Things must be going well at
Kaplan University. The school where I earned my Associates degree and my Bachelors degree seems to be branching into online advertising. I was watching the latest episode of NCIS that I had recorded on my DVR the other night and while fast-forwarding through the commercials, I see the Kaplan logo flash in front of my eyes.
I haven’t seen too many online schools venture into TV advertising. Maybe I am out of the loop or don’t live in an area of the country where there is a concentrated effort to market on television. Perhaps this is a new thing for them. Either way, it was interesting to see. The only education “institutions” I see running commercials are those that are not accredited or specialize in one thing (i.e. art, medical assisting, etc…) So I have a question.
Does advertising on TV by reputable institutions like Kaplan, Walden, Capella and others show a new and exciting way of getting the word out to people who may not be familiar with distance education, or does the attempt at advertising on television cheapen the experience or perception that some may have?
I have not seen those 100 year old brick and mortar institutions advertise on TV. I am sure they don’t have to. They are usually not for profit and state-subsidized. The institutions like those mentioned above are for-profit. Now that I think more about it, I have seen a few
University of Phoenix commercials in my time. I think most were a few years ago and especially during the Super Bowl.
Anyway, what do you think? Does TV advertising by for-profit institutions cheapen the reputation that they are trying to build that says, “We’re a legitimate, accredited institution of higher learning”? Let me know your thoughts.