Willamette University
IGNORING THE NUMBERS
THE OBJECTIVE
Willamette had been content to rest on its past reputation as the first university in the west and left its brand largely unsupported as it watched other universities surpass it in both awareness and enrollment. Nearly a decade of year-over-year undergraduate enrollment decline had left it in a precarious position heading into a decreasing pool of high school graduates.
THE HERITAGE STRATEGY
I employed a brand strategy that leveraged the universities heritage and not history. Being the first university in the west meant they had to embrace the role of Innovative Leader, creating a new model for higher education that focuses not on the here and now but on what lay ahead. This heritage is alive and well today. Willamette instills in their students this same fearless desire to think beyond conventional wisdom, lean into uncertainty, and never be afraid to go first.
A NEW BRAND POSITION
A major brand audit produced a new brand position as the innovative leader.
The Innovative Leader turns visions into realities. Unwilling to wait on the sidelines, the Innovative Leader discovers new ways forward and guides others in doing likewise.
A creator of transformational experiences, a curator of catalytic ideas, and a builder of energized communities, they help to craft positive change in the world.
IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT
All external marketing and recruitment materials reflected this new brand and messaging.
