How We Market Meredith
Planning
The Department of Marketing works to promote Meredith through advertising, publications, events and community programs, electronic communication, sports information and media relations. Our team begins all of our efforts by planning for each project event and/or campaign. Through collaboration with departments on campus, we develop marketing plans to serve as guides to the successful completion of all projects.
This planning phase includes research, definition of goals, assessment of resources and the development of the tactics to be used. Our team is responsible for the execution of marketing plans with support from the departments involved.
The growth of Meredith’s strategic marketing efforts will allow the College to further identify itself in the market and meet the goals as presented in Vision 2010.
The Team:
Melyssa Allen, News Director
Karen Dunton, Managing Director of Marketing
Kristi Eaves-McLennan, Executive Director of Marketing
Vanessa Harris, Director of Visual Communications
To learn more about developing a marketing plan for a project or event, contact Karen Dunton at duntonka@meredith.edu. The first step in this process is the completion of the Project Proposal.
Advertising
The marketing department is responsible for advertising efforts to promote undergraduate recruitment, graduate programs and program-specific events. This includes print and electronic advertising in local markets as well as nationally. Recent ads for the College have appeared in “The News and Observer,” “U.S. News & World Report,” and on WRAL.com.
Our team researches advertising outlets relevant to the College and its programs. We work with offices on campus to determine the appropriate placement for all advertising. We also develop the content and design for event-specific ads as well as comprehensive advertising campaigns for program and College recruitment.
The Team:
Karen Dunton, Managing Director of Marketing
Vanessa Harris, Director of Visual Communications
Gaye Hill, Marketing Writer
Kaye Rains, Office Manager
Mary Rose, Senior Graphic Designer
Lauren Sumner, Graphic Designer
Dave Timberlake, Electronic Communications Manager
Examples of Recent Advertisements
Radio Ads:
Master of Arts in Teaching radio spot
To begin working with our team, please complete the Project Proposal. A representative from our office will then contact you regarding the project. Our office coordinates all advertising purchased on behalf of the College.
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Electronic Communication/Web Sites
The marketing team manages and develops the content, design and navigation for the College’s web site, www.meredith.edu. This site serves a primary audience of prospective undergraduate students, while also including information for current students, parents, alumnae, faculty, staff and community members. The Meredith web site averages 90,000 unique visitors each month and includes web features such as a virtual campus tour, student travel journals and Enews, the main source of news and information for members of the Meredith community.
In addition to the College web site, this team writes and designs e-newsletters for alumnae, parents, faculty and staff, develops web sites in partnership with various departments on campus and manages the functionality of Enews.
Our team follows trends in electronic communication and actively involves Meredith in new opportunities such as iTunesU, while also developing ways to extend our reach to the Meredith community. A recent example is the launch of RSS feeds for the Headlines feature of Meredith’s web site, which allows users to receive the most up-to-date information from the College on their computer or wireless device.
The Team:
Melyssa Allen, News Director
Karen Dunton, Managing Director of Marketing
Gaye Hill, Marketing Writer
Kaye Rains, Office Manager
Lauren Sumner, Graphic Designer
Dave Timberlake, Electronic Communications Manager
Examples of Web Sites and Electronic Communication Projects
web sites
interactive media
Ads/Banners/Graphics
To begin working with our team, please complete the Project Proposal. A representative from our office will then contact you regarding the project.
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Meredith Events
The marketing department is responsible for scheduling and managing events on campus. The production staff reviews the event details and provides the best facility option based on available resources. Both on-campus and external event organizers benefit from the team’s patron-centered approach to communication and decision making.
The Team:
Bill Brown, Director of Events
Jim Frick, Technical Coordinator
Natalie Herrmann, Events Coordinator
Brian Hunt, Event Site Manager
Cailen Waddell, Production Supervisor
If you are planning an event on campus or would like to hold your event at Meredith, contact Natalie Herrmann at events@meredith.edu.
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News/Media Relations
The marketing team is charged with managing media relations and news for Meredith College. This includes coordinating the dissemination of Meredith news to the College’s internal and external audiences, through media relations and via Meredith publications including “Meredith Magazine,” “In A Nutshell,” the faculty/staff newsletter, and the Headlines section of the web site.
An important part of this effort is identifying College news that is appropriate to share with local and regional media, through news releases, media advisories, story pitches and more. This team also works with Meredith’s national media consultant to communicate Meredith’s initiatives to a broader audience.
The news and media relations team can assist Meredith faculty and staff with crafting a media plan for their programs or initiatives.
Members of the news and media relations team are trained to write in keeping with Associated Press style, which is the preferred method for news media. Our team also monitors media outlets in order to keep up with changes and trends in news coverage. We work to make sure Meredith news is shared in a consistent manner with all audiences. Team members also serve as official spokespeople for the College, and coordinate media interviews with faculty, staff and students.
The Team:
Melyssa Allen, News Director
Kristi Eaves-McLennan, Executive Director of Marketing
Recent Media Relations Reports
Media Report
If you have news to share with the Meredith community, contact Melyssa Allen at allenme@meredith.edu.
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Publications
The marketing department produces award-winning publications for external audiences including alumnae, prospective students, parents and donors. These materials include “Meredith Magazine,” College recruitment publications and the President’s Report. In addition, our team works with offices on campus to produce marketing materials for events, programs and overall promotion of the College and its mission.
Our team includes writers and designers who work with departments on campus to promote and advance the brand and mission of Meredith College.
The Team:
Karen Dunton, Managing Director of Marketing
Kristi Eaves-McLennan, Executive Director of Marketing
Vanessa Harris, Director of Visual Communications
Gaye Hill, Marketing Writer
Mary Rose, Senior Graphic Designer
Lauren Sumner, Graphic Designer
Examples of Publications
To begin working with our team, please complete the Project Proposal. A representative from our office will then contact you regarding the project.
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Meredith Magazine
“Meredith Magazine” is an award-winning publication that serves the Meredith community by providing insight and information about the news, activities, events, programs, plans and people of the College. The magazine is produced three times a year by the marketing team.
The Team:
Melyssa Allen, Co-Managing Editor
Karen Dunton, Co-Managing Editor
Kristi Eaves-McLennan, Executive Editor
Vanessa Harris, Art Director
Gaye Hill, Assistant Editor
Greg Jarvis, Sports Writer
Mary Rose, Senior Graphic Designer
Lauren Sumner, Graphic Designer
Examples of Recent Issues of “Meredith Magazine”
We value feedback from the Meredith community. If you have a question or comment regarding “Meredith Magazine,” email a member of the editorial staff or comments@meredith.edu.
Sports Information
The Department of Marketing includes sports information director (SID) and assistant athletics director Greg Jarvis, who works to promote Meredith and its six NCAA varsity sports. Jarvis is responsible for writing and printing game schedules, promoting attendance to sporting events, working with media coverage, and arranging and planning for championship tournaments as needed.
In his role as SID, Jarvis also maintains Meredith’s sports and athletics department web site. This includes adding current scores, providing information about players, games, injuries and human interest stories.
