Brand personality in the university context : developing a multidimensional framework

The concept of university branding has received considerable attention over the past decade, with numerous studies being conducted on university image, reputation and identity. However, few research studies have focused exclusively on the brand personality construct in relation to universities. This study develops a theoretical framework for the measurement and evaluation of university brand personality. Forty American universities were evaluated based on a set of personality traits by 209 college students and alumni from the United States. Five dimensions of university brand personality were observed: Sincerity, Prestige, Excitement, Distinctiveness and Ruggedness. This framework serves as a research tool to investigate brand personality characteristics, and facilitates the comparison of different institutions on a uniform scale. Numerous applications exist in the areas of brand strategy, positioning and crisis management.