Controlling Brand Image

… or not. How do you present your image as a College of hardworking studious ummm … students, when all the students want to do is get drunk and then have the temerity to upload images of said drunkeness on the ‘net? The Northerner Online (student newspaper) reports:

Facebook postings, photos incriminate dorm party-goers
University students caught in compromising situation through online group

Northern Kentucky University students have joined a growing list of college students who have learned the price of letting it all hang out on the Internet. Four NKU students learned the hard way that Big Brother is always watching. The students received University Code of Conduct violations when administrators saw pictures posted on Facebook.com that depicted them drinking in a Kentucky Hall dorm room.
The four students received a $50 fine, one year of probation on campus and were forced to attend a class about the dangers of binge drinking.
Facebook is an online community that allows students to create a profile based on the school they attend. Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard graduate, created the Web site in 2004. The Web site describes itself as “an online directory that connects people through social networks at schools.”

I mentioned Facebook in a previous blog article. So what’s more interesting? That colleges think students don’t drink? That students were stupid enough to have the mobilarazzi (a la Kate Moss) take fotos and upload them of said imbibing? That parents think that prospective students will not say “omgwtf, that college is like, sick, I want in!” when they see the decadent behaviour? Oh and why the heck didn’t the students say it was water or ginger beer in the bottles and they were faking it for a social studies experiment? Worked for me, many many years ago… (except I said it was incense I was pretending to smoke). Sheesh! Kids today! No imagination, I tellya!
The pictures feature students surrounding a keg of beer they managed to bring into the dorms. “We were going to say it was a root beer keg but we figured they were smarter than that,” Erik said.
No, Erik darling, they aren’t. It would’ve worked. Particularly if you put the proposed “social experiment” in a blog and then back dated it. People believe anything written on the ‘net, didn’t anyone tell you that?
“Oh yeah, I still use Facebook. I just don’t put up any more incriminating pictures,” Erik said.
Well. Duh. “What did you learn at college son?” “Sir, I learnt not to put up incriminating pictures on the open internet cos someone might see them, Sir!” What does a college degree cost in the US these days? 100 grand?

But the biggest question of all… how do you create a nice wholesome positive brand image when your community is doing its darndest to self implode? heh. Herding cats is easier…