In 2015 we used RMIT University’s Graduate Futures Careers Fund to pilot badges as a possible way to improve the employment prospects of graduates from the Advertising Degree. Through iterative action research we developed, tested and reviewed: infrastructural support for badges; teacher, student and practitioner understanding of badge concepts and value and; what appropriate and meaningful implementation of badges might look like in the advertising industry. Despite the difficulties that other Australian educational institutions have found when trying to implement badges, we’ve identified three areas of value for badging in the domains of advertising education and practice specifically: 1. Badges can highlight an individual’s talent and experience where formal accreditation does not, such as in co and extracurricular activities, work experience and peer relations and esteem 2. Badges carry a form of ‘brand-by-association’ both for the issuer and the receiver, and that value intersects with notions of online identity management 3. Badges present opportunities for unique methods of advertising, and these methods are potentially new content to be taught in the advertising program The technology and infrastructure that presently facilitates badging remains precarious, disjointed and competitive. Institutional, teacher/student and industry/practitioner awareness and understanding of the use and value of badges remains low to nonexistent. The developing fields of ‘big data’, ‘artificial intelligence’, ‘blockchain’ and ‘online identity management’ are likely to displace the current value propositions of badges. More consideration around the notion of brand-by-association and identity management is needed - for example, institution-branded badges can highlight a person’s recent-graduate status, possibly at the expense of their work experience or specific skill sets. This can have a negative impact on employability in the advertising sector, where crude levels of professional ability are still used. We therefore make the general recommendation that RMIT University should not move into badges until an open standard format is reliably and more widely supported; until people can effectively incorporate badges into their identity management; and until wider understanding of the value of badges exists - especially in the idea of brand by association. We instead recommend that a range of niche experiments be conducted, each addressing these initial ideas and areas of concern, but from different discipline perspectives. From these experiments, a stronger understanding can be developed in the institution, and across its relevant industry partners, to help ensure better impact at a university wide implementation. Read more at: https://goo.gl/Oo30G6

1. BADGES
Identify talent and brand by association
Leigh Blackall and Karen Carter 2016 | https://goo.gl/Oo30G6
Photo by Detroit Photographic Co. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

2. Findings
1. Badges can highlight an individual’s
talent and experience where formal
accreditation does not
2. Badges carry a form of ‘brand-by-
association’ both for the issuer and
the receiver
3. Badges present opportunities for
unique methods of advertising
Photo: Brownie and Cub compare badges
Date: c1983 Photographer: Paul Hourigan

3. Recommendations
Don’t move into badges large scale yet:
• until format is reliable and supported
• until people can effectively incorporate badges
into their identity management; and
• until wider understanding of the value of badges
exists - especially in the idea of brand by association
Conduct niche experiments that explore our findings from
different perspectives

4. By Albert Charles Challen (1847–1881) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
1. Open Badge Infrastructure in 2011
2. Web startups adopt standard in 2013
3. Initiatives begin implementing badges
4. Difficulties in Australian education 2014/15
5. Support for Open Badge Infrastructure wanes
6. Technical infrastructure shifts to Blockchain
7. The “problem” that badges solve, is perhaps bet-
ter solved through online identity management
BACKGROUND

5. METHODS IN
THIS PROJECT
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127576132@N03/22444002966/
ConsultProblematise
Concept

6. ISSUES, LIMITATIONS
AND OPPORTUNITIES
1. The industry and our institution is unfamiliar with badges
2. The industry crudely articulates career progression
3. Our time and budget were limited in this project
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/613445810/

7. 1. RMIT Badges recognised by the Communications Council
2. Using the IPA Professional Development Wheel as a badge system
3. Coactional badging
Conceptual progression
https://pixabay.com/en/botswana-africa-bottle-caps-badges-970274/
a
x
x

8. COACTIONAL BADGING
1. For extra curricular activity
2. Designed for co branding
3. As an advertising device in itself
4. [Advertising] student is badge designer, teacher is badge broker
https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedoflife/8274993170

9. We propose to the Advertising program at RMIT University that coactional
badging be delivered as content in the course - a way to practice theories of
brand extension, brand equity and co branding. Students are encouraged to
design badge campaigns in their internships, or on other recognised client
projects, and display those badges in their respective portfolios. We would
evaluate the effectiveness of co actional badging by network mapping port-
folio websites and interviewing students and industry on their perceptions
of their badge campaigns, looking for signs that both the industry and our
institution were more familiar and ready to think about badging as a way to
increase employment opportunities and show professional development.
EVALUATION

10. 1. Badges can highlight an individual’s talent
and experience where formal accreditation
does not, such as in co and extracurricular
activities, work experience and peer
relations and esteem
2. Badges carry a form of ‘brand-by-associa-
tion’ both for the issuer and the receiver.
That value intersects with notions of online
identity management
3. Badges present opportunities for unique
methods of advertising, and these methods
are potentially new content to be taught
in the advertising program, related to co
branding theories
4. The technology that facilitates badging
remains precarious, disjointed and in
competition
5. The developing fields of ‘big data’,
‘artificial intelligence’, ‘blockchain’ and
‘online identity management’ are likely to
displace the current value propositions of
badges
6. More consideration around the notion of
brand-by-association and identity manage-
ment is needed. For example, institution-
branded badges can have a negative
impact on employability, by highlighting a
person’s recent-graduate status instead of
their work experience or specific skill sets
Conclusions