How did we tell the story of one of Canada’s leading research universities?
Engagement was key.
The University of Saskatchewan is one of the top research-intensive universities in Canada with over 25,000 students enrolled in eighteen colleges and schools.
Before STC created a fully-integrated brand campaign, we conducted extensive stakeholder engagement on site over several weeks. Over 25 individual interviews with Deans and donors were conducted as well as 6 group meetings with the University Council, Graduate Students, the Marketing and Communications team, Teaching, Learning and Student Experience, and Student Recruitment. We also conducted student pulse interviews on campus.
The resulting brand is bold and presents the University of Saskatchewan in a new way. We paired strong (even gritty) words that reflect the plan and the spirit of the university with incredibly powerful images shot by University of Saskatchewan students and faculty (they were selected from a university-wide photo contest). As well, the campaign features the subhead ‘Be what the world needs’ which connects directly back to the University Plan (“The University the World Needs.”) .
The campaign (including multiple full page and full colour ads in Canada’s leading national newspaper The Globe and Mail) has been enthusiastically embraced by faculty, students, staff and alumni around the world who are thrilled to see their alma mater promoting itself. We are proud that the collective work of our client and our team has been recognized with a Best of Show (Newspaper Ad - Series), Gold (Magazine Ad - Single), and Gold (Brochure), at the 37th Annual Educational Awards where they were chosen from over 2000 entries.
Perhaps most importantly, the University of Saskatchewan has experienced record enrolment growth and is currently on track to reach 26,000 students — an all time high for the university.
“It’s not an easy thing to brand a top 15 research university in a way that is bold and memorable — as well as authentic — but the team at STC has done it. We are Discoverers, Defenders, Groundbreakers, Investigators and Disruptors! This new platform continues to guide the university and help us raise awareness, increase enrolment and, soon, act as the foundation for our bold new fundraising campaign. I am proud of the work and the brand. I am also proud to recommend the team at STC.”
Gord Hunchak, Associate Vice-President of Strategic Communications and Chief Communications Officer
