Why are Business School Brochures so Dull?


BigD

As per the title. I have trawled through many of these; watched youtube promotional videos and talking-head interviews with alumni. My overall impression is incredibly dull. Why is this?

Lots of people in glasses pointing with their pen at something a lecturer is saying; lots of scarf-wearing students laughing as a group on the campus; a student doing a presentation of why a sales forecast goes -as they all should- from bottom left to top right of the projection.

An MBA it is a broad-based course. Are the schools reluctant to talk about real _application_ of the skills to a problem in their promotional materials as it may alienate others not from the same industry?

I suppose the key word for me is that I don't find the brochures _engaging_. Am I alone in this?

BigD

As per the title. I have trawled through many of these; watched youtube promotional videos and talking-head interviews with alumni. My overall impression is incredibly dull. Why is this?

Lots of people in glasses pointing with their pen at something a lecturer is saying; lots of scarf-wearing students laughing as a group on the campus; a student doing a presentation of why a sales forecast goes -as they all should- from bottom left to top right of the projection.

An MBA it is a broad-based course. Are the schools reluctant to talk about real _application_ of the skills to a problem in their promotional materials as it may alienate others not from the same industry?

I suppose the key word for me is that I don't find the brochures _engaging_. Am I alone in this?

BigD
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Duncan

Colleges write their brochures using the brochures of the big US schools.

Colleges write their brochures using the brochures of the big US schools.
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Inactive User

I suppose the key word for me is that I don't find the brochures _engaging_. Am I alone in this?

No, I find them incredibly dull as well. But the thing is, these are institutions that are incredibly risk-averse. They don't want to do anything that will jeopardize their funding or their supposed reputation - so they play it incredibly safe on all fronts.

I can just imagine these stuffy b-school admin guys sitting around a table discussing their brochures and promotional materials - they probably shoot down everything that's even remotely pushing a boundary.

<blockquote>I suppose the key word for me is that I don't find the brochures _engaging_. Am I alone in this?</blockquote>
No, I find them incredibly dull as well. But the thing is, these are institutions that are incredibly risk-averse. They don't want to do anything that will jeopardize their funding or their supposed reputation - so they play it incredibly safe on all fronts.

I can just imagine these stuffy b-school admin guys sitting around a table discussing their brochures and promotional materials - they probably shoot down everything that's even remotely pushing a boundary.
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cvm


I can just imagine these stuffy b-school admin guys sitting around a table discussing their brochures and promotional materials - they probably shoot down everything that's even remotely pushing a boundary.


You're right. However, in my last week in Manchester, few of the students were asked to have an hour meeting with the marketing team at MBS to discuss the brochure format/content. In fact, five of us attended the meeting (but I guess they were inviting students attending their workshops in other weeks?) and we expressed our opinions about the brochure. As they have taken pages of notes, I'm just curious how the new brochure will look like...

<blockquote>
I can just imagine these stuffy b-school admin guys sitting around a table discussing their brochures and promotional materials - they probably shoot down everything that's even remotely pushing a boundary.</blockquote>

You're right. However, in my last week in Manchester, few of the students were asked to have an hour meeting with the marketing team at MBS to discuss the brochure format/content. In fact, five of us attended the meeting (but I guess they were inviting students attending their workshops in other weeks?) and we expressed our opinions about the brochure. As they have taken pages of notes, I'm just curious how the new brochure will look like...
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ralph

At least the Manchester brochures are well-designed!

Seriously though, these brochures usually communicate exactly how I would expect business schools to communicate: dry and to the point. But the top schools do an admirable job or reflecting their branding, at least.

At least the Manchester brochures are well-designed!

Seriously though, these brochures usually communicate exactly how I would expect business schools to communicate: dry and to the point. But the top schools do an admirable job or reflecting their branding, at least.
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