What distinguishes the two is that the branding initiative focuses on the actual brand and related attributes for the NCAA, while the public affairs plan focuses on perception and reputation management. For example, "fair play" is an NCAA attribute and thus part of the NCAA brand. The public affairs plan takes "fair play" and reminds constituents that the NCAA is committed to ensuring a fair, enjoyable championships experience for its student-athletes, which is why the Association has established rules and policies to create the most level playing field possible.

"Balance" is another brand attribute. The public affairs plan publicizes the balance that student-athletes achieve on and off the courts and fields, and the gender and fiscal balance institutions achieve in their athletics programs. For the attribute "community," the plan celebrates community-service contributions from athletics programs and student-athletes. Essentially, the public affairs plan "proves" the NCAA attributes through key messages.

The plan's primary message is that the NCAA is a membership-led association of colleges and universities committed to the best interests, education and athletics participation of student-athletes. That foundation, which people often forget or don't understand, supports other key messages, such as:

Every campus has many student-athletes who personify the ideals of intercollegiate athletics and thrive in the NCAA system -- as students, athletes and leaders.

Overall, student-athletes graduate at a higher rate than the student body.

The NCAA is interested in strengthening academic standards through increased core-course and progress-toward-degree requirements.

Ninety-four cents of every dollar raised through television rights, events and licensing is returned to member institutions through direct revenue distributions, championships and services.

While that news sounds easy to peddle, the public affairs plan is fraught with challenges. For example, when three high-profile institutions bench their men's basketball programs because of academic-fraud allegations in the span of three weeks -- as was the case this season -- executing the plan becomes a herculean task. In such instances, the media coverage of the problem can lead the public to believe that the occurrences are far more common than they are. Suddenly, the large majority of institutions and student-athletes that behave in a manner that is consistent with the NCAA attributes is diminished by the few that don't. Suddenly, the key messages are clouded by public perception.

"Certainly, something like the academic-fraud situation is a challenge to the plan," said Danita Edwards, NCAA vice-president for public affairs. "But the message that applies in this case is that the NCAA is committed to protecting the best interests of student-athletes. The academic-fraud cases do not fit with those best interests. But remember, in each of those cases, institutional leadership took swift and decisive action to realign their programs with the NCAA attributes."

The plan also shares the same challenge that the branding initiative has, which is to convince constituents that the NCAA is more than just a regulatory body that also conducts championships.

"We can't run from the fact that the Association was founded on the premise of establishing rules to make play safer for student-athletes," Edwards said. "We should be proud of that. The commitment to protecting student-athletes' best interests and providing quality educational and athletics experiences should be celebrated."

Key to the overall branding initiative and the supporting public affairs plan is an advertising campaign that features several 30-second spots that articulate the Association's role in preparing student-athletes for life. In the PSAs, a shot-putter, swimmer, and two basketball players explain how the balance of academics and sports in college equips them for success beyond sports. All actors in the spots are former NCAA student-athletes. The swimmer explains the challenging balancing act required of student-athletes: "I swim the 200. I study sociology. I grind out laps. I cram for tests. I race nationals. I take finals. And when I finish, I'll be ready to start."

NCAA President Myles Brand said he expects the campaign to bring a greater understanding of the academic and athletics balancing act student-athletes perform every day. "NCAA student-athletes deserve this recognition," he said. "This campaign is representative of the NCAA's true mission: a commitment to the best interests, education and athletics participation of student-athletes."

The public affairs plan also relies on public relations "champions" -- individuals recruited from inside and outside the membership -- to advocate for NCAA principles. In addition, the plan features a "positive news placement" program to spotlight institutions that are leading the advocacy and reform agendas.

Like the branding initiative, the public affairs plan is targeting 2006 -- the NCAA's centennial -- as the date by which significant improvement in the NCAA image should be apparent.

"The plan is designed to get buy-in from membership but also from media and other constituent groups in a direct way," Edwards said. "From online newsletters to media roundtables to open forums, there are opportunities over and over to reach out to the membership and other groups. By 2006, working in concert with the branding initiative, we will have made a difference."

-- Gary T. Brown