Research is the foundation upon which we build all communications strategies. Projects begin with a clear understanding of audience needs and preferences, best practices, a competitor analysis, and relevant audience behaviors. University Marketing conducts both qualitative and quantitative research.

Research drives University Marketing. We utilize research to understand student choice processes, perceptions of the institution, and audiences' grasp of issues and messages, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of individual marketing tools and strategies. Our findings drive our decision making both strategically and tactically. Research allows us to effectively allocate marketing resources for maximum effect.

University Marketing regularly evaluates specific marketing tools as they are developed. This includes the following:

Literature Testing
Asks audiences to compare IU and competitor literature to ensure our approach is effective.

Message Testing
When new marketing messages are crafted, they are tested with target audiences to ensure they find them credible and relevant.

Other Product Testing
Used as needed. For example, more than 15 hours of focus groups and more than 50 individual interviews informed a recent IU television commercial.