Update on marketing for September 2021

FOR THE DIFFERENCE Marketing Campaign

The campaign is live, well, and has launched to prospective undergraduate students. And DU’s first-ever brand commercial has been trafficked. A sneak peek of the commercial is being shared with our alumni and season ticketholders this week thanks to our partners in Athletics and Advancement. And we plan on sharing it on the brand social channels next week with a Behind-the-Scenes video follow up post in October to keep the dialogue going. A sampling of the campaign creative is beginning to take shape as we work towards launches for prospective graduate students, alumni, and thought leaders over the coming months.

Visual Identity Initiative

Carnegie Dartlet and the Division of Marketing & Communications (MarComm) design team have been working together over the past five weeks to develop a robust visual identity system for the University. This system is an integral part of the foundation for the DU brand. It’s how we ensure consistency in external touchpoints and materials while also providing options for the brand to evolve in the future and for units to personalize communications for their audiences in the present. Ultimately, it directly contributes to a bold, sustainable future for the next generation. More on the system this fall.

Timeline

Critical work that’s intended to last a decade or more requires focus and time. With the commencement of a new academic year and the return to campus, we've found additional projects taking our time and attention. This is rightfully so as we aim to showcase our vibrant culture for our students and support initiatives with firm dates tied to events and the recruitment cycle. As a result, we are currently reassessing timelines of the reputation strategy initiatives to ensure the quality of work that will serve as the foundation for DU's brand doesn't suffer as priorities ebb and flow this fall. We’re still pushing forward swiftly. We’re simply going to continue to do this work with care and intentionality, flexing as needed to create meaningful outcomes for our university.