Signals & Stats : Daily Signals

Preview: Brand Educators

Global – Long Near brands are investing in higher education to position themselves as life-long partners to consumers.

Traditional educational institutions are struggling to adapt to the fast-changing market
Brands are stepping in to identify and help close the skills gap by funding specialised courses and academies

The Centre for Digital Business Education, Bologna Business School

University of Naples Federico II will host Developer's Academy in partnership with Apple

Levi's Give Back education programme, Brooklyn

For luxury, technology and lifestyle brands, funding educational initiatives is a way to build deeper engagement with consumers and leave a lasting legacy. Rather than just providing temporary platforms and pop-up workshops, they are investing in permanent spaces to show their commitment to the cause.

Google’s latest venture focuses on filling the gaps in the existing educational system. To address the rapid evolution of digital skillsets the brand is working with colleges to deliver courses on newly established disciplines, such as user experience (UX) design. Together with Savannah College of Art and Design, it has developed a BFA course in user experience design, one of the first four-year undergraduate degrees to be offered in the field.

The Big Picture:

In the age of The Learning Economy, companies are realising that the best way to control their talent supply chain is to create their own educational establishments and train future employees before they are hired. For more on the shift towards branded education, read our latest microtrend.