Branding – or strategic image development – is becoming a part of many campuses’ marketing plans. Often, identifying and managing brands is a part of a larger research-based process, which is sometimes conducted with the assistance of marketing consulting firms. Branding is more than just a logo or a slogan. “Branding is making an emotional connection with the prospective student or external audience using general media and public relations to get the message across,” says Ruth Sims, senior vice president at educational consulting firm Noel-Levitz.