Background
For decades, Southwest Texas Junior College has served as an “open door” community college, educating thousands of students across a region that stretches from the Texas Hill country to the US-Mexico border.
Recently, the institution decided to rename itself to Southwest Texas College (SWTX) and update its brand strategy to accompany the new name. They wanted to be sure any new brand strategy honored the institution’s history and strengths while also embodying the leadership’s fresh vision for tomorrow. Campos partnered with marketing and brand stakeholders to conduct foundational research to inform the rebrand and developed several brand strategy directions for the team to consider.
Execution
Campos began the project with internal stakeholder discovery research, so we could ground ourselves in the history of the institution and leadership’s vision for the future. In sessions with SWTX’s President and other leaders, we explored the college’s strengths, differentiators, opportunities, and competitors. These foundational insights helped inform an internal stakeholder survey, which we used to develop brand strategy directions.
We surveyed students, faculty, and staff to uncover why they choose to study or work at SWTX, what they believe to be the college’s defining strengths, and what sets SWTX apart from other educational institutions in the region. This process also helped us identify key attributes the brand strategy could tap into.
Armed with these insights, we developed several possible brand strategy directions. Each direction was outlined in a brand house framework, which included a brand essence, purpose, values (or pillars), personality, and market position. These brand houses each represented a different way the brand could position itself based on the research.
Often, clients seek to test which brand strategy will perform best with prospective customers (in this case, prospective students). However, in the case of SWTX, the leadership team quickly identified a standout strategy they felt enthusiastic about pursuing.
Results
Following our project, SWTX partnered with a creative agency to bring the new brand strategy to life. Campos remained “on call” to answer research questions and provide feedback as the institution and its partner developed a new logo and other visual assets.
“This rebranding is a testament to our enduring commitment to evolving and growing to continue to serve our communities,” SWTX President Dr. Gonzales said of the project. “We’ve developed a new brand that truly captures our spirit.” Contact us today to learn more about our research-driven approach to brand strategy and how we can support your rebranding journey.
