The Challenge:
In the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, The County of Test (), wanted to assess the state of their internal communications and the struggles to engage a workforce that was working at home, working in a hybrid environment and, out of necessity, required to be onsite, on the job.
The Work:
In the highly competitive higher education environment of Colorado, this university had a problem: how to distinguish its brand from the multiple options available to students. The university had a long-established reputation as a teachers college, which began with its founding. Administrators sought to position the school as an “affordable and accessible” alternative, particularly for Latino students, many of whom are the first in their families to pursue a college education.
With 28 other public colleges and universities vying for attention across the state, the university recognized the need to sharpen its competitive edge. The institution sought to improve student enrollment, launch a capital campaign backed by alumni and donor engagement, and enhance its positioning as “Students First” – a university recognized statewide for driving student success and alumni upward mobility. Key to this transformation would be the establishment of a more sustained brand presence that resonated with diverse stakeholders, including prospective students, parents, high school counselors, donors, alumni, and policymakers.
The Results:
RCG teamed up with Lucas Narratives, a Colorado-based consultancy, to evaluate the strength of the University’s brand, to assess the brand value with its consumers, and to reposition the brand, if necessary, to reflect changes in the marketplace. The project included a comprehensive survey, focus groups, one-on-one interviews with over 20 key stakeholders, and a rigorous evaluation of communication channels and content, aspirational peer institutions, donor segmentation, and giving behaviors.