Promises to keep

Abstract

The use of branding in higher education continues to grow as institutions invest more than ever before in marketing to attract and retain students. As institutions face enrollment pressures, higher education leaders are increasingly turning to online education and the adult learner population to combat stagnation in postsecondary enrollment. This study uses multiple case narrative to understand the alignment between institutional brand promises and the adult learner experience in an online master's degree program. A review of the extant literature revealed a limited amount of research about the intersection of branding and student satisfaction, and this study aims to fill the gap and offer recommendations intended to improve authenticity, effectiveness, and integrity of higher education marketing. The study uses expectation confirmation theory to better understand how the adult learner experience exceeds, meets, or falls short of expectations once the student enrolls. Through the stories of 17 adult learners pursuing online master's degrees across the United States, this research offers implications for practice among higher education marketing practitioners and leaders to ensure accurate marketing, quality academic experiences, and satisfaction among adult learners. While this research found some dissonance between institutional marketing and student experience, the majority of participants expressed satisfaction with their programs, indicating their experiences met or exceeded their expectations. Semi-structured interviews revealed the importance of perceived reputation, brand identity, and high service quality when seeking to satisfy adult learners.