy). These schools can also claim to be very forward thinking in the world of education as they are committed to working with commerce for mutual benefit. As a consequence, members of TSC are amongst those schools that will strive and survive in the 21st Century.
TSC is particularly important to marketers because this very group of commercial representatives have demonstrated that they are not keeping themselves up to date with change in the classroom.
As well as anecdotal evidence, such as Boots and WHSmith allowing themselves to appear on BBC's Watchdog programme because their collection schemes were too mean even for schools to swallow, we have gathered much quantitative data over time. In 1997, we interviewed marketing personnel from 50 companies about their involvement in education. The companies were all blue chip organisations selected by member schools of TSC as those, the schools felt, were most actively involved in marketing to and through schools. When asked how they kept up to date with changes within education none said that they spoke to schools directly. (Figure 1.)
At the same time we asked 200 teachers, who had received commercially funded materials, 'Do companies need to seek more advice from teachers?'. As many as 83% said 'Yes'.
Not speaking directly to teachers is not only foolish but also a great shame as schools can often identify valuable opportunities for commerce to penetrate their classrooms. They have also been known to point us marketers in the direction of government funds that may be available to bolster our budgets. For example, the Johnson's KIDS SwimSafe programme of lesson materials received a grant of £40,000.00, from the government agency SportsMatch, as a direct result of information received from a brainstorming session with schools.
Too many marketers seem to think that they know what schools are like because they went once. In order to appreciate the opportunity to sell to and through schools, marketers must first understand the dramatic change that has taken place in schools in this country caused by many factors including increased financial responsibility and increased competition.
Although the following statements are particularly true of secondary schools all UK schools will agree that:
These statements demonstrate a degree of sophistication that you may not expect to find. When I set up TSC the first chairman said to me, after his retirement, 'William, be careful; these teachers will know more about your job before you know it and they may not think they need you any more'. It is worth remembering that learning is a teacher's game and they have proved themselves to be very good at it, when it comes to working with commerce. Schools have quickly understood what commerce is after and this understanding has helped them work out how to take advantage of what commerce has to offer.
So, marketers must treat them with respect. Not the sort of respect afforded while at school themselves, but the same respect as you would give to any new consumer group or new media channel of communication. Schools are a valuable route to market and not just a way to make grand brand gestures or charitable donations.
As a consequence it is also essential that marketers demand tangible results against pre–set objectives when carrying out marketing activity to and through schools. Schools will not be frightened by this need for tangible results. They understand that, to work, any promotion must benefit both the partners. Therefore, it is the belief of Poise Marketing and TSC that, if the promotion and the product are right, sales can and should be included amongst the tangible results.
Before you can sell through schools you must first follow the rules. In fact, we believe there is only one rule. Despite efforts by DFEE, EU directives and National Consumer Council guidelines there is only one way to get it right: consult with teachers from the outset. Not, just before you go to print, or to get a favorable quote to offer up to the press, but right at the beginning of your planning process. The teachers will make sure you meet all the rest of the rules that have been banded about.
It is important to consult with a group of teachers that represent the sector into which you plan to market your product or promotion and it is vital that the teachers you consult with have empathy with the requirements and desires of the business. They must also be highly experienced teachers who know exactly how schools work, both internally as well as in their interface with students, parents and the community as a whole. You should, of course, expect to pay teachers for their professional opinion. (Figure 2).
The teachers will be looking for links to the National Curriculum, simply because a very significant part of a teachers job is to fulfil its requirements. So, it stands to reason that if your marketing material can be linked to these very specific requirements you are helping the teacher do their job while penetrating the minds of the students in an acceptable way.
At Poise Marketing we have been successfully selling products through schools for years. I have selected two examples to demonstrate how to achieve success. In both cases we are selling sensitive issues; in the first example to parents and in the second to students.
In 1991 many member schools of TSC advised us that they had an informal relationship with a leading personal finance company. They had established the relationship on the promise of large commissions from the local sales rep. Many were disappointed that, despite some input from the school, considerable communication between the rep and their parents had generated very little commission. We set about changing this situation. After screening the personal finance market, Poise Marketing invited eight companies to tender for the TSC relationship nation wide. Eight became two and we eventually selected Friends Provident. We then set about helping Friends Provident create a dedicated product and product marketing campaign to satisfy their business objectives.
With our assistance Friends Provident were able to set sales as its main objective, for their schools marketing programme – one that is set by very few companies.
Most companies only aim as high as brand awareness – set by 75% achieved by 49% and/or educating consumers about a product or service – set by 45% achieved by 31%.
None of the top 50 companies in this market stated sales. (Source: Poise Marketing, Busi–ness in the Community & Marketing Week, December 1997.)
It is safe to say that certain subjects are more difficult for a teacher to address in front if students than others. As a consequence teachers were grateful to receive a Bodyform Puberty Pack. However, it was clear that the pack had little to engage the students outside of the classroom or in their homes. With considerable experience marketing to children through schools Poise Marketing was appointed to satisfy Bodyforms evolving objectives. In fact, we were able to make a very significant difference.
We invited schools to receive a free Puberty classroom pack together with a special edition of the newsstand magazine, Mizz, for the students. We invited schools to register to receive these free materials at the beginning of their planning period for the next academic year. We received registration forms (in the format of a questionnaire) from 25% of the schools mailed allowing us to understand the situation, regarding Puberty Education, in every school.
Figure 3, Figure 4 and Table 1 show just a small part of the invaluable data that we now up date on a regular basis. It is this data that keeps us ahead of the rest.
| No | 56% |
| Always | 22% |
| Kotex | 1% |
| Tampax | 15% |
| Lil-lets | 1% |
| Other | 5% |
Sample: 2300 UK Schools
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We enrolled practicing teachers:
And we gained maximum credibility in front of the students by linking with people that knew what they wanted – i.e., top teen magazine, Mizz.
In summary, Bodyform offers schools material that will enliven every student's education resulting in better students.
In conclusion, we have demonstrated in this article that marketing to and through schools is a receptive channel with a wealth of possibilities for marketers. However, to maximise impact and get your message across to a school's captive audience, you need …
Education may be a worthy cause but schools are not. Think of schools as a business – a much larger business than most companies in the UK. So, when forging links with schools, or planning your marketing activity to and through schools, think of partnership and not patronage. A partnership through which both parties must satisfy their objectives, whatever they may be.
For more information on marketing to and through schools go to www.poise–marketing.co.uk/ourbrands
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