MADman Principles can Build School Culture

u really have to be excited about possibility to work in education. You really have to be excited about possibility to work in marketing and branding. That's not a misprint. There's not an echo. Contrary to what business and education once thought, these two systems have a lot in common. It's really exciting to think about that in today's new economy. Can Mad Men PRINCIPLES of marketing and branding inform school PRINCIPALS, the men and women who are the CEO's of school culture and Identity?
It's not the sixities anymore, but "admen madmen" are flexing their practiced Madison Avenue muscle in 21st century schools, and not just through a popular TV show. And their stylized tenets can become power tools in the hands of school leaders who want to create powerful conversations about the branding and selling of the brand to school customers: kids, teachers, administrators, school board members, parents and the community.
Whether we like it or not, teachers, students, parents and community members are all subject to the influences of BRANDING in modern society, and making use of these subtle but powerful forces can positively impact school culture. Contrary to what educators once imagined, good business and good education can and should mix. What works in business can make for better education, and skillful use of the Madmen principles can create or strengthen a school wide identity, and can make all the stakeholders in your school more willing participants in a common cause. Branding is not new in business, but it has now, in the current vernacular, "gone viral." And why? BRANDING is "the implied promise of quality"... And quality is what school customers naturally seek. A quality education, after all, is what promises access to the American Dream, and more so today, than ever before. So here's an ESSENTIAL QUESTION to ask yourself if you are an educational leader: Can a "Madman" Principal or Central Office Leader bring new energy, language and thinking to a district culture through using BRANDING principles? If you want to be a Madman Principal ask yourself... Do I care how my school/district is perceived by parents, school board, teachers, students, businesses and community at large? Do I want new ways to communicate core messages, especially for budgeting and referendums?
Understanding the need to bring BRANDING conversations to the school organization may be new thinking for public school educators. Its time has come. Universities and private schools have gotten on the branding train, knowing that BRANDING is "the sum of all user experiences with a product/service, building both reputation and future expectations of benefit" according to brand expert, Jason Miletsky. Logos and taglines only scratch the surface of developing an emotional connection to consumers.
Step One in the Conversation is the Understanding of what branding is and its value to building school identity. It's time for schools who are part of a global society of social media --and who educate students in navigating life through building educational skills...building a personal brand--to think about how Madison Ave Mad Men strategies can help schools. Mad Man Principles for Principals?...you'd be crazy not to begin the conversation.

About the Author
Consultant, Speaker and Author, Trish Rubin helps individuals and organizations grow through an intuitive mix of Networking,Branding and MArketing services.