McMASTER UNIVERSITY
Brighter World Branding and Campaign
CHALLENGE
McMaster University is a prominent yet humble institution in Hamilton, Ontario. Despite a prestigious 130 year history, it lacked a strong reputation, profile or brand proposition in an increasingly competitive post-secondary market.
To differentiate and build its reputation, improve its international rankings, and attract the best students and faculty, they needed to revitalize the McMaster brand. The challenge was to redefine and re-establish what the University stands for and bring that to life with a new tagline, tone, visual system, and go-to-market strategy.
SOLUTION
We started with their stated mission - to advance human and societal health and well-being (a mouthful) - and translated that into a core brand proposition and creative platform: Brighter World.
Brighter World embodied McMaster’s unique impact-driven and collaborative approach to research and education. Landing on this new brand platform required winning over representatives of the 6 faculties, 15 departments, 150 institutes, accessibility and diversity councils, and the President’s office.
SCOPE
The work included everything from the new tagline, to new brand marks, updated logo lock ups – and logo system for the full community – as well as reinvention of all print, digital, and video guidelines.
The work also included creation of a go-to-market plan. This strategic work led to the development of core launch assets, including all advertising, an internal communications plan, redesign of priority websites and the development of a research focused content hub.
SUCCESS
Within six months of the campaign launch, the work had been well-received by all internal stakeholders, the alumni, and the international community of academics. And impact has already been seen beyond Hamilton, as McMaster has begun to climb the international rankings, making the biggest leap (over 30 spots) on Times Higher Education World University Rankings to 78th place globally, and up 15 places to 96 in the Shanghai Jiao Tong’s Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Launch Video
This 90 second launch video highlights the people, ideas and spirit of the Brighter World campaign. Featuring top researchers and faculty from across the University, this video was shared throughout the McMaster community and beyond.
Watch at: https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/about/
Launch Video
15 second version - used for social media and pre-roll
Launch Video
30 second version - used for social media and pre-roll
Print Ads
COLLATERAL
Newsletters, advertorials, look books, social media videos ... we developed dozens of pieces for the University as part of the launch of the Brighter World brand.
Newsletters, advertorials, look books, social media videos ... we developed dozens of pieces for the University as part of the launch of the Brighter World brand.
POSTERS
To launch Brighter World, we developed a series of posters highlighting dozens of different research priorities and researchers from the University. These were placed around campus.
To launch Brighter World, we developed a series of posters highlighting dozens of different research priorities and researchers from the University. These were placed around campus.
WEBSITES
Based on the Brighter World visual platform, we developed digital brand standards and rolled them out across a number of new and existing McMaster web properties. These guidelines were created so every faculty and department could adapt them for their own unique needs.
Based on the Brighter World visual platform, we developed digital brand standards and rolled them out across a number of new and existing McMaster web properties. These guidelines were created so every faculty and department could adapt them for their own unique needs.
https://www.mcmaster.ca/
https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/about/
INFOGRAPHICS
As part of the content approach, we created twelve articles about key research priorities at the University. For each story we developed an infographic style summary and posted these to the Brighter World website and on social media.
As part of the content approach, we created twelve articles about key research priorities at the University. For each story we developed an infographic style summary and posted these to the Brighter World website and on social media.
