Nicole Lawrence

Creative Brief- Rider MBA Program

McCann Erickson’s Role-Playing Approach

1. Who is my target?
a. West Coast: California, Oregon, and Washington
b. Students who are looking to pursue an MBA
c. Recent graduates looking to pursue an MBA
d. Professionals in the business industry looking to get an
advantage over their peers, as well as competitors for the
job/promotion they want
e. Age can range from 21-55
2. Where am I now in the mind of the person?
a. Rider is most likely unknown as a university or an option of
a school to get an MBA at, since it is a small school on the
opposite side of the country.
3. Where is my competition in the mind of this person?
a. Competition would be closer schools to the West coast
including:
i. Stanford- best reputation on the West coast, very
hard to get in to
ii. UCLA- world class program
iii. UC Berkeley- world class program
iv. University of Washington- top MBA program
v. UC Irvine- not as good as the others, but still
reputable
vi. Brigham Young University (Marriott)- most bang for
your buck, one of the best business schools
according to Forbes
vii. University of Oregon (Lundquist)- has four niche
areas to concentrate in
b. Because these schools are closer, they are where West
coast students would think of when selecting an MBA
program
4. Where would I like to be in the mind of this person?
a. A comparable option for an MBA
b. A reputable degree to possess
5. What is the consumer promise, the “big idea”?
a. We will give you a pure competitive advantage over your
peers and competitors for a job or promotion you want.
6. What is the supporting evidence?
a. U.S. Weekly and World Report ranks Rider in the top tier for
northern regional universities where you can get a
graduate degree
b. Princeton Review ranks Rider as “A Best 371 College.”
7. What is the tone of voice for the advertising?
a. Clean, reputable, crisp, simple, but informative
Nicole Lawrence
Creative Brief- Rider MBA Program

Foote, Cone & Belding Strategy Model:

This would fall into quadrant 1 because you think a great deal about
where you go to get an MBA and if you choose the wrong place, it
could be costly to you. You would have wasted your time and money
going to a school where your MBA would not mean as much and you
wouldn’t have an advantage over others with different MBAs from
other schools. This could cost you a job or a promotion.