News Release
April 2006
Bethlehem, Pa., April 26, 2006—In professor Gary Kaskowitz’s business management
course at Moravian College, students are getting a real-life experience in developing
brand identity campaigns—and a number of Lehigh Valley non-profit organizations
stand to benefit. On Tuesday, April 25, three teams of students conducted in-class presentations
of their findings, recommendations, and graphic materials to agency representatives of
the National Canal Museum, Touchstone Theatre, and Turning Point. Two teams of students
will present their recommendations to Casa Guadalupe and The Association for the Blind
and Visually Impaired on Thursday, April 27, from 12:50-2:00 p.m., in the Priscilla Payne
Hurd Academic Complex, room 102.
The course, titled Campaign Management Project, focuses on the use of storytelling,
myth/archetypes, and cultural context to create an image for an organization that resonates
with the community and other stakeholders in the organization. During the spring semester
teams of Moravian College students have been working closely with local service agencies
in developing branding initiatives for the agencies based on these principles.
Since the middle of February, students have been working with the
agencies to identify the themes and underlying stories of the organization that can
be incorporated into an integrated branding campaign. Specifically, students have interviewed
members of the organization as well as the community the organization serves. The students
worked with staff at each agency to discuss the goals of the organization and the optimal
approach towards creating the brand image. In addition, the student teams are producing
a “brand
bible” for each agency which contains guidelines that inform the creative development
of marketing collateral which can include items such as logos, depictions of brand agents,
brochures, pamphlets, ads, flyers, and/or direct mail pieces. The design of these items
will be based upon the factors discussed in the brand bible and will help form an integrated,
coherent message that can be used by the agency in implementing the branding strategy.
Gary Kaskowitz, Ph.D. is assistant professor of management in Moravian
College’s
Department of Economics and Business. He incorporates service learning into the classroom
because many people think of marketing and branding as manipulation. “I believe
that the ideas we teach are neither moral nor immoral and it’s more a question
of how they are used which denotes good or bad. Service to others is essential for a
well-developed person,” he said. “Therefore, I would like to see students
use these ideas and theories that we teach in ethical and responsible ways, and it makes
perfect sense for them to use this knowledge in a manner that helps others.”
“The experience of working with these service organizations helps the students
actually apply the knowledge they glean in the classroom to groups that often need it
the most,” Kaskowitz continued. “The students get to apply ideas that solidify
learning and provide experience for the future, while experiencing the concept of service
to others. The organizations get the benefit of outside eyes looking at their problems
and applying expertise to real-world situations. The community as a whole also benefits
through the work done by the service organizations that might have had difficulty in
getting their message out. So, basically, I see this as a win-win-win situation.”
