3In recent years there has been increased discussion of the subjective, emotional and 4 sociological factors influencing student choice of university. However there is a 5 dearth of information exploring what constitutes these feelings. This exploratory 6paper uses the conceptual model of the servicescape to provide insight into the 7 emotional factors driving student choice. 8In-depth interviews with prospective students revealed first impressions 9 really do count. Students are deterred by poor physical environments and 10 excited by enthusiastic staff and students. Most significantly the study 11 revealed the necessity of a restorative servicescape to provide both a sense of 12 escape and feeling of belonging.
The fiercely competitive HE market has led HEIs to invest significant resources in building a distinct identity. An HEI's location forms an inherent part of its identity and the uniqueness of location offers an opportunity to differentiate. However there has been limited examination of how location is used by HEIs and little consideration of how location can provide an effective means of differentiation. Through the lens of place marketing, this exploratory paper provides insight into the way HEIs portray location and discusses whether location can offer a source of differentiation. Using a content analysis of prospectuses and interviews with marketing decision makers, this paper contributes a deeper understanding of the way in which a place brand is constructed by a stakeholder. The study reveals that HEIs portray a location to simultaneously excite and reassure the student which ultimately leads to the commodification of location. As such, differentiation is not possible.
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