Commodification of tertiary institutions : a study of the University of Natal's corporate advertising campaign.
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Date
2000
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Abstract
Following the global 'capitalisation' of public institutions, academic institutions have
embarked continuously on a drive towards 'marketisation' and commodification of their
services. Tertiary institutions are utilising aggressive marketing strategies and media
campaigns to attract students. This study examines the advertising campaign embarked
on by the University of Natal in 1998/ 1999. This is a first stage of a two-tier marketing
strategy, and it involves brand-building the University. This research assesses the
University of Natal's advertising campaign both on radio and in print, it analyses the
campaign from creative conceptualisation to media exposure, while giving a brief
background to advertising and commodification trends among tertiary institutions in
South Africa.
Eric Michaels' (1990) proposal of a circular message transmission model called
'hermeneutic circle' (12-28) of a teleported text serves as the theoretical backdrop for the
assessment of lhe conceptualisation process to the media exposure of the campaign.
A semiotic analysis of the University of Natal's advertising campaign is also given and
located within a particular context in the 'henneneutic circle'. Various focus group
discussions were conducted : one comprising mainly white students from Pinetown Girls
High School in Standard Nine; the second, mainly Indian students in their matric year at
Queensburgh High School. The others comprised of black students from Ferndale
Secondary School, Phoenix, but who reside in KwaMashu, and also black students from
Amangwane High School in Bergeville, near Ladysmith. One on one interviews were
also conducted with high school students. Most of these students were in Standard Nine
with some completing their matric year. These discussions were conducted separately to
avoid any kind of intimidation and domination of the discussions by students from the
private schools who are more fluent in the command of the English language. The other
group comprised of an alumnus, a parent, four students - two local and two international,
and two staff members of the University. Their comments provide information in
identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign as well as the evaluation of the
campaign concepts and contents in correlation with the cultural contexts of the target groups. The group discussions also provide insight into the reception and perception of
the campaign.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.
Keywords
University of Natal. Public relations., Advertising campaigns--South Africa., Theses--Culture, communication and media studies.