Various levels of identity and branding can be applied to a school campus and they run the gamut from the development of the logo, school colors, and mascot to a complete identity manual.
Branding and identity manuals are often used to guide and influence the design of both new schools and renovations/modernizations of existing campuses. Branding can also be an effective way for a district to build identities for existing and new school campuses, create opportunities for academic improvement, and create a sense of pride for students, teachers, parents, and their communities.
Where do We Start?
A school brand and identity is about defining who you are and clearly communicating that definition to your staff, students, and community. And it’s about creating excellence through the clarity of your mission and what you stand for. For these reasons, when undertaking a branding exercise or creating an identity package, it is important that stakeholders and user groups first define what a school’s program is about:
- Who are we?
- What do we stand for?
- What is our mission?
Matters to Consider
Branding a school takes communication to a new level. Private Institutions, Colleges, and universities who must compete for students to stay alive have already figured this out. Here are five practical tips to consider:
- Understand how your school’s brand can inspire (and repel) prospective students
- Align your school’s brand identity with your audience’s preferences
- Ensure consistent brand elements across all marketing channels
- Incorporate your community and history into your school branding
- Look critically at the brand identity of competing schools
Utilizing all the resources, tools, and ideas we now have at our disposal, there is no reason why we can’t do better with a set of tips:
- Develop a creative meet-the-teacher night introductory video
- Post live or recorded video updates on social media
- Share social media posts with daily photographs
- Host a curriculum night
- Host a family fun night like an event and then use intermission for school commercials.
Regardless of the resources, we need to develop a comprehensive plan to brand a new school. You’ll find that doing so raises engagement with parents, students with the school community. Ultimately, branding’s objective is to reinforce and remind the students and school community of their immediate and future goals.