BRAND STRATEGY / CREATIVE DIRECTION

CU in the City

Reconnecting a public, urban research university with the city it calls home

Despite a recent, award-winning rebrand and multi-year campaign, market research revealed that the University of Colorado Denver continued to lack marketplace differentiation with its student and community audiences.

With new leadership came a renewed interest to connect and engage with CU Denver’s core audiences on a deep, meaningful level.

Approach

Work began with a refresh of CU Denver’s brand identity and visual language, followed by the development and launch of a multi-year integrated campaign (paid, earned, owned) spanning digital, social, print, OOH, and experiential channels.

The creative strategy focused on showcasing CU Denver’s unique “extended campus” of downtown Denver by depicting its students, faculty and alumni interacting and thriving in the vibrant, dynamic environment they call home.

Insight

To CU Denver’s core audiences — students, alumni and employees — there is no difference between campus and downtown Denver. The city IS their campus, and one of the things that makes CU Denver unique.

Impact

The resulting brand evolution served as a much-needed bridge between CU Denver’s storied past and its ambitious future. Reception was overwhelmingly positive both internally and externally, including a 134% increase in brand awareness, and a 23-point increase in likelihood to recommend.