1. Marketing Initiatives. In 2019, TU launched a comprehensive institutional rebrand. This foundational project was the first of its kind for the university, and it was driven by a presidential priority to help TU tell its contemporary story of excellence after decades of extraordinary growth and regional impact. Research served to inform every step of the process including the development of the university’s first-ever brand platform and key messages. This inclusive and intentional multi-year project culminated with new institutional messaging and the university’s first brandmark update in more than 20 years. Thanks to feedback and buy-in from all of TU’s many audiences the branding effort has successfully helped to re-establish the power and the possibility behind TU as Maryland’s university of opportunities. A comprehensive look at TU’s updated brand identity can be accessed at towson.edu/brand. In 2024, TU conducted extensive quantitative and qualitative research to assess brand health and equity. In addition to providing valuable insights from key audiences, this comprehensive brand perception study confirmed the effectiveness of TU’s brand and key messages while also providing new areas of opportunity for the institution to expand its reach and impact. TU’s updated brand serves as a firm foundation for robust institutional marketing efforts to drive enrollment, athletics engagement and key brand awareness campaigns. Leveraging extensive paid advertising strategies (digital, traditional and integrated) along with enhanced communications and media relations, the university’s Division of Marketing and Communications has established a more unified and strategic approach to achieving institutional goals through consistent, compelling messages and highly targeted audience engagement. These centralized, focused and collaborative Marcom efforts are continuing to fuel improvements to both internal and external marketing and communications. As part of TU’s commitment to building on this success, the university is eager to create a new comprehensive, documented, campus-wide strategic marketing plan to achieve even greater institutional outcomes. 2. Current Environment. TU continues to make impressive strides in creating opportunities, mentoring students, building an inclusive environment of academic excellence and working on behalf of the public good. As the university plans strategically for the future and nears an R2 Carnegie Classification, it’s clear effective marketing strategies will play an important role in engaging TU’s many diverse stakeholders and audiences. The university’s Division of Marketing and Communications is the central unit on campus responsible for defining, leading and executing marketing strategies for the institution - and in some cases for departments and divisions. Current marketing priorities center around enrollment of prospective undergraduate and graduate students in addition to attendance/revenue generation for the university’s 19 Division I sports teams. Beyond these key objectives there are many other institutional marketing needs that must be assessed, prioritized and integrated on an ongoing basis. While there are defined strategies for specific marketing initiatives, there is a need for a more singular, overarching plan to guide campuswide marketing efforts and inform effective use of institutional resources. Beyond the university’s centralized marketing and communications team there are marketing functions and needs that exist within many departments and divisions. TU’s central Marcom team regularly collaborates with academic colleges and business units across campus to support strategic Marcom planning and routinely discuss marketing and communications initiatives within these key campus divisions. Strong partnerships and growth in these departmental and divisional relationships have set the stage for a collaborative strategic marketing planning process. The goal is to create an inclusive plan that doesn’t simply advance institution-wide goals but creates a new data-driven, highly transparent, and mutually supported plan that can be utilized by all parts of the university community. 3. Project Goals. As a result of this project, TU shall have a marketing plan strategy the University can use for the next 3-5 years. 4. TU Staff and Roles. University Marketing and Communications will serve as the primary partner and contact for this work. The TU team will provide support with all materials, information, current plans and any other discovery materials for the successful Offeror. The TU team will additionally assist with the planning process and any necessary project management or logistical support.
