From the Nominator

2020 saw the culmination of Syracuse University’s brand evolution efforts, an initiative to clarify what we stand for, how we’re different, and why audiences should engage with us. Brand development work fell into five stages: research, brand strategy, brand architecture, visual and verbal identity and guideline/tool creation. To better understand our audiences and crystallize our positioning, we conducted extensive research among current and prospective students, parents, high school counselors, faculty, staff, partners, key stakeholders, and leaders across our schools, colleges and programs. These conversations informed the development of a refocused strategy, re-energized message, and a refreshed visual identity.

For the first time in its history, the university is now anchored by a clear and One University brand strategy tied to the university’s academic strategic plan. This serves as a lens through which we are creating and sharing a much more cohesive, compelling and differentiated story. That story is not only uniting the university in collective purpose, but also resonating with target audiences and constituencies. Despite a highly expedited timeframe, heavy dependency on internal resources, and the need to activate the brand across a highly decentralized university, the effort has yielded immediate impact. The results are significant, and include measurable gains in reach, engagement, and applications.

From the Judges

Clean, bright, and bold aesthetic of their new branding. They unified the logos of their different colleges and departments well. Their budget was very high, but it seems to have worked well in their favor, considering the rise in engagement and drop in bounce. We really liked the swag (and would definitely carry the tote bag!). Very impressed.