Setting the scene
Mustard has undertaken extensive online surveys amongst London Business School’s key stakeholder groups to better understand its brand strengths relative to other schools.
The context
London Business School (LBS) is widely recognised as one of the leading providers of business education in the world. LBS approached Mustard confident that it had a strong brand, but wanted to better understand its key strengths (relative to other Tier 1 schools) and the decision making processes people go through when choosing a business education. It also needed an understanding of how audiences interpret its brand values – particularly important given that LBS is one brand but with two distinct offers (through its degree education and executive education courses and programmes).
What we did
Informed by exploratory qualitative research (undertaken via face-to-face groups, Skype groups, online forums and phone depths), we undertook two extensive online surveys for Degree Education and Executive Education. This was the optimum way of reaching a time-poor and geographically disperse audience both quickly and cost effectively.
We surveyed more than 1,000 people from across more than 70 markets, including prospect students, enquirers, current students and alumni.
The results
The research provided London Business School with a clear understanding of how people decide which business schools to study with. London Business School also now has a clear understanding of its perceived strengths relative to the other top tier schools – Harvard, INSEAD, Wharton, Stanford, etc., as well as the relatively “vacant” brand territories it can take advantage of. The research has also identified how different stakeholders interpret the LBS brand values, and how it needs to deliver against the values and promises across its Degree Education and Executive Education offers.
