Case Study | Branding

Western State Colorado University

THe Problem

In 2012, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper acknowledged Western State College's graduate programs, elevating the school to full University status and prompting a rebrand.

The new brand was unveiled to an unreceptive audience as people struggled to relate to the new "WSCU" nomenclature and soft, almost feminine mark.

Alumni donations immediately began to decline as the former students no longer identified with their alma mater. The rugged, pioneering legacy that made Western such a unique and special place was gone and many alumni began questioning the direction leadership was taking the school.

Project Summary

Reconnecting Alumni to a Lost Brand

Project Outline

The Western State Colorado University Foundation came to us and asked us to create a fresh, new brand for them so that they could reconnect with their passionate alumni base. They wanted something that was bold, rugged and unmistakably Western.

Deliverables

Logo design and complete brand system for Foundation, University and Athletics
64-page Brand Standards Guidelines
Brand launch event
Annual Reports
Alumni engagement campaigns
Email marketing campaigns
Direct mail marketing campaigns
Promotions
Website
Landing pages
Stationery/Collateral
Template set (brochures, stationery, presentations, etc)
Ongoing design work as needed

My Role

As the primary designer, I was responsible for design, development and execution for all applications. I worked closely with copywriters, video teams, the Foundation President and the University marketing team to develop the systems and templates they would eventually take over.

The History

Where, oh where did our rugged legacy go?

Before

Established in 1901 as the Colorado State Normal School, the name was changed to Western State College of Colorado in 1923.

Western thrived in the 70's and 80's, making a name for itself as a liberal art college with a rich history in outdoor sports and environmental studies, citing its Gunnison Valley location as "one of the world's greatest natural laboratories."

On June 4, 2012, Colorado Governor Bill Hickenlooper acknowledged Western's graduate programs and the name was changed to Western State Colorado University.

The new name was put into use on August 1, 2012.

Western's distinctive character emerges from its unity among academic and professional disciplines, its high standards of scholarship and its unique environment in the mountains of Western Colorado.

The Solution

Going back to our roots

The Challenge

The new brand needed to revive the tradition of the strong crimson “W” with a modern twist. It needed to reflect the rugged mountainous terrain of the school’s Gunnison Valley location and the hearty, adventurous students it attracts. Since the school was recently granted University status we needed to find a solution that showcases the multi-faceted experience that is unique to Western.

After

Logo variations were created for the Foundation as well as solving for a complex brand architecture involving School, Departments, Clubs and Groups.

"Mad Jack" was given a facelift to bring him into the modern era. Logo systems were created for NCAA, club and recreational sports teams.

The Launch

Now that's the Western spirit!

The new brand launch was planned to coincide with the first week of school, which also happened to be the same weekend that an internationally acclaimed bicycle race rolled through town.

We sourced 100 red morph suits emblazoned with the Western W and created an event called “Running of the Red”. Students, cycling fans and racers were delighted and inspired by the energy and enthusiasm of the morph suit-clad students. The event even received international press as one of the BBC’s photos of the week.

The Result

Record donations and a revived spirit

Conclusion

The success of the Foundation’s new brand was immediately adopted by the University who unveiled it to an enthusiastic audience of students and the entire town of Gunnison. The grassroots brand launch efforts were eagerly embraced by all and the new Western “W” was displayed across town.

Donors took notice as well and the two years that followed produced record-setting contributions from an alumni base that was connected, inspired and felt that they had been heard.