The Branding of the University of Oklahoma

Abstract

My thesis focuses on the process of branding the University of Oklahoma between 1890 and 1930. I examine the origins of the administrative brand, the shift after Oklahoma statehood, the impact of World War One, and the brand students crafted for themselves. This is a study of the University of Oklahoma using the analytical lenses of modern democratic capitalism, cultural influences, and the process of branding. I explore what the brand seeks to represent and the interpretations of its audience during these years.