UNB Marketing Blog
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The Message Matrix Project

Author: Lance Blakney

Posted on Feb 5, 2020

Category: Brand , Web and Social Media


Consistent. Messaging. Centralized.

There are so many amazing stories to be told in every corner of our campuses. As a leader in research and innovation since 1785, the world deserves to know who we are.

As Canada’s oldest English-speaking university, it is important to unify our storytelling efforts to ensure consistency that will elevate the university as a whole.

We can only move forward if we paddle in the same direction. That direction is made clear with the message matrix project.

Solution for an opportunity

We are louder when we have one voice. The message matrix project will equip members of the UNB family to easily tell our stories proudly and loudly. With so many members of our internal community mandated with sharing our institution’s story, it is essential for us all to unite our voice to carry a more impactful message to those we reach.

  • Navigating a crowded market place: Not only can mixed messages cause confusion among prospective students, but also within the UNB community as a whole. When it comes to reaching our students, alumni, donors, and government and industry partners, having one voice is the most effective way for everyone to truly understand why UNB is the right place to be.
  • Laddering up: Each faculty and unit can leverage these cohesive messages within the matrices to contextualize ourselves within the overarching UNB brand. Strengthening ourselves within the brand foundation allows us to work together to put our best foot forward rather than competing and stumbling on each other’s feet.
  • Leveraging brand equity: UNB has 235 years of stories to tell – stories of experiential learning, entrepreneurship, innovation…. This message matrix project enables these powerful messages to permeate throughout the university and allows centuries of our stories to resonate with the people who matter most.

Consistency equals impact

The world deserves to know what makes our university such a unique place. The world deserves to hear a unified story.

Each messaging matrix ladders back up to the overall UNB brand foundation by reflecting institution-wide truths, as well as identifying new, faculty-specific truths.

The matrices facilitate effective storytelling by providing these truths, key messages and proof points in an easy-to-understand architecture.

From both a faculty and institutional level, this is something that has never been done before. This is a unique-to-UNB opportunity to unify and integrate our efforts. So many individuals work hard every day to make this institution great; it is finally time that we package these stories and deliver them to the world.

Every message matters

Understanding each faculty’s positioning and proof points, and how they fit into the overarching UNB brand foundation, will help us all communicate our shared story more effectively.

By providing the proper tools and messaging foundations on which to build marketing strategies that best serve each faculty’s needs, we will strengthen UNB’s brand across both campuses.

For more information, and for access to the matrices, visit: unb.ca/messagematrix

If you have any questions about the project, reach out to brand@unb.ca.