Imagine you’ve spent months gathering input from teams across campus, reconnecting with alumni, and engaging students in shaping a bold new vision for your institution’s identity. Beyond just refreshed colors and fonts, you now have new, powerful brand language, meaningful messaging, and stories that reflect the heart of your institution. But here’s the challenge: How do you move from the excitement of a rebrand into the day-to-day reality of using it? How do admissions, marketing, athletics, and academic departments each tell the same story, with their own voice, in a way that feels authentic and connected?
This is where GMB’s Brand Camp comes in to help institutions bridge the gap between big-picture strategy and everyday practice. Think of it as a hands-on, collaborative adventure designed to bring consistency, confidence, and creativity to your storytelling. So, pack your bags and get ready to go on a brand-centered learning adventure!
Why Should I Host a Brand Camp?
Your college or university is made up of many voices, from faculty, staff, students, coaches, and alumni. Each group is deeply connected to your institution, yet they often tell the story in different ways. Without intentional buy-in, each group will default to its own version of the story, creating inconsistency. But when your messaging is aligned, your audiences experience a unified narrative no matter where they encounter your brand. Consistency builds trust and trust inspires action: Students enroll, donors give, alumni reconnect, and communities rally behind your mission.
Colleges and universities are also about identity and belonging. When internal teams feel connected to the brand and see themselves in the story, they’re not just using the language. They’re proud to share it. That sense of ownership is what makes a brand authentic and compelling.
Getting the Whole Picture at the College of Wooster
When The College of Wooster sought out a refreshed brand strategy, the challenge wasn’t just crafting the message. It was making sure the message resonated to create brand advocates across campus. Intentionally launching the College’s new brand strategy to internal stakeholders was a must. To be successful, our teams organized a three-day on-campus Brand Camp that included a series of interactive sessions designed to bring the brand to life for faculty and staff.
We offered open sessions for the entire campus community and hosted department-specific sessions tailored to the unique needs of individual teams. These sessions walked participants through the “why” behind the strategy, shared key insights from stakeholder engagement, and introduced core messaging elements like brand pillars, the brand promise, and the brand narrative.
But we didn’t stop at the presentation. The Brand Camp included collaborative workshops to help participants internalize and practice the new messaging. Through guided reflection, elevator pitch challenges, and real-world role-play scenarios, attendees explored how to apply the brand language in their own communications — whether talking to a prospective donor, emailing alumni, or preparing remarks for a campus event. By the end of Brand Camp, participants were more confident, empowered, and excited to share it. They reflected on what the brand promise meant for their specific roles, practiced speaking the brand aloud, and gave feedback on areas where they needed more support. They began to see themselves as co-owners of the story, ready to use their voices to amplify a consistent and authentic message.
That’s a Wrap!
After energizing exercises, feedback sessions, and team building, you are ready to put your new brand and messaging to the test. Your teams have been equipped with the tools they need to enthusiastically tell your institution’s story in a way that’s both consistent and uniquely their own. When your teams are aligned around a shared language, every interaction reinforces the same story in meaningful ways. And that’s how you build the kind of brand that inspires students, alumni, donors, and communities alike.
So, are you ready to pack your bags and join us for Brand Camp? Let’s get your campus speaking the same language, one story at a time.
