Expanding Brand Awareness

Expand NOLS recognition as:

• a non-profit educational institution
• the outdoor authority
• a promoter of healthy lifestyles
• a leader in introducing young people to the outdoors
• a leadership training ground

Photo: Curtis Tronolone

We will continue to expand awareness of the NOLS brand as the authentic outdoor education leader by increasing our presence and authority in the social conversations of our time, including: fitness and obesity, ethical leadership, under-performing schools, environmental awareness, nature-deficit disorder.

The NOLS brand is education for extended, remote backcountry expeditions. It is experiential, hands-on education that focuses on outdoor skills, leadership, and the environment and we prepare our students to lead in the wilderness. Our leadership skills are transcendent and apply as well in the classroom and boardroom as they do on the top of Denali. The NOLS brand is real skills and leadership taught in and for real wilderness worldwide.

NOLS is a clean, solid and well-respected brand, but one that lacks the awareness that it deserves. NOLS is well known in the outdoor industry and in many educational circles. General awareness of the school is weak, but has increased substantially in the last few years. Some of our increased recognition has come as a result of promotional efforts, but most has come as a result of high-quality programming and the opportunities that NOLS Professional Training and our Wilderness Medicine Institute have provided in offering our product to a broader audience. These new audiences—NASA, U.S. Naval Academy, and others—have in turn lent credibility and enhanced the school’s recognition.

Further Goals and Tactics
1. NOLS will further distinguish itself as a nonprofit educational institution.

a. We will ramp up the NOLS book program with a goal of two new NOLS books every year.

b. We will expand the educational content available on the NOLS website making it a resource for outdoor education professionals worldwide.

c. Adding ten colleges or universities to our college credit list at a rate of two per year. This will yield 100 students per year by 2013.

d. Gaining recognition for high school credit in the State of Wyoming.

2. NOLS will further distinguish itself as the outdoor authority.

a. We will aggressively pursue media opportunities to speak on skills, health, and risk issues with the goal of appearing in 20 articles per year dealing with these subjects.

b. We will achieve one important alliance with a major player in the outdoor industry.

3. NOLS will further position itself and outdoor activities as an important element of a healthy lifestyle appearing in at least 10 articles per year.

4. We will assume a major role in the national discussion concerning children and nature.

a. NOLS will be involved with media coverage concerning this topic participating in at least five articles per year.

b. NOLS will pursue opportunities that focus on parents and children developing an appreciation for the outdoors (among the ways to do this: course mix, National Forum on Children and Nature, Dangerous Book for Boys TV series).

5. NOLS will highlight our graduates as leaders in education, business, exploration, media, and conservation.

a. NOLS will launch an annual tour of NOLS graduates who will speak on leadership.

b. NOLS will stimulate press on NOLS graduates leading in their industries or communities leading to at least 10 articles per year.

6. NOLS will investigate and pursue a method to identify young people with high likelihood to be in future leadership roles and recruit them to NOLS courses.

7. In 2009, NOLS will do a brand awareness survey focused on measuring broad brand awareness and, more specifically, on the public understanding of NOLS in relation to our other branding priorities. In 2013, we will re-do the survey to assess the impact of our efforts.