One of the brand’s most visible manifestations is the university’s logo. First, a bit about the logo. . . What do you think it means?
Student recruitment is everyone’s challenge.From strategic plan, SR and Grad Studies are our number one clients. Brand analysis defined our key target audience as zaggers, those who are zagging while everyone else is zigging. We aim to attract those folks who are 21st century adventurers, who are looking for a university off the beaten track, where they can have the freedom to explore and develop their potential. With that focus in mind, we worked with our undergrad recruiters to develop
2009 – This is the start of something big – research funding growth at Memorial tops Canadian comprehensive universities over a five-year period, according to a national publication. Big story for us – how to reflect this? We decided to go BIG!Report/inside spreadGlobe and Mail 2-page spreadLaunch at NL Ocean Industries conference with booth, speaking opps, swag, nighttime outdoor projections.
Because we were coming into the public phase of our fundraising campaign, the focus of our activities in 2011 shifted to support the campaign launch. The campaign theme, Dare To: The Campaign for Memorial University, had been built some years earlier from the core brand with the help of the same agency we had worked with one the university brand strategy. From this, our creative team developed the campaign launch event and collateral concept – of course, it had to be daring!
Unusually small format brochure with compelling visual and stories:‘Because we date, Michael will travel the world, breathe the air, smile brighter, raise his sons.’
Our president and our campaign chair/chancellor depicted in an unusual setting on iconic Signal Hill in St. John’s. From this image on the opening page in the brochure and on the website, the messages from the campaign leaders signal that we are about something out of the ordinary, something daring.
Orientation – brand dimensions added to student and employee orientationsMUNdays
Value of internal creative capacity – internal creative teamDemand will always exceed supply – successes quickly lead to more demand from clientsTake one bite at a time – set priorities for brand implementation based on institutional prioritiesNeed for flexible yet firm brand standards – there will be evolution in design over time;be open to this but always use the brand positioning as your touchstone (e.g. look and feel, become tagline)Partnerships across the institution – like with Student Recruitment, Student Affairs, Development -- and with marketing contractors – like local photographers, designersBring the brand into all conversations – or ‘become’ a brand nag! Worm your way into gatherings of all sorts. Offer inducements of swag and cash!
