Case Study:
Since 1973, Maine Media Workshops has seen some of the most talented filmmakers, photographers, and writers pass through its doors. The program started as a summer camp of sorts for amateurs and professionals wanting to hone their creative arts skills while enjoying a week along the beautiful coast of Rockport, Maine. Over the years, students have had the opportunity to work with and learn from Hollywood’s heavy hitters: Vilmos Zsigmond, cinematographer on “Close Encounters,” “The Black Dahlia,” and “The Deer Hunter”; Alan Myerson, Emmy-winning director of everything from “The Love Boat” to “The Larry Saunders Show” to “Boston Public”; and actor Gene Wilder. The names are impressive, but what has always set the program apart is its intensity and quality. The family style lobster dinner at the end doesn’t hurt, either. Sadly, in recent years, the workshops had lost their way and the school was in danger of closing. “When it fell on hard times, and there was the possibility of it not surviving, it was hard to imagine being here anymore,” says Charles Altschul, Rockport resident and current executive director of the school. Something had to be done to revitalize this gem along the rocky Maine coast. In a recent year, the family-owned school became a nonprofit educational institution. The school underwent all of the infrastructure and management changes one might expect from this kind of transition, but the biggest challenges lay ahead. While the school had always enjoyed an excellent reputation within the industry, it was losing ground. More and more universities were providing excellent opportunities for students in the creative arts. These schools had deep pockets, were able to attract top-notch faculty, and more importantly, could afford superior facilities and equipment. No longer operating as a for-profit business, the Maine Workshops could now reach out to private and corporate donors to keep things afloat. This was especially critical when it came to equipment. There would be little gained by students working in outdated facilities. The reputation of the school was at stake. Companies like Canon, Sony, and Apple could now partner with the school by donating equipment. The workshops could attach these sponsors’ cutting-edge products and technologies to their marketing materials to attract students, and the equipment manufacturers could advertise their association with the school to attract customers. One of their most valuable relationships is with Canon. As the Maine Workshops brands itself as a leader in digital arts, Canon desires the same thing. There isn’t one product—from still film camera to HD video camera to office printer to professional printing press—in Canon’s product line that isn’t relevant to the Workshops’ offerings. The partnership with Canon is a great first step toward repositioning the school as a leader in digital media and arts, but it has been a challenge to rally the troops and get a unified message together. Traditionally, the departments worked independently, marketing photography to photographers, writing to writers, and filmmaking to the film students. “We felt it was important, after the transition, to publish a catalog that contains all of the programs we offer,” says Altschul. “It’s 162 pages, we printed 165,000 copies of it, it cost most of our marketing budget to do.” Moving forward, they’ll do much less of the paper catalogs, which is an obvious cash-sucker. More importantly, Altschul believes that to present themselves as a leader in digital media, they need to walk the walk in everything they do. The school’s Web site recently underwent a major overhaul to better communicate that, “We’re back and better than before.” The site contains all the standard information one might need along with a complete course catalog and school blog, as well as a place to pay tuition, take a placement test, register for classes, or donate to the school. Links to technology partners also serve as a showcase for student work. This new interdisciplinary approach has served the school well. Enrollment is up from past years, and the phone is ringing off the hook with professionals wanting to teach a workshop. The school has also added a degree program. The full-time, one- to five-year program at Maine Media College is fully accredited to offer an MFA in Maine and is expected to receive national accreditation in the next few years.
Q1. What are the main elements of the Maine Media Workshops brand equity? Analyze the workshop’s brand equity using the Young & Rubicam “dimensions of brand personality.”
Q2. Would you consider the Maine Media College an extension of the Maine Media Workshops brand or a new-product development strategy—or both? Explain.
Q3. How can the Maine Media Workshops benefit from consumers’ brand recognition, preference, and insistence with companies such as Canon? Can Canon benefit from the association with the Workshops?
Your answer must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font (size 12), one-inch margins on all sides, APA format and also include references.